Genre: Comedy
Director: Boris Boo
Cast: Wang Weiliang, Venus Wong, Chew Chor Meng, Chen Xiuhuan, Jeremy Chan, Roz Pho, Terence Then, Priscilla Lim, Melody Low, Veracia Yong
Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Clover Films, mm2 Entertainment & Golden Village Pictures 
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 18 May 2017

Synopsis: LUCKY BOY chronicles several decades of the lives of Lin Yu (Wang Weiliang), his family, friends and Qingqing (Venus Wong) - the girl whom he falls in love with in primary school and continues pinning for throughout his tumultuous and eventful life. Lin Yu is always one step behind others and surrounded by misfortune… Will Lin Yu, the destined "unlucky" boy, be able to change his fate?

Movie Review:

Nostalgia, as ‘You’re the Apple of My Eye’, ‘Our Times’ and our very own Jack Neo duology ‘Long Long Time Ago’ has demonstrated, is a very powerful emotional language. As it turns out, ‘Lucky Boy’ is written very much in that same language. Spanning three decades from the early 1980s to present day, it references significant events in Singapore’s history to note the passage of time, including the collapse of Hotel New World, SARS and Mas Selamat’s escape from detention. Along the way, it harks back to how primary school used to look like in the 1980s (e.g. where students squatted by small drains watching fish swimming in them while learning how to brush their teeth), how secondary school boys used to ogle at the opposite sex and wait for them at the end of a school day outside their schools, and even how multi-level marketing as well as their products used to ensnare many ordinary (but greedy) folk hoping to make a quick buck. Oh yes, there are plenty of Singaporean moments to feel nostalgic over, and yet not quite enough to make up for the other shortcomings within this well-intentioned but gravely executed coming-of-age story.

On its surface, ‘Lucky Boy’ tells the life story of one unfortunate individual Lin Yu (Wang Weiliang) who has never had luck on his side. So named because his mother (Chen Xiuhuan) was caught in a downpour on her way to hospital to deliver him, Lin Yu not only has no luck at the lottery at the point of his birth (none of his birth numbers strike the lottery for his family) but is also foretold by a fortune master to have no luck in prosperity, marriage or children eventually. Except for an MLM scheme gone bad that he gets implicated for, Lin Yu’s misfortune is made up largely of missed opportunities with the love of his life Qing Qing (Venus Wong), whom he first meets as his Primary One classmate but loses contact with before the year is over. In brief, they will be reunited and fall in love during Secondary Four and throughout Junior College, separate after he enlists in National Service, meet next when he is his own ostensibly successful MLM boss but she is married to a philandering Japanese husband, go apart again when she mistakes him for having settled down after her inevitable divorce, and reunite finally for that happily-ever-after we know was coming the minute they met at Lin Yu’s father’s bookstore when they were just kids.

It is no secret how their love story will end, so what matters more is the journey than the destination. Alas that drawn-out journey over the course of one and a half hours not just feels as protracted as the chronology it is meant to chronicle but is also fraught with more frustrating and even infuriating episodes than tender and amusing ones. In fact, there is but one of the latter – that of Lin Yu and Qing Qing hanging out after school at the iconic dragon playground, where he shows her a notebook containing his sketches of her when they were young. That however is dwarfed by episodes that strain to inject humour, many of which consist of his two buddies – the overtly sissy-like Da Jie (Jeremy Chan) and the overly analytical Ray (Terence Then) – attempting to help Lin Yu win Qing Qing’s heart. One where they turn up below Qing Qing’s HDB block with spray cans so that Lin Yu can proclaim his love for her on the walls of the void deck goes nowhere, not even with Suhaimi Yusof turning up as a plainclothes policeman chasing after some other hooligans for vandalism and who ends up arresting Lin Yu too. Ditto the road trip which Qing Qing invites Lin Yu to go on with an over-achieving schoolmate Terence to Kuala Lumpur to watch Singapore play against Malaysia, not least because Lin Yu has no better sense than to follow his buddies’ advice to spite Qing Qing by inviting her female friend Wan Wen along.

