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Genre: Drama/Romance
Director: Takahiro Miki
Cast: Suzu Hirose, Toma Ikuta, Ryo Ryusei, Aoi Morikawa
Runtime: 1 hr 53 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website:

Opening Day: 1 March 2018

Synopsis: Hibiki Shimada (Suzu Hirose) is a 17-years-old sophomore, who has never knew love. She could not understand how her friends knew who they liked. However, she unknowingly falls for her World History teacher, Kosaku Ito (Toma Ikuta). She cannot help but notice his kindness towards her such as assisting her with her math problems, even though it is after school hours. She is honest to Kosaku with her feelings, however, he is faced with difficulties to deal with his own feelings freely due to his position as a teacher. How will they make the difficult choice between listening to your head, or following your heart?

Movie Review:

My Teacher (aka Sensei!... Suki ninattemo ii desuka?) is adapted from a young women’s manga series of the same name. It was published on popular monthly manga magazine Betsuma, and was distributed between 1996 - 2003. This manga series has 20 volumes altogether. The story follows the lead character, Hibiki, and her falling in love with her World History teacher, Ito-sensei.

Hold on, isn’t that premise of that ‘forbidden love’ rather familiar? Recent movies such as Narratage (2017) and KinkyoriRenai (2014) both talks about a high school girl falling in love with her teacher. And another similarity? All these 3 movies are headlined by a Johnny & Associates’ talent (NB: Johnny & Associates is a talent management agency for male idols). Funny as it is, this is yet another love story that is set against a high school backdrop. Either the Japanese really have quite a fetish and appetite for this genre of romance movies, or My Teacher has something different to offer.

Hibiki is in her second year at high school and started to wonder about her friends’ love interest. She has never experienced how it is liking someone, but started to develop interest towards Ito-sensei since he started showing the warm side to his otherwise distant character. Upon hearing the words from Ito-sensei on not wasting the time in youth, she decided to confess to Ito-sensei, but that didn’t lead to any fruition as presumably, a teacher-student relationship is not accepted. Yet, Hibiki finds herself developing even more feelings towards her teacher and that’s when Ito-sensei realizes his gaze land on her more often, beyond his capacity as a teacher.

While the story seems nothing more than ordinary, it was the characters in the story that truly motivated this live-action adaptation. Hibiki is charming as a character, as she is pure and faces her own feelings very honestly. Having the character helmed by Hirose Shizu is possibly the best decision as well. She has been taking up high school character roles, but never a romance story. Her previous characters like in Let’s Go, Jets (2017) is the typical youthful, energetic and passionate student. Yet in this movie, she’s takes a leap away from that, and brings out that cuteness and gives a perfect rendition of Hibiki. Even Ikuta Toma, co-star as Ito-sensei, mentioned on interviews that he had his 胸キュン(his heart skipped a beat!)by her performance. The mention was relating to the confession scene at Ito-sense’s office.

Needless to say, IkutaToma’s Ito-sensei was also complementary to the movie. His rendition of the suave and caring teacher stood out. It’s not difficult to understand why Hibiki fell in love with a character like his. The supporting characters, i.e. Hibiki’s friends, each had their own struggles in figuring out love and had distinctively different approach towards it. That too supported the storyline well, as it paints a more broad-stroke picture of how the youths go head-on to deal with their conflicting feelings and love woes, whichsome people in the audience could well relate well.

The production value of the movie is something worth raving about. Having director Miki Takahiro’s hand on it, meant the movie was stylized with his warm, gentle lighting, which injects a little magic into the scenes. Having part of the movie filmed in scenic Okayama also gave the movie a flavor of nostalgia –from the trains to the beautiful sunset at the sea and mountains, all the best parts have been captured in the film. The music score was also written by mio-sotido, the same crew behind Girl in the Sunny Place’s (2013) film score. It subtly brings out the longings from Hibiki and sets up scenes well.

The movie was overall a heartwarming and truly enjoyable watch, even though I wasn’t particularly fond of what Hibiki’s friend said to her at the supposedly climax scene (also seen on trailer), “There’s nobody in the world you CAN’T love!” (this is no more than a simplistic and irresponsible claim). Hoping that the audience is discerning enough to know that’s dramatized as part of this fictional story.

Bonus!!! The theme song of the movie is performed and specially written by Spitz, to suit the story of the movie. The music video for the song, UtaUsagi, is directed by same movie director Miki Takahiro, following the adult Hibiki, revisiting the places of memories.

https://youtu.be/7KKn4C9786k

Movie Rating:

(Forbidden love are timeless tales? My Teacher takes the audience to that fantasy bubble and brings back the feelings of nostalgia and infatuation)

Review by Tho Shu Ling

Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Director: Ava DuVernay
Cast: Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Peňa, Storm Reid, Zach Galifianakis, Chris Pine
Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: The Walt Disney Company
Official Website: https://www.facebook.com/WrinkleinTimeMovie/

Opening Day: 8 March 2018

Synopsis: From visionary director Ava DuVernay comes Disney’s “A Wrinkle in Time,” an epic adventure based on Madeleine L’Engle’s timeless classic which takes audiences across dimensions of time and space, examining the nature of darkness versus light and, ultimately, the triumph of love. Through one girl’s transformative journey led by three celestial guides, we discover that strength comes from embracing one’s individuality and that the best way to triumph over fear is to travel by one’s own light. Meg Murry is a typical middle school student struggling with issues of self-worth who just wants to fit in. The daughter of two world-renowned physicists, she is intelligent and uniquely gifted, as is Meg’s younger brother, Charles Wallace, but she has yet to realize it for herself. Complicating matters is the mysterious disappearance of Mr. Murry, which has left Meg devastated and her mother broken-hearted. Charles Wallace introduces Meg and her fellow classmate Calvin to three celestial beings (Mrs. Which, Mrs. Whatsit and Mrs. Who) who have journeyed to Earth to help search for their father, and together they embark on their formidable quest. Travelling via a wrinkling of time and space known as tessering, they are transported to worlds beyond their imagination where they must confront a powerful evil force. To make it back home to Earth, Meg must face the darkness within herself in order to harness the strength necessary to defeat the darkness rapidly enveloping the Universe.

Movie Review:

Oprah Winfrey wears a cage-like outfit, has glittery eyebrows and is a towering figure in Ava DuVernay’s film based on the award-winning novel A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. She plays Mrs Which, one of the three celestial guides in the story. It would be rude to laugh at how silly Winfrey looks – simply because the “Queen of All Media” is a very well-respected figure who has been an inspiration to many people for being someone constantly focusing on self-improvement and spirituality.

Instead of sniggering, you are awed by her shimmering look whenever she appears on screen. It also helps that Mrs Which has some of the most quote-worthy lines. “The only thing faster than light is the darkness,” she says in a sagely tone.

The protagonist of the the science fantasy story published in 1962 is 13-year-old Meg Murry, whose father has been missing for four years. The mysterious incident happened just as the scientist made a breakthrough discovery of travelling across space via something called a tesseract (yes, we have no idea what it exactly is either).

A series of events leads Meg to an adventure to rescue her missing father, with the help of Mrs Which and her fellow otherworldly beings Mrs Who and Mrs Whatsit. The team is also made up of Meg’s chatty younger brother and earnest male schoolmate (read: love interest). With Disney backing this movie, you can expect a happy ending with the young characters learning precious lessons that will prepare them for the hard-knock life ahead.

Remember how Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther gained worldwide attention for being a culturally-significant? Here, we have DuVernay (Selma) who will be remembered for being the first black woman to direct a live-action blockbuster with a nine-digit budget of more than $100 million.

Get ready as lush greenery, colourful flowers and magnificent skies enchant you, while creepy antagonists, weird universes and intimating tentacles send shivers down your spine.

It is without a doubt that you will be mesmerised by the wondrous landscapes visualised by the filmmakers. Thanks to CGI effects, everything looks stunningly gorgeous on the big screen.

The actors in the star-studded ensemble almost become secondary. Reese Witherspoon (Sing) and Mindy Kaling (Inside Out) join Winfrey as Mrs Whatsit and Mrs Which, creating an impression with their elaborate costumes, heavy makeup and big hairdos. Elsewhere, Zach Galifianakis (The Lego Batman Movie) plays the doped Happy Medium, Michael Peña (The Lego Ninjago Movie) literally falls apart as a strange character named Red, while Chris Pine (Wonder Woman) grows a beard to become a genius scientist.

The real stars of the movie are the kids. Storm Reid may be 14 years old, but she has enough charisma to hold the show together as Meg. Her male co-stars Deric McCabe and Levi Miller are also likeable as the adorable younger brother and the understanding friend.

However, there is a nagging feeling that the project is over-ambitious for its own good. It is evident that there are positive takeaways for audiences, but they somehow lose their impact in the array of special effects, costumes, makeup and celebrity power. There is plenty to look at, but there isn’t enough to feel for.

Because of the troubled times we live in, we need a film brimming with hope and positivity. The movie had the potential and delivers to a certain extent. While it is definitely recommended for its outstanding technical merits, it unfortunately lacks an oomph.

Movie Rating:

(What could have been an inspiring tale of human strength is instead overshadowed by the production’s dazzling visual effects, elaborate costumes and fancy makeup)

Review by John Li

Genre: Drama
Director: Paolo Virzì
Cast: Helen Mirren, Donald Sutherland, Janel Moloney, Kirsty Mitchell, Christian McKay
Runtime: 1 hr 52 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scene)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:

Opening Day: 15 March 2018

Synopsis: The Leisure Seeker is the nickname of the old RV used by Ella (Academy Award winner Helen Mirren) and John Spencer (Golden Globe winner Donald Sutherland) to take vacations with their children in the 1970s. On a summer morning, desperate to escape a destiny of medical care that would have kept them apart forever, the couple astonish their meddling adult children by hopping on board that dated vehicle and dashing down Old Route 1 towards Key West for a new adventure. Their trip through an America they no longer recognize - mixing hilarious moments with others of pure terror - is their chance to retrace a married life nourished by passion and devotion, but also by secret obsessions that abruptly resurface and cause surprising revelations right up to the very end.