But more tragic than the cringey over-acting and dull incidences that pass for humour is how tragedy is treated so carelessly throughout the movie. Early on, Lin Yu is horrified watching news of the Hotel New World collapse on TV, fearing that Qing Qing, who called him earlier in the day from a phone in the hotel lobby, was trapped and killed. Of course that is not true, for we would not have much of a movie otherwise would we? Even more unforgiveable is the sudden death of one of Lin Yu’s kin, which is exploited as the raison d’etre of his apparent change of attitude after that disastrous KL trip and for some barely developed father-son tension later on. And in utter disregard to those who have lost family members to unlicensed health products sold through MLM, the consequences of Lin Yu’s reckless business enterprise is appallingly diluted with humour, what with Maxi Lim’s MC King accusing him of landing his mother, then his father, mother, brother, sister and whole family in ICU after consuming his peddled drugs. There is no excuse for treating loss and death for laughs or narrative expediency, and ‘Lucky Boy’ is reprehensibly guilty on both counts.

Even if we overlook these missteps, ‘Lucky Boy’ is still a flawed movie. As a coming-of-age story intended to inspire how conviction and tenacity can change and even determine a person’s destiny over just luck or fate, it is hardly compelling enough, especially since the only way Lin Yu espouses that is how he refuses to let go of Qing Qing or settle for someone else. As a romance, it successfully sets up Lin Yu and Qing Qing as opposites who are meant for each other, but undermines that with moronic turns that make us want to give up on Lin Yu altogether at some point. Indeed, it’ll do better to pay attention to its own message at the end, i.e. that of staying true and following one’s heart come what may. Ultimately, ‘Lucky Boy’ doesn’t know where its heart wants to be – whether it is a story about Lin Yu, about Lin Yu’s love for Qing Qing or even about Lin Yu and Qing Qing at the same time (which also explains why at some points Qing Qing takes over as voiceover as if this were her story) – and despite a well-meaning moral therefore, is too distracted, unamusing and dull, neither of which the frequent doses of nostalgia can disguise or compensate for. 

Movie Rating:

(Whether as a coming-of-age story of tenacity triumphing luck or as a romance about following your heart, ‘Lucky Boy’ has no luck either way, and even comes off callous in how it treats loss, death and tragedy)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Pairach Khumwan
Cast: Isaya Horsuwan, Thanabodee Jaiyen, Purim Ratanaruangwatana, Thanyawee Chunhaswasdikul, Morakot Lew, Ploy Sornnarin, Nattasit Kotimanaswanich, Atikhun Adulpokatorn, Manapat Techakampu, Anongnart Yusanont
Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins
Rating: PG13 (Horror)
Released By: Clover Films and Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 11 May 2017

Synopsis: When two best friends May and Jublek are hanging around at the tutoring school in Siam Square, all lights go off. It’s not just the building – it’s a blackout in the entire Siam Square, Bangkok’s most famous nerve center of young people. When the lights come back on, the two friends are reminded of a story told among students: Many years ago a girl went missing in Siam Square. Her spirit has haunted the place, and every time there’s a blackout, she will appear to take someone with her. The frightening tale takes hold of May and Jublek, as well as their group of friends who attend the same tutoring school. They being to experience unusual incidents, and the myth of the Siam Square spirit becomes more powerful in their minds. Besides, the 10 friends have to worry about the entrance exam and romantic conflicts that come between them. Siam Square is no longer a fun place. With every strange happening, they come closer to the dark truth. Now they have to face the reality and try to correct the situation before it is too late.

Movie Review:

What is busiest during the day, usually morphs into the creepiest at night. And so with Siam Square, Phairat Khumwan conjures an urban legend of a missing girl who haunts the grounds at night, forever searching for her way out.

I’m sure there’s a big life lesson here, ending with a big, “moral of the story is…”

Sadly, I’m not sure what that is.

The horror flick is checkered, and in this case, only rook(ies) are in play. Khumwan’s effort to thread a complex story of friendship, superstition and love is marred by inept acting, awkward scripting, clumsy edits and flat characters. It comes across as confused as the perpetual expression on the actors themselves.

May (Isaya Horsuwan) and Jublek (Lew Morakot) are best friends. I think. They seem to share a close relationship but the film starts them off quarrelling every time they meet. During a tuition class at Key Building one night, Jublek lashes out at May, complaining that she is self-absorbed, before breaking off their friendship. May’s bewildered expression says it all.

In the midst of this, their classmates (again, I think) comprising of Terk, Moowan, Mon, Newton, Pond, Fern, Meen (Thanabodee Jaiyen, Purim Ratanaruangwatana, Nattasit Kotimanaswanich, Atikhun Adulpokatorn, Manapat Techakampu, Thanyawee Chunhaswasdikul, Anongnart Yusanont) get somehow entangled in their affairs when a mysterious girl Nid (Ploy Sornnarin) appears, along with ghostly sightings of the rumoured missing Siam Square girl.