Movie Review:

This reviewer felt pensive while watching this movie based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Michael Zadoorian. The protagonists are John and Ella, an old couple who decide to embark on a road trip from Bostonto the Hemingway House. Sounds romantic for two geriatric folks to spend some quality time together? That’s before you realise that Alzheimer's disease is catching up with the husband, and cancer is slowly destroying the wife’s life.

And as children, how are we supposed to feel about our ageing parents? Although the film is marketed as a comedy drama, it is with a heavy heart that this columnist sits through the 112 minutes of the movie.

In his first English feature, Italian filmmaker Paolo Virzi (Like Crazy) directs veterans Donald Sutherland (Basmati Blues) and Helen Mirren (Winchester) as the couple. This is the first time the two actors are starring in a production since Bethune: The Making of a Hero (1990). That is one reason why this film is worth your time. Besides, supporting characters played by Janel Moloney, Chistian McKay and KIrsty Mitchell, while do not have much screen time, are not particularly jarring in the bigger scheme of things.

As you’d expect from a road trip movie, the protagonists discover each other, as well as themselves while travelling in the old RV which they fondly call The Leisure Seeker. They meet interesting characters along the way, squabble over seemingly trivial matters, rekindle their relationship through reminiscing old photos, and a whole lot of other things you’d expect when two people go on a trip. For the viewers, there are also picturesque sceneries which make you want to start planning your next holiday.

Sutherland, 82, takes a break from being a baddie in the The Hunger Games franchise (2012–2015) to play a man who is slowly losing memories of what his life used to be life. The actor who has never been nominated for an Oscar (gasp!) effortlessly takes on the role and leaves you wondering how your life would turn out towards the end of the road. Mirren doesn’t disappoint either, as the 72 year old delivers a performance which garnered her a Best Actress nomination in the Comedy or Musical category at the 75^th Golden Globes. Her previous works are a testament to her abilities as an actress - The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014), Trumbo (2015) and even Furious 8 (2017), where she played Jason Stathams’ mother.

And this is why you won’t fault the story for being predictable, and at times, melodramatic. Like any other husband and wife pair, this one argues over things which happen in the past and the comments become personal. Heard this one before, haven’t you? For the sake of storytelling, there is also a shotgun involved as the plot progresses.

The most heartbreaking part of the film happens towards the end of the movie. A decision deemed as the best outcome for two old people was made, and that again leaves you pondering, whether it’s better to leave life behind at its best moments, or to hang on till the end.

Movie Rating:

(Although predictable, this road trip movie about two geriatric folks making their last shot at life is a heartwarming watch)

Review by John Li

Genre: Drama
Director: Choi Seong-hyeon
Cast: Lee Byung-hun, Youn Yuh-jung, Park Jung-min, Han Ji-min
Runtime: 1 hr 53 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language)
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website:

Opening Day: 15 March 2018

Synopsis: A wellerweight WBC Asian champion in his heyday, Jo-ha (Lee Byung-hun) is down on his luck and has nowhere to go. He makes ends meet by sparring for other boxers and by distributing flyers on the streets. One day, he accidentally reunited with his mother In-sook (Youn Yuh-jung) for the first time in 17 years and moves in with her. There, he meets his unexpected half-brother Jin-tae (Park Jung-min), whom he didn't know existed. Although he has level 2 austim, Jin-tae cooks ramen incredibly well, plays video games like no other, and is a savant when it comes to playing the piano. Jo-ha isn't too fond of his new brother, who always responds to his questions with a simple 'yup'. But in order to put together some money to move abroad, he has to help out around the house and get to know him... Two unlikely brothers must unite to find the right tunes for brotherhood!

Movie Review:

Lee Byung-Hun has carved a name for himself inhabiting steely characters with tortured pasts. In Keys to the Heart, he reprises this formula as a down-and-out boxer, who rediscovers family relations with his estranged mum and autistic brother.

South Korea’s heartwarming version of Rain Man takes the same cues from the iconic classic, featuring tropes that are all too familiar. The smash hit (grossing over $25 million) marries predictable plot with Asian sensibilities, giving us a formulaic commercial title.

The story begins when Jo-ha (Lee Byung-Hun) bumps into his mother In-Sook (Youn Yuh-Jung). He is clearly reluctant to her advances in reuniting, sparking questions in our minds as to the reason for the stand-off. A flashback reveals the cause: that the mother had abandoned the middle-school Jo-ha after suffering extensively under her abusive husband.