What follows, I’ve yet to figure out. There’s some flirting that stops for no reason. There’s some life philosophy about who we are if we are no longer what we do. There’s some wistful looks and furtive glances for no real reason. And there’s lots of dreams. Lots and lots of them.

It’s hard to choose between Siam Square’s biggest failing. Is it Horsuwan’s listless acting throughout the two hours? Or is it the under-developed characters stacked up against an overly-convoluted storyline?  The characters seem to have motivations only lasting a scene, before veering off totally in another direction the next time they appear.

We know there’s nothing normal about Sornnarin’s Ploy, but what is more horrifying is her constant quivering expression of helplessness - even when she is angry. Is she the ghost? Is she not? Most importantly - what the heck does she want? By the end of the movie, the viewer is none the wiser.

I wish there was a payoff. This might come about if the students had a history, one only hinted at in a slow-mo 5-second shot near the end, of them laughing as a group. But when the finale comes and they have a showdown, the group remains as scattered as they were first introduced.

Even with the crafted shots, creepy environment and ambitious-sounding vision from Khumwan, I have a funny feeling that the victim is none of the students, but the unfortunate viewer on this side of the screen.

Movie Rating:

(A horror venture that forgot its roots and tried to inject human drama that fizzled out flat)

Review by Morgan Awyong

Genre: Comedy
Director: Jonathan Levine
Cast: Amy Schumer, Goldie Hawn, Joan Cusack, Ike Barinholtz, Wanda Sykes, Christopher Meloni
Runtime: 1 hr 31 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Some Nudity and Coarse Language)
Released By: 20th Century Fox 
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 3 August 2017

Synopsis: After her boyfriend dumps her on the eve of their exotic vacation, impetuous dreamer Emily Middleton (Amy Schumer) persuades her ultra-cautious mother, Linda (Goldie Hawn) to travel with her to paradise. Polar opposites, Emily and Linda realize that working through their differences as mother and daughter - in unpredictable, hilarious fashion - is the only way to escape the wildly outrageous jungle adventure they have fallen into.

Movie Review:

By virtue of its star power, ‘Snatched’ should be pure comedy gold. On one hand, you have one of this generation’s best comedians Amy Schumer, starring in her sophomore big-screen feature following Judd Apatow’s bawdy rom-com ‘Trainwreck’. On the other, you have comedy legend Goldie Hawn, starring in her first movie after a 15-year absence. And true enough, both Schumer and Hawn are funny to watch in their own right as well as alongside each other, playing a bickering mother-daughter couple who end up on an Eucador getaway together and land up being kidnapped for ransom. But it is also equally true that this vacation-from-hell caper is a lot less funny than you’re probably expecting it to be, saddled as it is by slack direction from ‘50/50’ and ‘Warm Bodies’ director Johnathan Levine and a lazy script from ‘The Heat’ and ‘Ghostbusters’ writer Katie Dippold that prefers silly gags, coarse banter and unexpected nudity over verbal wit and/or genuine pathos.

That’s a pity, because Schumer and Hawn demonstrate amply here their knack for making otherwise unlikeable characters uniquely amicable. After all, what’s there to like about a clueless egomaniac who is fired from her job as a sales assistant because she spends more time shopping around the store for clothes for her own vacation than helping out customers? Similarly, what’s there to like about a suburban neurotic who lives with her cats and practices helicopter parenting (even though she doesn’t realise it) over her adult children to the extent that she is unapologetic about expressing her motherly opinion by posting on her daughter’s Facebook wall (than say dropping her a PM)? Yet, Schumer makes the former bracing and savagely funny in an irresponsible, irresponsible and self-deprecating way; so too Hawn, who gives the latter endearing shadings with her occasional klutziness and self-effacing demeanour. Even better is their odd-couple chemistry, which is powerful enough to make you root for them despite their respective annoying idiosyncrasies.

Yet rather than let their character work drive the movie, director Johnathan Levine throws them into a series of slapstick set-pieces that are fitfully amusing but never quite acquire enough dramatic force or comic energy as a whole. One of the more memorable scenes prior to their kidnap has Schumer’s character Emily makeshift-douching herself in the ladies’ room at a bar, preparing for a possible hook-up with a tall, dark and handsome Brit. Another has Emily’s right boob slipping out of her dress just as she is about to bid him adieu for the night. The subsequent kidnapping plot is really just an excuse to throw them into a series of life-threatening scrapes, which they get out of either by somehow killing their attackers accidentally (one with a shovel and another with a harpoon) or with help from the other supporting players. And oh, by the way, there is also a scene of a local doctor extracting a vicious-looking tapeworm from Emily’s throat, which is entirely peripheral to the main story but is inserted just because it seems like a worthy gross-out sight gag.

In fact, Schumer and Hawn often get their routine scene-stolen by the other secondary actors/ characters. Wanda Sykes and Joan Cusack play an amusing ‘platonic friends’ couple who warn Emily of how dangerous the country is and whom Emily calls for help when she and Linda gets into trouble, especially given how one of the couple is supposed a former special-ops agent who decided to cut out her tongue after her retirement so her enemies cannot force her to give up any information. Christopher Meloni makes a suitably dashing Indiana Jones-substitute who turns out to be less a valiant adventurer-explorer than a man (literally) out of his mind. And last not least, Ike Barinholtz and Bashir Salahuddin make a hilarious tag-team as Emily’s nerdy man-child brother Jeffrey and the beleaguered State Department official he harasses after a ransom call to get his family back home safely. As diverting as these may be, they are no doubt also distractions, and partly why the mother-daughter connection between Schumer and Hawn is never quite developed fully.

We haven’t yet started on the cultural stereotyping of its South American characters that is insensitive at best and racist at worst; but then again, such nuances are hardly worth quibbling in a movie that is content to trade in broad crowd-pleasing humour. Despite these flaws, there are probably enough laughs here to satisfy the less-demanding viewer simply looking for some summer fun, not least because of the bravura that Schumer and Hawn bring to this scattershot comedy. Yet it is equally true that these actresses are capable of, and deserve, much better than this studio assembly-line product that is not nearly as sharp, offbeat or clever as it thinks itself to be. And really, it’s not that hard to imagine ‘Snatched’ as being better than it is – the very first two scenes where Emily is fired from her job then dumped by her boyfriend show the witty comedy Schumer’s fans were probably expecting this to be; as for Hawn’s fans, they probably need no reminder of the lively bubbly comedian she can be vis-à-vis the straight-woman and scold she is forced to play next to Schumer here. 

Movie Rating:

(Fitfully amusing as a typical R-rated summer studio comedy, ‘Snatched’ is nonetheless a waste of the sheer comedic life force of its two female stars by sacrificing character work to silly/ raunchy visual gags)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Thriller
Director: Johannes Roberts
Cast: Mandy Moore, Claire Holt, Matthew Modine, Yani Gellman, Santiago Segura, Chris Johnson
Runtime: 1 hr 30 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Intense Sequences)
Released By: Shaw 
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 17 August 2017

Synopsis: They say that a vacation is the perfect opportunity to try new things, to have experiences far removed from the monotony of everyday life. At least that's how Kate (Claire Holt) convinces her sister Lisa (Mandy Moore) to be lowered a few feet into the ocean, inside a rickety metal cage, and come face-to-face with a Great White shark. However when their cage breaks away from the vessel, they find themselves plummeting to the seabed, trapped, surrounded by feverish sharks - and with a rapidly decreasing oxygen supply.

Movie Review:

Forty-seven years after Steven Spielberg unleashed Jaws into the ocean, no one has been able to usurp the throne of this iconic shark thriller. Not even it’s sequels and the advancement of technology. While it’s engaging to watch a movie about man versus nature or in this case, man versus shark, it takes more than gore and special effects to setup an effective thriller.  

47 Meters Down is modeled in the same genetics as last year’s The Shallows, an intense survival thriller that has Blake Lively battling a CG shark for all of 86 minutes. The former however is essentially a two persons show set in the bottom of the dark, murky ocean bed in which the obvious title already told you.

Sisters Lisa (Mandy Moore) and Kate (Claire Holt) are vacationing in Mexico where they are introduce to shark diving by two handsome locals. We are told that Lisa has been recently ditched by her boyfriend who finds her ‘boring’. To prove that she still has what it takes, Lisa is encouraged by Kate to go with her into the observation cage to see the great white. And of course she went along else there won’t be a movie. But when the cable connecting to the cage snaps, the sisters are trapped inside the cage with their oxygen depleting by the minute. And worse, the sharks are circling around them waiting for lunch to be served.

Instead of showing the two starlets busking in designer swimwear, director Johannes Roberts (The Other Side of the Door) opts to set his movie right in the bottom of the ocean in virtual darkness with his two main characters trapped in the ‘safety’ of the cage. This allows Roberts to stage a few jump scares when characters attempt to sneak out of cage to establish contact with the captain of the boat, Taylor (Matthew Modine who provides a voice performance for most of the movie). Remember the fact that they need to swim up to at least 30 meters to talk to Taylor.  