Little Jo-ha grew up angsty, to say the least, and the gritty lad becomes a tough boxer, only to lose his career future when he assaults a judge at a match. These days, he spends his time sleeping at comic cafes, eating at convenience stores, and distributing in flyers in sloppy active-wear.

As he considers an invite to move to Canada for work, he accepts In-Sook’s offer to stay with them, in an attempt to save up for the trip. When he returns to the small apartment, he meets his half-brother Jin-Tae (Park Jung-Min).

The peculiar behaviour of the autistic sibling quickly gets on his nerves, and one encounter even ends up with a punch to the face. The poor Jin-tae ends up wearing a hockey mask every time his hot-headed brother comes into the room.

Things start to change when In-Sook goes away for a month for work. Revealing Jin-tae’s exceptional abilities at the piano to Jo-ha, she instructs the elder brother to help Jin-tae participate in a prestigious piano contest. During that period, Jo-ha fully realises the superhuman talents of his brother, being a gaming savant, piano prodigy and overall black bean ramen top chef.

Just as life seems to turn around for Jo-ha, a series of upsets and discoveries cripple the inwardly-fragile boxer, and he is faced with a choice to leave for Canada once again, or keep his allegiance with his family obligations, which he himself was never shown.

Director Choi Seong-Hyeon draws out convincing performances from the cast, in particularly Lee as the struggling Jo-ha. He keeps characters uncomplicated, choosing instead to have a larger ensemble to present differing tones. There’s the bouncy but irreverent Soo-Jung (Choi Ri), the landlord’s daughter who calls things as she sees it. Then reckless driver Ga-Yool (Han Ji-Min) also comes into the picture when she injures Jo-ha, but also turns out to be a reclusive but influential pianist who helps realise Jin-tae’s talent.

This not only keeps the sibling-bonding story light enough to be palatable for the mainstream, but also provides story arcs to better understand the motivations of the brothers.

Newcomer Park also delivers a commendable performance. It’s rare to see a South Korean actor “ugly” themselves in this direction, and although his performance is at times uneven, his crooked fingers and awkward head tilts are still more expressive than exaggerated.

As the name suggests, Keys to the Heart tugs at heartstrings. There’s nothing revolutionary from the age-old plot, but the updated treatment will still appeal to an audience seeking some samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) to the soul.

Movie Rating:

(Affirmative and nourishing film that plies the tricks of the trade to get the tear ducts going. Glossy production and middleweight performances make this an enjoyable watch)

Review by Morgan Awyong

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Johannes Roberts
Cast: Christina Hendricks, Bailee Madison, Martin Henderson, Emma Bellomy, Lewis Pullman, Damian Maffei, Lea Enslin, Leah Roberts, Preston Sadleir
Runtime: 1 hr 25 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Violence and Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:

Opening Day: 15 March 2018

Synopsis: A family's road trip takes a dangerous turn when they arrive at a secluded mobile home park to stay with some relatives and find it mysteriously deserted. Under the cover of darkness, three masked psychopaths pay them a visit to test the family's every limit as they struggle to survive. Johannes Roberts directs this horror film inspired by the 2008 smash hit THE STRANGERS.

Movie Review:

The Strangers in 2008 created a new angle in home invasion horror, creating killers that not only toyed with their victims, but also seemingly for no apparent reason. Mimicking the “mindless” massacre of psychopaths such as Charles Manson, the un-scrubbable trauma was made real and available to the masses with Bryan Bertino’s creepy franchise.

It influenced other successful franchises like The Purge of 2013, but clearly left an indelible mark on audiences and filmmakers alike.

“I’m a huge fan of the first movie and what Bryan did as a director,” admits director Johannes Roberts of the new chapter he’s making. So one can expect some level of homage in this third episode.

Roberts himself is no stranger (pun intended) to breakout success. His 47 Meters Down was the most successful independent buy of 2017. So with bow and stern in order, The Strangers: Prey at Night seems well-positioned for a hit. And it mostly answers the producer’s prayers.

When the rebellious teenage daughter KInsey (Bailee Madison) makes a grave mistake at school, her parents Cindy (Christina Hendricks) and Mike (Martin Henderson) decides to send her to a far-off boarding school, and brings her brother Luke (Lewis Pullman) along for one final bonding outing at their relatives’ mobile home park.

Kinsey makes no bones about her discontent. She often breaks off from the pack, going for angst-filled “smoke breaks”. Those are in quotes because she doesn’t actually inhale. Yes, this is your typical poser emo millennial stereotype. She even features an off-shoulder top emblazoned with “The Ramones” for good measure - you know, to know she’s really angry.

As the family makes a last ditch effort to come together when they arrive at their destination, things go very wrong, very quickly, when the kids discover their relatives’ bodies in their open trailer. It would seem that The Strangers trio have now picked this fractured family as their newest playthings.