Roberts did more than a decent job portraying both the CG sharks and the sisters. The CGI sharks are realistic and brutal given the obviously less than stellar budget. The sisters are no helpless damsels in distress characters even though Mandy Moore has her fair share of scream and bawl. You grow to root for them and care for them every moment they attempt to leave the cage be it to retrieve additional oxygen tank or contacting a fellow rescuer.

If you have no practical knowledge about diving at least Roberts and his co-writer provide a few facts to the uninitiated movie-goers liked the risk of getting the bends (decompression sickness) if you attempt to swim up too quickly to the top and beware also of nitrogen narcosis when you attempt to change oxygen tank because it causes hallucination. Hollywood frequently ignored realism but Roberts at the minimal knows how to effectively tells an engaging story without resorting to far-fetched scenarios.   

As the panicky Lisa, Moore (Tangled) sure doesn’t disappoint despite the fact she has not been seen on the big screen for a while and Holt (The Vampire Diaries) is excellent as her gung-ho sister. Without delving too much into the ending, let’s just say the movie ended on a pretty poetic note unlike those typical Hollywood titles in the market. This might be a problem for some but generally 47 Meters Down is a powerful well-made thriller that might deter you from accepting an invitation to shark observation in the ocean. 

Movie Rating:

(The poster shows a B-movie; in actual fact it’s better than expected)

Review by Linus Tee

SYNOPSIS: An ordinary suburban couple (Zach Galifianakis, Isla Fisher) finds it’s not easy keeping up with the Joneses (Jon Hamm, Gal Gadot) – their impossibly gorgeous and ultra-sophisticated new neighbors – especially when they discover that Mr. and Mrs. “Jones” are covert operatives.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Done in the vein of Mr and Mrs Smith and True Lies, Keeping With The Joneses recycled some of the ideas from its more famous predecessors but instead of making it funnier and smarter, it never lives up to its potential and ends up being overly average.

The cast boasts names liked Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Isla Fisher (Now You See Me) and soon-to-be a household name, Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman). Likely one of the main reasons why this title should garner some attention on streaming sites and inflight entertainment.

Galifianakis and Fisher play Jeff and Karen Gaffney who lived in a normal quiet suburban. Their lives are routine and boring until a pair of gorgeous couple, the Joneses (Hamm and Gadot) moved in next door. The Gaffneys find the Joneses intriguing and shortly after, Karen notices there is something strange about the two of them. It turned out the Joneses are secret agents and someone from Jeff’s company is secretly selling microchips to an arms dealer.

The synopsis on the surface offers a seemingly exciting time ahead. Unfortunately the script by Michael LeSieur (You, Me and Dupree) hardly offers any chuckles despite the promised premise. It’s not much of a comedy unless you count Jeff dragging his unconscious wife out of their neighbor house as funny. There’s hardly anything sexually intriguing unless you are talking about a scene, which has Gal Gadot, dressed in sexy black lingerie. If you are looking for some exhilarating action, there is a somewhat loud explosion (repeated twice) and a serviceable car chase sequence snugged inbetween.

Galifianakis, Hamm and Fisher are pretty much-accomplished performers but there’s nothing here that is worthy of their time and talents. A late appearance by Patton Oswalt is also wasted as well. Johnny Depp does it way better in 21 Jump Street.  

It’s a shame given the movie is directed by Greg Mottola who gave us Superbad and Paul. The pacing is lackluster and a message about maintaining a good marriage sounds entirely out-of-place and incoherent. We were expecting lots of fun and outrageous action at least it’s an entertaining spoof on the spy genre but we are so so wrong. 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

Spy Game is an 11 minutes making of segment which features the cast and crew giving their thoughts on the movie. Keeping Up With Georgia talks about the location shooting and there’s 18 minutes of Deleted Scenes which mostly seesGalifianakis improvising. A Stills Gallery and Trailer round up the extras. 

AUDIO/VISUAL:

The audio track is fantastic that it shows the same house being blow up twice so you won’t miss the boom. Colour reproduction and imaging detailing is pretty sharp for a DVD.  