And yes. Purists will be happy to know that Dollface (Emma Bellomy), Pinup Girl (Lea Enslin) and Man in the Mask (Damian Maffei) retain their looks from the first episode, though there has been some adjustments in the behavioral department.

First of all, Roberts, a self-confessed fan of John Carpenter, injects an element of Christine by placing Man in the Mask appearances mostly in a revving truck. The slow chugging and blinding headlights harken to the creepy moments in the classic, when that signals something bad is about to go down.

Then there’s the more aggressive approach by the trio that departs a little from the original. Not that it’s a bad thing necessarily. It just nudges the dreaded thriller into slasher horror territory. And for the most part of The Strangers: Prey at Night, it works.

The no-nonsense pacing keeps things tense and sharp, and as the film progresses, Roberts cranks up both brutality and gore to satisfy fans. The trio coordinates and attacks with new ferocity, and so delivers a great payout during takedown moments.

Overlaying all this action, is the irreverent soundtrack that fans will recognise; except country tunes have been swapped for 80s pop - a choice that is equally effective. This is especially so in a brilliantly-executed swimming pool scene, when Bonnie Tyler wails out “Total Eclipse of the Heart” to some satisfying exchanges between hunter and prey.

The appeal of these titles is really not only just about the thrills and scares, but also having you engage in a “what would I do” thought process. This became evident in the theatre, when the audience would blurt out suggestions like, “shoot!”, “faster run!”, and the always-helpful “kill them!”

There is one glaringly weak spot in this remake. And yes, it’s our emo female lead. As much as Madison makes for a commendable scream queen - her horrified contortions do have a throwback flavour - her unlikable character (her angst is never really explained or justified, plus she just looks annoying when sulking) makes it difficult to root for her escape.

So it’s a good thing that the trio injects their characters with a level of sinister and venom that keeps us firmly on the side of the victims. With no reason to enjoy their actions yet still doing them with full-fledged glee, this disturbing annihilation still delivers a sweet swing.

Movie Rating:

(Successful title shifts gear a little to become more like a slasher, but maintains the scares and thrills for a gratifying ride)

Review by Morgan Awyong

Genre: Drama
Director: Yaguchi Shinobu
Cast: Fumiyo Kohinata, Eri Fukatsu, Yuki Izumisawa, Wakana Aoi, Saburo Tokito, Norika Fujiwara, Takuro Ohno, Jun Shison
Runtime: 1 hr 57 mins
Rating: PG
Official Website:

Opening Day: 2 March 2018 (Opening Film of the 21st Japanese Film Festival Singapore)

Synopsis: The Suzukis are an ordinary family of four living in Tokyo. One morning, they wake to find all their electrical devices are not working. Then they learn the water and gas lines in their neighbors' homes are also shut off. The father, Yoshiyuki, takes his family with him out of Tokyo in an attempt to escape the crisis.

Movie Review:

Yoshiyuki Suzuki (Fumiyo Kohinata) returns home after a day’s work at the office. His wife Mitsue (Eri Fukatsu) struggles to fillet a fish, while teenage daughter Yui (Wakan Aoi) princesses about the “gross” produce from her grandfather Shigeomi Sasaki (Akira Emoto). His son Kenji (Yuki Izumisawa) returns home and heads straight to the room, ignoring his parents and their instructions.

So in short, the Suzuki family is your average modern-day Japanese household.

But when they wake up the next morning to find all their electronic devices fried, they believe that only an extensive blackout has occurred. Along with clueless neighbours, they suffer the inconveniences through the day, and grumpily head to bed with bellies full from a portable stove-top dinner.

As days pass, and with no updates on the happenings, hindrance turns into panic and fear. Vendors start raising prices for produce. Bicycles start selling out. The Suzuki family, along with the other townsfolk, soon realise their city lifestyle has put them at a disadvantage in this power apocalypse.

With no official solution in sight, Yoshiyuki makes a call to gather the last of their resources, and the whole family starts an almost-thousand-kilometres pedal to Kagoshima, where their fisherman grandfather resides. The dad bulldozes his decision amidst complaints from his children, in hopes that the countryside-bred elderly, might have the skills to help them survive the event.

Survival Family opens Singapore’s 2018 Japanese Film Festival with mirth and reflection. Director and writer Shinobu Yaguchi presents his zero-to-hero formula with adept story-telling - one filled with misfit situations and unexpected revelations.

In doomsday scenarios like these, many directors have amped up the scale with sweeping mob scenes and destructive chaos. Yaguchi has taken the more sensitive route, crafting an intimate story of an urban family rediscovering their bonds.

At the festival opening interview, the mild-mannered director highlighted his mission to tell stories that appeal to him, and not necessarily what the current trends dictate. Survival Family’s unpretentious tale attests to the quiet observations that comes from an astute writer, who prefers the intimate experiences for their more sincere effect.

Given how he also admits to his tendency of avoiding CGI, it’s incredible to see the dystopian state of Japan rendered by fantastic production design. Added to cinematographer’s Yoshiyuki Suzuki documentary-style approach, the film feels realistic and relatable.

Like his other hits Swing Girls and Waterboys, Yaguchi manifests his characters through the little actions and decisions they do. As much as there are hilarious physical humour, such as the father’s unfortunate bowel consequence from drinking unclean river water, there is also much joy in familiarity when seeing how petty the family can get.

In a scene where the Suzukis meet another family, the Saitos, on the road, Yoshiyuki begrudgingly accepts their help, losing pack leader status to the more knowledgeable and resourceful family.

Half the fun in this film is exploring the options of how we can deal with a world without electricity. If you wonder why the blind might benefit from this scenario, you’ll have to watch the film to find out.

But the other has to be the tender moments that the director has punctuated the domestic comedy with.

Close to starvation, the family comes across a pig and slaughters it, incurring the wrath of the owner Zennichi (Yasuo Daichi). The farmer chooses instead to offer them roof and food, in exchange for help around the house. That episode leaves an indelible mark on both parties when they leave. At the dinner table, as they chew on their smoked meat, Yui tears up and a concerned Kenji asks her the reason.

“I don’t know,” she honestly sobs.

It’s scenes like these that showcases Yaguchi’s finesse in understanding the complexity of human psychology, and they are a joy to watch.

Survival Family is a rare combination of casual commentary with cutting discoveries, as well as a reflection on human relationships in our digitally-hooked up age. It keeps the heavy topics afloat with head above the water, by sprinkling chuckles non-stop.

Movie Rating:

(The social commentary is rib-tickling funny and tender at the same time, filled with precious observations and imaginative consequences. This family more than survives)

Review by Morgan Awyong

Genre: Drama
Director: Angela Robinson
Cast: Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall, Bella Heathcote, Connie Britton
Runtime: 1 hr 48 mins
Rating: R21 (Mature Theme & Sexual Scenes)
Released By: Sony Pictures Releasing International
Official Website:

Opening Day: 1 March 2018

Synopsis: In a superhero origin tale unlike any other, the film is the incredible true story of what inspired Harvard psychologist Dr. William Moulton Marston to create the iconic Wonder Woman character in the 1940's. While Marston's feminist superhero was criticized by censors for her 'sexual perversity', he was keeping a secret that could have destroyed him. Marston’s muses for the Wonder Woman character were his wife Elizabeth Marston and their lover Olive Byrne, two empowered women who defied convention: working with Marston on human behavior research -- while building a hidden life with him that rivaled the greatest of superhero disguises.

Movie Review:

Who would have thought that behind the story of how Diana of Themyscira became Wonder Woman lay an even more fascinating real-life origin story? That is the tale which writer-director Angela Robinson sets out to tell here: of how the Harvard psychologist and inventor Dr William Marston (Luke Evans) created the beloved comic book character and pop-culture icon, inspired by the two most important women in his life – namely, his wife Elizabeth Holloway Marston (Rebecca Hall) who happens to be a brilliant psychologist and valuable contributor to his work, and their research assistant Olive Bryne (Bella Heathcote), who eventually became their lover and domestic partner. It is a deeply intriguing story all right, especially as one learns of how the elements within William’s creation were linked to his own discoveries on the DISC personality theory and lie detection.

If it isn’t yet apparent, their three-way romance was scandalous, even sacrilegious, to mainstream American society, and Robinson approaches this by way of a more well-known controversy – that of the ‘Wonder Woman’ comic itself, which was criticised in the late 1940s for its depiction of S&M. Using William’s interrogation of his book by the influential director of the Child Study Association of America as a framing device, Robinson rewinds to William’s tenure at Harvard in 1928 as a teacher of human behaviour based on his theory of dominance, inducement, submission and compliance (yes, that’s what DISC stands for). It is in one of his classes that he first spies Olive, and is immediately smitten by her. Elizabeth sees it too, sitting on the windowsill by the side of the class, and when Olive takes up his open call for research assistants, Elizabeth warns her not to have sex with her husband. After some initial consternation over Elizabeth’s ‘professional jealousy’, the trio become intellectual partners; most notably, Olive is credited for the couple’s breakthrough on their lie detector machine.

The first hour depicts the ensuing professional, psychological and passionate triangle with elan – we witness how Olive is attracted to the sharp, witty and independent-minded Elizabeth; how Elizabeth confronts her own subconscious feelings for Olive; how their very invention lays bare William’s affection towards Olive; and last but not least, how they come to terms with their love for one another. In Robinson’s hands, the ongoing interrelationships are treated with utmost dignity and intelligence, illustrating how two whip-smart, self-empowered women and their anti-Puritan shared husband sort out their emotions, occasional jealousies and yearnings for a forbidden life that they come to realise comes with its own ramifications. After the lesbian action-comedy ‘D.E.B.S.’ and ‘Disney’s Herbie Fully Loaded’, this is a major step-up for her and easily her most accomplished movie yet.

That said, the latter half does lose some of the earlier narrative momentum, owing to breaks in chronology following the trio’s move to the New York suburbs. Quite abruptly therefore, we find them adding four new members to the family (two from each mother), and settling down to a quiet, less eventful life with their children. It is only with William’s chance visit to a local lingerie house with its own backroom of forbidden BDSM pleasures that the story finds its footing again – while Elizabeth regards it with absolute abhorrence at the start, Olive proves a lot more receptive, becoming the very inspiration for Wonder Woman’s signature costume. An unexpected visit by a neighbour during one of their awkward embrace of kinky pleasures also has profound implications, although the bittersweet happily-ever-after at the end of it all stays true to how their real-life relationship unfolded.

Besides her deft handling of the dynamics among her three leading characters, Robinson deserves credit for assembling an ace cast that exhibits great chemistry at every turn. Evans dials down his usual onscreen masculinity to play the Harvard academic, and brings instead a keen sincerity in portraying a man who was equally driven by his lust for both the women in his life as he was by his belief in the superiority of the female gender. In turn, Heathcote responds with both courage and charm, while Hall does so with a captivating mix of intellect and vulnerability. You’ll be taken by Heathcote all right, but you’ll also be seized by Hall, who can convey brittleness one moment and ferocity in the next with utmost conviction. Indeed, the movie belongs as much to their larger-than-life characters as it does to their excellent performances.

Especially in the wake of the resounding success of Warner Bros’ superhero film ‘Wonder Woman’ last summer and the female empowerment movement which has gained substantial traction in recent weeks, ‘Professor Marston and the Wonder Women’ is a surprisingly prescient true story that deserves to be seen – not just for understanding the cultural significance of the Wonder Woman character, but also in appreciating its themes and underlying message. Like we said at the start, it’s a very different superhero origin story all right, but one that is no less absorbing and exciting than any one in the line-up of Marvel and DC movies we’ve seen no end of so far. For those who have studied psychology, the pleasures are even deeper, especially to know that a member of the community has had such momentous impact on society itself.

Movie Rating:

(A very different superhero origin story, this true account of how Wonder Woman came into being is itself riveting, poignant and inspiring)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Drama
Director: Eric Khoo
Cast: Takumi Saitoh, Mark Lee, Jeanette Aw, Tsuyoshi Ihara, Tetsuya Bessho, Beatrice Chien, Seiko Matsuda
Runtime: 1 hr 30 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Clover Films & Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:

Opening Day: 29 March 2018

Synopsis: Masato, a young Ramen chef, leaves his hometown in Japan to embark on a culinary journey to Singapore to find out the truth about his past. He uncovers a lot more than family secrets and delicious recipes.

Movie Review:

With a familiar but no less relevant message about how food brings family together, Eric Khoo’s latest movie ‘Ramen Teh’ becomes perhaps his most accessible film yet. To be sure, its elements are still distinctly Khoo – including his fascination with Japan (that first started with 2011’s black-and-white animated feature ‘Tatsumi’), food (which goes right back to his feature filmmaking debut ‘Mee Pok Man’ and also his subsequent ’12 Storeys’) and estrangement – but the hitherto unseen combination of a lightness in its tone and a mawkishness in its sentimentality makes it a lot more palatable to the casual viewer than his previous works, which seems befitting to the two signature dishes of Singaporean and Japanese cuisine that make up its title.

Penned by his regular collaborators Tan Fong Cheng and Wong Kim Ho, the cross-cultural drama follows young Japanese ramen chef Masato (Takumi Saito) who, following the unexpected death of his father Kazuo (Tsuyoshi Ihara), journeys to Singapore to acquaint himself with the sights, smells and tastes that were intimately linked to his parents and his own childhood. Through a series of flashbacks interspersed with his own present-day visit, we learn of how Kazuo had met his wife Mei Lian (Jeanette Aw) when he first came to our island city in the 80s to open a kaiseki restaurant, how Mei Lian’s mother had objected voraciously to his parents’ nuptials and threated to disown Mei Lian, and how the mother-and-daughter pair never had the opportunity to reconcile before Mei Lian’s unfortunate death not long after moving back to Japan with Kazuo and Masato.

All this is detailed in Mei Lian’s diary which Masato finds in his father’s old briefcase, and besides visiting the places his parents had spent many a happy memory (including the lookout tower shaped like a rocket ship at Upper Seletar Reservoir) and sampling Singapore’s culinary delights (among them, chicken rice, fish-head curry, laksa and chilli crab), Masato reconnects with his uncle Wee (Mark Lee) and asks that the latter teach him the family’s famed ‘bak kut teh’ recipe – after all, it was at Wee’s previous stall in Joo Chiat that his parents had first met over what Kazuo says is his favourite Singaporean dish. It isn’t difficult to guess how it gets from there to Masato’s titular fusion creation – with a little help from real-life ramen chef Keisuke Takeda no less - or for that matter how Masato eventually reconciles with his grandmother (Beatrice Chien), but what it lacks in surprise, it certainly makes up for in sincerity.

Oh yes, those familiar with Japanese family dramas will recognise in Kazuo the typical emotionally reserved father who keeps his own sorrows to himself; or in Mei Lian the loving mother who is the heart, soul and joy of the family; or in Masato the young optimist who seeks to find reconciliation for past regrets. But Khoo gives space for the story and his characters to take shape slowly and firmly, establishing the latter’s emotions and motivations and allowing them to drive where the narrative goes. Notwithstanding the despondency in the first act intended to drive Masato to explore his parents’ beginnings, the rest of the film is also illuminated with an infectious warmth and humour not often seen in Khoo’s films.

That is in part due to the writing as it is credit to the excellent performances from the cast. In particular, Lee has a steal-stealing supporting turn as his frank, straight-talking uncle, and easily the film’s most memorable scene is that of him teaching Masato how to make ‘bak kut teh’ in the kitchen. Japanese pop idol Seiko Matsuda also has a nice turn as a Japanese food blogger Miki based here in Singapore who becomes Masato’s local tour guide, the couple sharing a budding romance you’ll certainly root for by the end of the film. Ihara and Aw are gently winning as an inter-ethnic couple finding their way around linguistic barriers and sharing their love for each other’s culture. And the entire film itself is anchored by Saito’s keen presence, who makes his character entirely empathetic as well as his journey utterly palatable.

Like we said at the start, ‘Ramen Teh’ is probably Khoo’s most mainstream film yet, but that in itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Though familiar, his story of longing, forgiveness and reunion is moving, pleasing and even poignant. It also deserves to be appreciated as a film intended to commemorate fifty years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Japan, and while it celebrates how far Japanese culture, especially its food, has become part of our own, the film also doesn’t gloss over the dark chapter between our histories that the older generation no doubt hold bitter memories of. But whether between peoples or between people, there is no happiness holding on to grudges, a message told emphatically through a simple but stirring story that will certainly stay with you.

Movie Rating:

(Like its two culinary dishes, this fusion of food, history and family is comfort food for the human soul - simple, heartwarming and poignant)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Drama/Romance
Director: Wim Wenders
Cast: James McAvoy, Alicia Vikander, Alexander Siddig, Celyn Jones, Reda Kateb, Mohamed Hakeemshady
Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins
Rating: NC-16 (Scene of Intimacy)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:

Opening Day: 29 March 2018

Synopsis: SUBMERGENCE is a love story that takes us into the extremely different worlds of our two protagonists, Danielle Flinders (Academy Award winner Alicia Vikander) and James More (James McAvoy). They meet by chance in a remote hotel in Normandy where they both prepare for a dangerous mission. They fall in love almost against their will, but soon recognize in each other the love of their lives. When they have to separate, we find out that James works for the British Secret Service, while Danielle ‘Danny’ Flinders is a bio-mathematician working on a deep sea diving project. Soon, they are worlds apart. James is taken hostage by Jihadist fighters and has no way of contacting Danny, and she has to go down to the bottom of the ocean in her submersible, not even knowing if James is still alive…

Movie Review:

With a fancy name like Submergence, a dreamlike trailer and Academy Award-worthy leads (James McAvoy and Alicia Vikander), one would be intrigued to catch the film based on the novel of the same title by J.M. Ledgard.

Boy, will you be in for a surprise.

The film started off with much hope and slight excitement, introducing the characters James (played by James McAvoy) and ‘Danny’ (played by Alicia Vikander) in interesting fashion, showcasing them on their dangerous missions.

In a sad twist, one might end up getting bored and restless about 30 minutes into the film, as the multiple switching of scenes between their individual missions and their time together not only confuses the audience more, but also creates a sense of uncertainty. It feels that the ‘relationship’ that they had is disjointed and non-existent.

Somehow, it really felt like I was being put through 2 vastly different films that are strangely and loosely connected by a love interest that barely had any sparks to begin with.

And while the concept of loss, loneliness and connectivity is intended, it was not executed in any way that could ignite any sort of interest to the audience. The depth in the conversations between the 2 leads made the gap between the audience and the nature of the film wider than it should be.

The film’s only saving grace is the cinematography, bringing the audience on an impressive ride through green pastures, vast oceans and sandy plains of Europe and Africa. Sadly, even the beauty and wonders of Mother Nature, together with the great talents of James McAvoy and Alicia Vikander (whom were brilliantly natural in their execution of their characters) could not save the film.

Overall, the ideologies and beauty of Submergence is short-changed by the lack of a proper direction and unfortunate multiple misses in scriptwriting and storytelling.

Movie Rating:

(Not worth the time. Just. Don’t.)

Review by Ron Tan