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee

SHOCK WAVE COLLECTS A STUNNING $1 MILLION AFTER A MERE 12 DAYS IN CINEMAS Posted on 02 May 2017 SHOCK WAVE (拆弹专家) is Andy Lau’s best-selling movie, outside of Chinese New Year, over the last 6 years! Produced and starred Asian superstar Andy Lau, SHOCK WAVE has performed fantastically in Singapore, collecting a stunning SGD $1 million at the box office after showing in cinemas for a mere 12 days! Since its release on 20th April, the movie has faced st ... more

Genre: Comedy/Drama
Director: Ho Wi-Ding
Cast: Gwei Lun-Mei, Chen Kun, Wang Jing Chun, William Wang, Ouyang Nana
Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Shaw 
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 25 May 2017

Synopsis: A unique romantic drama about mistaken identity and the possibility of second chances. When a young, hard-bitten attorney (starring Gwei Lun-Mei) finds herself in the afterlife following a terrible car accident, she is mistaken for another woman and sent back to earth for one week to make reparations. She is horrified by her new life as a housewife with a strange husband and two children. However, she gradually begins to care for her new family. Unfortunately, the week will eventually come to an end. Will she be forced to leave the life she has come to love?

Movie Review:

What would it feel like to be someone else? While it is something this reviewer asks himself every other day (yes, there is always someone else’s life you envy), it is a movie concept that is as old as time. This idea transcends all genres – from romantic comedies to sci fi dramas, and it is the basis for the best fiction storytelling. Be it Big (1988) where a 12 year old boy barters his body with his 30 year old self, Face/ Off (1997) where a FBI agent and a crazy terrorist exchange identities (this John Woo flick is a classic when it comes to body swapping), or The Hot Chick (2002) where a popular girl switches her body with a petty criminal, there are limitless possibilities as logic is thrown out of the window.

The latest movie with this premise to hit our shores is Ho Wi Ding’s work about a single, successful female lawyer who finds herself in an alternate reality after getting involved in a serious accident. In this life, she is forced to take on responsibilities of a full time mother and wife. There is a demanding architect husband and two difficult children to deal with. Is this supposed to impart her with some life lessons which she overlooked while she was thriving before the accident?

Like most body swap movies, this one is filled with comedic elements and heartwarming moments. After laughing at the jokes, you are supposed to have some deep philosophical revelations about what life is really about, and let go of the trivialities that do not matter in the grander scheme of things. The story development is predictable: a young and hard bitten female is initially shocked by how she has to live the life of a housewife (a great opportunity to mess the actress’s hair and wardrobe up in the most glam manner), but gradually finds out what true happiness is when she spends more time with her new family. Alas, there is a time limit to this magic (thanks for the originality, scriptwriters) and does our protagonist have to leave the life she has come to embrace?

Ho first impressed us with his debut feature film Pinoy Sunday (2009), an innovative and original piece of work where we saw a pair of Filipino migrant workers embark on an adventure of determination and self discovery with an abandoned couch. The Taiwanbased filmmaker who was born and raised in Malaysianext made an impression with local audiences with Our Sister Mambo (2015), a project by Cathay Organisation to mark its 80^th anniversary.

His latest film stars big names like Gwei Lun Mei (Black Coal, Thin Ice) and Chen Kun (Mojin: The Lost Legend), together with familiar faces like Wang Jingchun (The Golden Era) and Ouyang Nana (Mission Milano). The cast members do their best to make the story work, but there seems to be too much lightheartedness and merriment to drive the message across. Of course, one can argue that such movies shouldn’t be too heavy handed. The result then, is one that doesn’t stand out from other similar works out there that aim to deliver a wholesome message about treasuring what you have, and making time for the people who matter.

If you really needed a movie to remind you, then you’re in serious trouble. 

Movie Rating:

(The predictable movie features pleasant people and decent performances, but does nothing more to drive the message across)

Review by John Li

Genre: War/Action/Thriller
Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Fionn Whitehead, Harry Styles, James D'Arcy, Jack Lowden
Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language)
Released By:  Warner Bros 
Official Website: http://www.dunkirkmovie.com

Opening Day: 20 July 2017

Synopsis: “Dunkirk” opens as hundreds of thousands of British and Allied troops are surrounded by enemy forces. Trapped on the beach with their backs to the sea they face an impossible situation as the enemy closes in.

Movie Review:

So it was a strategy all along.

You were wondering why Christopher Nolan took on something as mainstream as comic book superheroes with The Dark Knight Trilogy. After making his mark with 2000’s Memento which earned Oscar nominations for Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing, the English American filmmaker began working with Warner Bros studio on blockbusters starring big names.

Some notable celebrities who have worked with Nolan include Christian Bale (is he the best Batman ever?), Al Pacino (2002’s Insomnia), Hugh Jackman (2006’s The Prestige), Leonardo DiCaprio (2010’s Inception) and Matthew McConaughey (2014’s Interstellar). These huge titles are critically and commercially successful, making the 46 year old one of the highest grossing directors in history.

With the massive box office earnings, Nolan managed to get the movie studio to back up his latest project.

When we heard that Nolan was going to direct a film about the 1940 Dunkirk evacuation set during World War II, we were wondering how a war movie could incorporate the unique characteristics the acclaimed filmmaker was known for: construction of time, human morality and memory. Our doubts were unfounded – the historical film is ambitious, epic and will go down history as one of the greatest war movies ever made.

Split into three parts, the film is presented in a non linear manner. With events taking place on land, sea and in the air, the story is essentially about the evacuation of Allied troops from the French city of Dunkirkbefore Nazi forces could take hold.  

The film’s opening scene is poignant: you see soldiers walking down a deserted street with papers swirling in the air. You see them wondering around aimlessly, and the uncomfortable silence is suddenly broken by gun shots. Only one soldier survives, and he finds his way to a beach where thousands of other men are waiting to be evacuated.

If you aren’t familiar with this part of history, it is also known as Operation Dynamo where plans were made to evacuate the large numbers of British, French, Belgian, and Canadian troops who were cut off and surrounded by the German army during the Battle of France.

The story begins and you see how men survive the war. Without giving away too much plot details, let’s just say viewers will be in for a sensory experience with powerful visuals, genius sound editing and a story structure that makes this production stand out. Spectacular scenes are recreated (with a huge production budget, of course), and there are lots to see on screen. Hoyte Van Hoytema’s cinematography is breathtaking, and Hans Zimmer’s musical score will blow you away. Watching this on in an IMAX theatre is highly recommended.

You aren’t distracted by pretty faces. Little known actors Fionn Whitehead, Jack Lowden and an almost unrecognisable Harry Styles (One Direction fans rejoice!) take on the more substantial roles. Nolan’s usual collaborators Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy play supporting characters. Established veterans Kenneth Branagh and Mark Rylance also deliver impressively muted performances.

There may be countless sweeping moments in this 107 minute film (Nolan’s shortest yet), but it is also an intimate portrayal of humanity during dire times. Now, will someone recognise Nolan with at least an Academy Award nomination for Best Director already?  

Movie Rating:

(Experience and get fully immersed in the horror and hope of war through Nolan's unapologetically epic war movie)

Review by John Li

Genre: Sci-Fi/Comedy
Director: Nacho Vigalondo
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis, Dan Stevens, Austin Stowell, Tim Blake Nelson
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Rating: PG13 (Coarse Language And Some Violence)
Released By: Shaw 
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 8 June 2017

Synopsis: Gloria (Anne Hathaway) is an ordinary woman who, after losing her job and being kicked out of her apartment by her boyfriend, is forced to leave her life in New York and move back to her hometown. When news reports surface that a giant creature is destroying Seoul, Korea, Gloria gradually comes to the realization that she is somehow connected to this far-off phenomenon. As events begin to spin out of control, Gloria must determine why her seemingly insignificant existence has such a colossal effect on the fate of the world.

Movie Review:

Gloria (Anne Hathaway) has fallen and can’t get up. The spunky online writer with a blunt haircut lost her job in New York and can’t muster enough self-worth to pursue another one. She proceeds to lose boyfriend and home, forcing her to escape to her parents’ unrented vacant house in her small hometown.

This girl is obviously hooked on getting by. When her neck aches from sleeping on the floor, she gets an air mattress. When she meets childhood friend Oscar (Jason Sudeikis), she takes up the part-time waitressing job he offers, even though it will exacerbate her drinking problem. Because you know, life.

But life has other plans for her. As she settles into a routine, a Godzilla-scale monster appears in Seoul, stomping around before disappearing into thin air. The story hooks her. Her new bar friends join in. Why does the monster not look down if it wants to destroy the area? Why is it only appearing in Seoul? Why does it do aimless and oddly humanistic gestures?

These casual observations speak greatly of Nacho Vigalondo’s writing and his unpretentious Colossal creation. The film’s relatability comes from the fact that director and writer placed his focus on ordinary folks. These are not army officials and biological experts; these are questions we regular folks will fuss over. Yet within these innocent questions, the director drops candid truths: one character confesses how if the monster continues to only appear in Seoul, then the rest of the world will eventually stop caring. The social commentary here is so casual and non-philosophical, it’s refreshing.

As Vigalondo trickles hints on how the two stories on each side of the world connect, the audience’s realisation will come at different points. But when the undeniable truth comes, it’s impactful, filled with bewilderment and nervous laughter. Without giving away too much, there’s plenty of refreshing twists that justifies this film as the sleeper hit in 2016 when it was first released.

Colossal may seem ludicrous, and with its spare and sketchy effects, it seems to go against the current of efforts these days to go bigger and better. But it works because all the parallels seem more like an unfortunate coincidence than a contrived plot point. Even with all the underlying themes of addiction, abuse and identity, this film is never self-important. And that’s a breath of fresh air in this saturated climate of activism and expert opinions.

As the story pivots on its heels and turns bum-seeking-second-chance to how-to-save-seoul-and-soul, the audience will revel in the twisted ride Vigalondo has conjured as it shifts gears. Right up to the very end, Hathaway’s transformation easily derives sympathy, especially after the appearance of a very unexpected villain. You’ll facepalm at her mistakes, gasp when she notices a familiar trait in the monster, then cheer when she owns her decisions, before laughing at a punchline that drops when the credits roll. Colossal defies genre-classification, and is all the better for it.

Movie Rating:

(This “down-and-out finds purpose” story serves candid humour, bewildering twists and witty scripting. Cheers to that!)

Review by Morgan Awyong

SYNOPSIS: From Jonás Cuarón and Alfonso Cuarón, the acclaimed filmmakers of Gravity, comes the modern, heart-pounding suspense-thriller starring Golden Globe winner Gael García Bernal (Mozart in the Jungle, Y Tu Mamá También) and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (The Walking Dead, Watchmen). What begins as a hopeful journey to seek a better life becomes a harrowing and primal fight for survival when a deranged, rifle-toting vigilante chases a group of unarmed men and women through the treacherous U.S.-Mexican border. In the harsh, unforgiving desert terrain, the odds are stacked firmly against them as they continuously discover there's nowhere to hide from the unrelenting, merciless killer.

MOVIE REVIEW:

There’s a certain expectation from Desierto especially when it comes from Jonas Cuaron, son of Alfonso, the award-winning director of Gravity. However to enjoy this movie, first of all you need to dial down your expectations as in way down.  

Desierto is overly simplistic and pretty bare perhaps the Cuarons like to make things simple for the audiences. Just liked Gravity, his co-written effort with his father, the movie spent no effort in introducing the two main characters. What you have in the end is a taut, tense thriller, set in the harsh, barren desert full of cactus, stones under a scorching sun. 

Mexican heartthrob Gael Garcia Bernal (The Motorcycle Diaries) plays Moises, an illegal immigrant who hopes to cross over to America in a truck with several others. But unfortunately the truck broke down before the border and they have to continue the rest of the journey on foot. Since all bad things come in threes, the illegal immigrants are one by one hunted and shot by a rifle-carrying stranger, Sam (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and his equally ruthless canine, Tracker.  

Desierto has so much potential in conveying relevant social messages given that President Trump has famously declare building a wall to stop the influx of illegal immigrants. Instead of delivering something that socio-political scholars will be proud of, Jonas Cuaron made an effective cat-and-mouse thriller that will please both the hardcore action fanbase and angering every dog lover out there at the same time.  

None of the nameless Mexican actors and actresses featured here has much of a screentime. They are simply presented here as live targets for Sam. As for Sam, Cuaron has no interest in giving audiences a convincing explanation why he has such hatred for illegal immigrants. Is he psychologically wrong somewhere or is he being an unlawful enforcer? Of course Jeffrey Dean Morgan is in his Negan mode so don’t ever cross sword with him. Bernal on the other hand probably could play Moises in his sleep. Consider he is also one of the executive producers and running his ass off for most of the screentime, we have to forgive him for juggling two hats.    

At the end of the day, this feature length directorial debut by Jonas Cuaron is purely an escapade. It provides solid thrills and a lush cinematography that features the grand desert of Mexico and nothing else. Don’t be surprised if President Trump might one day endorse this. 

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The sole extra here is a Feature Commentary with Director/Co-Writer/Producer Jonás Cuarón. If you are expecting a lot of insights into the whole movie, you can safely skip this because there isn’t.  

AUDIO/VISUAL:

The DVD 5.1 audio track boasts an excellent display of gunshots zipping across the room and video quality never disappoints as well. Facial and terrain imaging is top-notch and it’s an added bonus that all of the action sequences took place in broad daylight.  

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee