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Genre: Sci-Fi/Action
Director: F. Gary Gray
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Liam Neeson, Rebecca Ferguson, Rafe Spall, Kumail Nanjiani
Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Sony Pictures
Official Website: https://www.meninblack.com

Opening Day: 13 June 2019

Synopsis: The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest, most global threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization.

Movie Review:

If ever you had any doubt that Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones were the heart, soul and life of the ‘Men In Black’ franchise, look no further than this fourth chapter, which trades their veteran-rookie act for the buddy comedy pairing of Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson. Whereas the earlier three films juxtaposed Smith’s wisecracking Agent J against Jones’ deadpan Agent K, the spinoff here aims for the same playfully combative tension that Hemsworth and Thompson had earlier demonstrated in ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, although the results feel tired, weak and dull this time round, especially with the utter absence of any wit in their scripted banter.

Indeed, to be fair to both Hemsworth and Thompson, both actors bounce off each other with a pleasantly amiable familiarity that does liven the otherwise uninspired material, especially with the former gamely sending up his matinee good looks and the latter playing the cool-eyed realist not afraid to call out his ne’er-do-well ways; unfortunately, as a former hotshot agent who now behaves more like a cad and as an eager new recruit keen to establish herself in the agency respectively, Hemsworth and Thompson cannot summon enough spark to keep us engaged and invested in their characters, as well as the relationship between theirs Agents H and M.

You’d have thought that they would know better how to work such material, but ‘Iron Man’ screenwriters Matt Holloway and Art Marcum demonstrate a shocking ineptness to even replicate the original’s formula – of smart-ass humour, combined with a menagerie of kooky alien supporting characters and some inventive humans-versus-aliens action – into fresh settings. In fact, we’d even go as far as to say that none of the elements which made the original and its two sequels entertaining diversions is successfully at play here, and perhaps even lost amidst a needlessly convoluted plot that globe-trots just so to live up to the ‘international’ part of its subtitle.

Little of what happens is consequential in and of itself, given how the events seem choreographed to take us from one laser shoot-out and/or high-speed chase to another. All that matters is both agents are on the trail of an elusive inter-galactic weapon that a pair of shape-shifting alien proxies (played by dancer-choreographer twins Laurent and Larry Bourgeois) are also after, which leads them from the streets of London to the alleys of Marrakesh and finally to the very Eiffel Tower itself. Complicating matters is the possibility of MIB-London being compromised, with the mole coming down to either the squirrelly Agent C (Rafe Spall) or the division boss High T (Liam Neeson) – and yes, no prizes for guessing who it eventually turns out to be.

If both the plotting and scripting turn out disappointing, then what is even more devastating is F. Gary Gray’s messy direction. Clearly lacking the imagination of Barry Sonnenfeld, whose vision and skill of juggling live-action and visual effects elevated each one of the earlier three movies, Gray stages each of the showpieces with sheer perfunctoriness. We had expected much, much more from the director of such action-oriented blockbusters as ‘The Fate of the Furious’ and ‘The Italian Job’, but Gray seems unable to inject much thrill or wacky fun into the action scenes, which pretty much drains the entertainment out of a film whose appeal rested on those very qualities.

What is missing too is the amusement which Industrial Light and Magic’s bug-eyed creations brought, here largely reduced to Kumail Nanjiani’s pint-sized chess piece sidekick and Rebecca Ferguson’s three-armed criminal overlord with a zebra-striped wig. Not much creative thought seems to have been spent on the other blink-and-miss aliens who are supposed to inhabit the world around us without our knowledge, and that indifference sadly permeates the entire film itself as well as our consequent attitude towards it.

Frankly, if you’ve grown up with the ‘Men in Black’ films, this is probably the worst of the lot. You would have thought the close to two decades since the last outing would have given the same producers some time to reflect on how to reinvigorate what was at risk of becoming hackneyed, but even bringing back Smith and Jones for yet another ride would probably have been more delightful than rebooting it with Hemsworth and Thompson. Like we said, both new additions do try their best with what they have practised before, but it isn’t nearly enough to compensate for a sequel-slash-spinoff that goes through the motion in the most workmanlike manner possible. We’re more than game for a contemporary update that recognises the Women next to the Men in Black, but hey it has got to be a lot, a lot better than this bland, banal and boring tedium.

Movie Rating:

(Lacking the spark of the original, this sequel-slash-spinoff is a bland, banal and boring retread that not even the buddy comedy pairing of Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson can compensate for)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Comics/Action
Director: Jon Watts
Cast: Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, Zendaya, Cobie Smulders, Jon Favreau, JB Smoove, Jacob Batalon, Martin Starr, Marisa Tomei, Jake Gyllenhaal
Runtime: 2 hrs 10 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Sony Pictures
Official Website: https://www.spidermanfarfromhome.movie

Opening Day: 2 July 2019

Synopsis: Peter Parker returns in Spider-Man: Far From Home, the next chapter of the Spider-Man: Homecoming series! Our friendly neighborhood Super Hero decides to join his best friends Ned, MJ, and the rest of the gang on a European vacation. However, Peter’s plan to leave super heroics behind for a few weeks are quickly scrapped when he begrudgingly agrees to help Nick Fury uncover the mystery of several elemental creature attacks, creating havoc across the continent!

Movie Review:

At the preview of this 23^rd movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), viewers were told not to give away spoilers. We guess this is how things are now – audiences are conditioned in such a way that there should always be some twists and turns in a film, and in this case, there should always be mid and end credit scenes which set up what is to follow in the MCU.

And we were wondering why the plot of the latest Spider Man film is so seemingly simple.

Peter Parker, who is also a friendly neighbourhood superhero, joins his friends on a European vacation. He also plans to profess his love for MJ in the most romantic way. With that in mind, he does not want to bring his Spider Man suit along (the audacity!), but Aunt May packs it for him anyway. During his holiday, Nick Fury tracks him down and enlists his help to fight off elemental creature (read: terrifying monsters made up of natural elements like water and molten). He is aided by Mysterio, a charismatic superhero from another dimension (discerning viewers would know this sounds a tad fishy).

For a good hour of the 130 minute movie, things do plod along in a straightforward manner. Bad guy appears to wreak havoc, Spider Man and Mysterio defeat it. Another bad guy appears to destroy things, Spider Man and Mysterio join forces again to save the day.

It feels a little mundane till the twist takes place. Without giving away too much, it is a nice change in tone, and dare we say it, a fun twist that suddenly perks things up. What happens for the rest of the movie gives the CG artists a great opportunity to showcase their craft, and the effects are best enjoyed on glorious IMAX 3D screen.

This plot development is also a wonderful platform to see Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance. He plays Mysterio, a mentor figure to Peter Parker (aww, we will never forget you, Mr Stark) who has some tricks up his sleeves. The assuring yet maniacal persona reminds us of his role in Jarhead (2005). We are glad to see the talented 38 year old actor, who has impressed us in other films like Source Code (2011) and Enemy (2013), join the MCU.

Familiar faces like Zendaya (MJ), Jacob Batalon (Ned), Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), Jon Favreau (Happy), Samuel L Jackson (Nick Fury), Cobie Smulders (Maria Hill) also return to remind us that we are in the MCU.

How does Tom Holland fare in his fifth appearance as Peter Parker and Spider Man? The 23 year old actor is as endearing as ever, and has the perfect personality to play a school boy who is given great responsibilities. You want to root for him, win the girl of his dreams, and cheer for him as he fights off villains. Fan girls are also in for a treat as there is a scene of the English actor showing off his bod.

Audiences who are used to the heavy tone of the previous Avengers films may be surprised by the lightweight approach to this movie. Serving as the 11^th and final instalment of MCU’s Phase Three and the concluding episode of the Infinity Saga, it does a fine job as a summer movie without the theatrics and heavy handedness.

Of course, there are references to other characters in the MCU, and fans would know better to stay till the very end of the movie. Cynics may say there is already fatigue in the superhero genre, but we can’t see how things are going to be played out in Phase Four of the MCU.

Movie Rating:

(Aptly fun and entertaining, this final instalment of Phase Three of the MCU is a breezy summer blockbuster to sit through. Get ready to cheer on Spidey as he swings in to save the day!)

Review by John Li

Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Cast: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Jada Pinkett Smith, Lance Reddick, Piper Perabo, Tim Blake Nelson, Nick Nolte, Danny Huston
Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins
Rating: NC16 (Violence and Coarse Language)
Released By: Encore Films and Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:

Opening Day: 22 August 2019

Synopsis: When there is an assassination attempt on U.S. President Allan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman), his trusted confidant, Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler), is wrongfully accused and taken into custody. After escaping from capture, he becomes a man on the run and must evade his own agency and outsmart the FBI in order to find the real threat to the President. Desperate to uncover the truth, Banning turns to unlikely allies to help clear his name, keep his family from harm and save the country from imminent danger.

Movie Review:

For the uninitiated, ‘Angel Has Fallen’ marks the third time that Gerard Butler’s Secret Service agent Mike Banning has had to risk his life to save that of the President of the United States; in fact, Mike has done it long enough to have had the privilege of serving both the current President Malcolm Trumbull (Morgan Freeman) as well as his predecessor (played by Aaron Eckhart). Oh yes, this is the third instalment of the ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ series, which never pretended that they were anything more than entertaining B-action thrillers intended for the popcorn movie-going audience; and as long as those expectations remain (as they should), you won’t be disappointed by director and co-writer Ric Roman Waugh’s perfectly serviceable entry.

In an astute nod to the events of the earlier two films, our reacquaintance with Mike finds him a little worse for the wear. Not only does he suffer from migraines and insomnia, he is dealing with a mild addiction to painkillers that he uses to stem the after-effects of a series of concussions he’s suffered on the job. That is why despite being firmly in line for the coveted post of Director of the Secret Service, Mike is none too enthused when he is formally offered the role by President Trumbull; on the contrary, Mike would rather devote more time to his wife Leah (Piper Perabo, taking over for Radha Mitchell) and their newborn daughter. To Waugh’s credit, Mike’s physiological condition is not simply dealt with perfunctorily, and in fact builds empathy for him as he faces probably his most testing challenge yet.

While protecting the chief executive during a fishing expedition not far from Washington, Mike is betrayed by his old Army buddy turned cash-strapped private military contractor Wade Jennings (Danny Huston), who orchestrates a precision-trained drone strike on the President and the Secret Service agents protecting the President. Curiously, the attack deliberately leaves him unscathed, and thanks to Mike’s quick wittedness, the President survives the assassination attempt. Unfortunately for him, Mike wakes up after a brief coma to find himself accused of staging the attack, with the FBI investigation (led by Jada Pinkett Smith’s severely underutilised Agent Thompson) pointing to the US$10 million deposited in his offshore account by the Russians.

It isn’t hard to guess what comes next: a race-against-time not just to clear his name, but also to save the President from Wade’s clean-up operation. The cat-and-mouse game he plays with the authorities, as well as Wade’s army of mercenaries, lends itsel to a couple of well-executed setpieces. One of these is a close-quarter fight between Mike and his kidnappers on board a moving SUV; another is a thrilling vehicular chase through dark, woody terrain involving Mike’s hijacked semi-truck and a convoy of police cars; and yet another is a guerrilla-style shock-and-awe ambush by Mike and his estranged Viet army vet father Clay (Nick Nolte) against Wade’s henchmen in the West Virginian woods.

But even as you think the firepower could not get any fiercer, Waugh reserves the most intense firefight for the climactic standoff in the hospital complex where President Trumbull has been warded. It is there that Wade makes his last stand with Mike, and besides levelling a whole hospital block, the two friends-turned-enemies, as well as whoever is left on their respective sides, will exchange fire along the street before moving indoors into an atrium and engaging in a mano-a-mano knife fight on the roof. If that sounds more than a tad overblown (pun intended), it is, but equally, it has always been the point of the franchise to deliver outsized action sequences (think of how ‘London Has Fallen’ pretty much turned the streets of London into a war zone) for adrenaline junkies that you would never have imagined could happen in everyday life.

Yet you’d probably wish Waugh had eased up on the Bourne-style hand-to-hand combat, which is sometimes lost amidst quick cuts, first-person cinematography and generally dark lighting. That’s also largely because Butler, though looking a little puffier as he turns 50, is still absolutely competent in performing each one of the stunts on his own, and we’d have like to see him in every one of those shots in full glory. To Butler’s credit, he plays the now-wearied Mike with nuance and poignancy, and those who have watched the earlier two films will especially appreciate how his character has evolved here and how he deftly portrays that transformation.

But besides Butler himself, ‘Angel Has Fallen’ benefits tremendously from Freeman taking over as President, as well as the addition of Nolte. This isn’t the first time Freeman has played the leader of the free world, but he lends his signature grace and poise to a role that – both onscreen and offscreen – could certainly use more of. On the other hand, the 78-year-old Nolte steals the scene with his grizzled performance which the veteran layers on with surprising emotional complexity. Oh yes, the father-son relationship between Butler and Nolte is easily the most compelling aspect of the movie, and it is plainly apparent how energised Butler is with Nolte once they start to banter.

It is no overstatement that Nolte’s presence singlehandedly elevates the material, so much so that if you asked us to choose which of the ‘Olympus Has Fallen’ movies we liked best, we’ll probably settle for this one. Frankly, each has been made more or less according to the same template of delivering maximum fire-powered action at modest blockbuster budget standards; but Waugh, a former stuntman-turned-director makes the best of what he has to play with. Like we said, as long as your expectation is two hours of pure action spectacle and nothing more, ‘Angel Has Fallen’ will surely leave you on a high; and since it clearly desired to be just that, we’d say it is pretty much a godsend for action fans.

Movie Rating:

(Probably the best yet of the 'Olympus Has Fallen' series, this third entry delivers exciting, well-paced action alongside surprising layers of emotional complexity between Gerard Butler and Nick Nolte)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Crime/Drama
Director: Wong Jing, Jason Kwan
Cast: Tony Leung Ka-fai, Louis Koo, Simon Yam, Lam Ka Tung, Candice Yu, Du Jiang, Sabrina, Wai Ka-hung, Ye Xiangming, Jason Wong
Runtime: 1 hr 41 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:

Opening Day: 6 June 2019

Synopsis: Before 1997, due to the ignorance of the British Administration of Hong Kong, the criminal genius Logan (Tony Leung) savages Hong Kong with a series of notorious crimes. He kidnaps the first sons of the Hong Kong regals, Li and Lui, ransoming a sum of over 2 billion dollars. In fear of the offenders avenging, the subjects promise not to report to the police after ransoming the hostages, which helps Logan and his team to get away. The police forces of Hong Kong and the Mainland are highly concerned about Logan’s case and send Sky (Louis Koo), a Hong Kong undercover to infiltrate into Logan’s gang. Sky is brave and intelligent. After various challenges, he manages to get close to Logan and performs his mission. However, Logan is very careful and cunning. Since no one has reported his crimes, the police cannot arrest him until his next move. After numerous probing, Sky discovers the identity of Logan’s next kidnap target. Sky believes he has already gained Logan’s trust, hence secretly contacts the police to plan their next move, only to realise it is just another test… At the end, can Sky save the hostage and bring Logan to justice?

Movie Review:

The 2017 period gangster drama ‘Chasing the Dragon’ was Wong Jing’s biggest hit in recent years, so it was inevitable that he and co-director Jason Kwan would do a follow-up. But since the previous film had more or less covered the entire criminal exploits of its protagonist Crippled Ho, any sequel would probably have to find new subjects to add to the narrative. In the end, it seems that both directors have decided to start afresh, retaining the thematic similarity of basing their story on real-life infamous gangsters from the past, but otherwise changing the setting and its characters entirely.

So ‘Chasing the Dragon II’ is really a sequel only in-name, which explains why it doesn’t boast the return of its lead stars Donnie Yen and/or Andy Lau, and is instead headlined by Tony Leung Kar-Fai, Louis Koo, Simon Yam and Lam Ka-Tung. These four actors are esteemed in their own right, so in terms of acting/ performance alone, you could say they hold their own against their predecessors. Oh yes, even though these are roles that each one of them has played before in other films, there is sheer delight watching Leung chew up the scenery as the mercurial baddie, Koo keeping his cool as an undercover cop whose identity may or may not already be blown, Yam as Koo’s cool-headed supervisor, and Lam as Leung’s right-hand man who is playing both sides.

Instead of a decades-spanning storyline, Wong and his co-writers Lui Koon-nam and Chan Kin-hung keep the plotting to within two years of Hong Kong’s handover from British governance to Mainland Chinese rule. The voiceover narration informs us that, by the time we first meet Leung’s ‘Big Spender’ character Logan Long, he has already established notoriety for kidnapping the rich and threatening to blow them up if their family does not pay their ransom or notify the police. Yet due to the fact that the British were due to retreat, policing was lax and Logan had managed to escape conviction. Vowing no more, Yam’s Inspector Li recruits Koo’s explosives expert Sky He to infiltrate Logan’s gang through cosying up to his do no-gooder younger brother Farrell (Ye Xiangming).

A couple of nail-biting tests of his skills and loyalty after, Sky is finally inducted into Logan’s team, which includes his two right-hand men Doc (Lam) and Zhuge (Wai Ka-hung), as well as a honeypot named Bunny (Sabrina Qiu). Much of Sky’s undercover work involves foiling their next target, which may or may not be Macau casino tycoon Stanley He (Michael Wong). There are a couple of other twists along the way, and to Wong’s credit, he keeps the pace taut by unravelling detail after detail of Logan’s grand plan in assured fashion, while keeping us on tenterhooks guessing whether Sky’s cover has already been blown and/or Doc has been playing him or helping him out.

In fact, the last third unfolds like a cliff-hanger all the way to the finish, as Sky and Inspector He race against time to free he who has been kidnapped (we’re not telling you if it is or is not Stanley) and bring Logan to justice. In all fairness, the latter is not that much of a mystery, seeing as how this film needed to get past the Chinese censors in order to repeat the success that the first enjoyed in Mainland China; notwithstanding, there is plenty to enjoy here, including a bomb-defusing sequence that is one of the most intense we’ve seen in recent memory, a well-staged gunfight within a mansion, and a good-old Hong Kong-style car chase through the streets of Macau. It is clear both Wong and Kwan have paid much attention to the choreography of these scenes, and they are solid cops-and-robbers stuff that will please action fans.

That is also the extent of the pleasures which ‘Chasing the Dragon II’ offers, seeing as how it doesn’t aim for the same period sweep and sprawl of its predecessor and instead focuses on a last-ditch undercover attempt to bring Logan under the long arm of the (Chinese) law. Character-wise therefore, there is little emphasis on establishing Logan’s rise and fall, and what traits we learn of him is pretty much confined to a certain episode in the past which not only complicates Sky and Doc’s relationship but also that of Doc and Logan. Still, like we said, the top-notch actors bring much pizazz and nuance to their roles, which is a key reason why this familiar crime thriller is a lot more enjoyable than it otherwise would have been.

As a continuation of the ‘Chasing the Dragon’ franchise, it is undeniably underwhelming, given how it hardly matches the ambition, scale and poignancy of the first movie. While it would have been difficult to find an equivalent real-life character to Crippled Ho, or even a similar relationship to parallel that of Ho and famed detective Lee Rock, the creative decision to simply focus on Logan’s final days makes for a leaner but also much less magnificent film. On its own though, it is perfectly gripping and entertaining stuff, bolstered by solid direction and excellent acting; and as long as you don’t expect the same sort of epic that its predecessor was, you’ll probably enjoy it just the way it is.

Movie Rating:

(Lacking the ambition, scale and poignancy of its predecessor, this in-name only sequel is a leaner but much more straightforward crime thriller that is still good for some gripping sequences and all-round excellent performances)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Hideo Nataka
Cast: Elaiza Ikeda, Takashi Tsukamoto, Hiroya Shimizu, Himeka Himejima, Renn Kiriyama, Rie Tomosaka
Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins
Rating: PG13 (Horror)
Released By: Encore Films
Official Website:

Opening Day: 30 May 2019

Synopsis: Mayu works as a psychological counsellor at a hospital. One day, she is counselling a young girl who is under her care. Mayu sits across from the young girl, who is unable to do anything other than say her own name, when unusual things gradually begin to occur around her. Around that same time, Mayu's younger brother Kazuma goes missing. According to what his friend Yusuke said, Kazuma had mistakenly entered a forbidden site while making his name as a YouTuber, and had become rather strange after that. While looking for clues, Mayu watches a video that Kazuma had uploaded. She comes upon a video clip that is connected to the young girl under her care... Relying upon clues to search for her younger brother, Mayu and Yusuke travel to Izu-Oshima island, where there is an obviously disgusting cave called 'Gyojakutsu'. A mysterious old woman tells the sad tale of the island's past, which involves Shizuko Yamamura (Mother of Sadako), Sadako, and the young girl. When Mayu learns the truth about Sadako, she is deeply moved...

Movie Review:

No matter how little of a horror fan you are, you would most likely still have heard of the 1998 japanese classic The Ring. Not only did it launch a new era of stylistic horror, many aspects of the movies were repeated in titles to come, in one form or another.

You can’t deny that impressionable introduction. The story of a tortured and aggrieved psychic girl was as disturbing as it was pitiful. And with half of the film centred on the videotape, that jolt of realisation when she crossed from screen to real-life, stunned pretty much everyone. And that trademark walk from the well, gave body horror a new lease of life and contortionists everywhere a new avenue of work.

Hideo Nataka, who has worked on several projects both locally and internationally for this franchise, revives the titular character Sadako in a new film.

It starts off with a terrifying sequence. A young girl (Himeka Himejima) is seen locked in a wardrobe as her mother prepares to torch her alive. However, with the help of Sadako, she emerges from the fire unscathed. She ends up at a hospital where budding psychological counsellor Mayu (Elaiza Ikeda) is working and forms an unlikely connection with her, but the doctor has other problems at end.

It turns out, her younger brother Kazuma (Hiroya Shimizu) has gone missing while on the chase for good stories to add to his youtube. She speaks to his consultant Yusuke (Takashi Tsukamoto) and the pair seek out his whereabouts, and realises the connections between the girl and Kazuma.

Like every other Ring movie, it’s a slow grind through spooky happenings as we uncover the mysterious circumstances and Sadako sticks to this formula. It should be satisfying and remains so for the first half, but the second portion spins out of logic and surfaces more questions than answers.

Why is Sadako so interested in the girl? For that matter, why is she so interested in Kazumi and Mayu? Yes, there are loose basis of trespass and the orphan backstory that gives the hauntings some direction, but otherwise at the end, it’s easy to use hindsight to dig up loopholes that riddle the plot.

Motivations and logic aside, there are some gripping moments, not least of all Sadako’s horrific return mid-way. It never gets old to see her routine and it’s obvious from the squeals in the theatre that the audience loves her as much as ever.

Which is why Sadako feels like a missed opportunity. There’s a poignant message here about bonds and parentage, and filtered through the Japanese setting, can layer the horrific tale with some moving morality. But the last madcap frenzy upsets the build-up in favour of histrionics and muddies the water.

There’s a sense that this could be a two-parter, and if so, I would relish a better story and more legit appearances from our iconic female ghost.

Movie Rating:

(Sadako’s effect is still tangile, but underutilised in favour of a morality tale that fizzes out quickly at the end)

Review by Morgan Awyong

SYNOPSIS: When a neighbor blocks their view of the city with a commercial billboard, a Hong Kong family resorts to drastic, imaginative measures to take it down.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Directed by one of Hong Kong’s most prolific directors, Herman Yau, A Home With A View is a social satire comedy which is based on a stage play originally written by actor and producer Cheung Tat-ming.

Lo Wai-man (Francis Ng) is a mild-tempered man who lives in a small unit with his wife (Anita Yuen), two grown-up kids and his sickly father (Cheung). With a wife that nags non-stop, squabbling children and noisy neighbours, the only consolation the Lo Family gets is a nice sea view of Hong Kong harbour via their living room’s window. Unfortunately their only “luxury” is suddenly blocked by a man, Wong (Louis Koo) who erected a gigantic billboard on his rooftop opposite their unit which hindered their view.

And now, it’s up to the Lo Family to take down Wong even it means going through numerous government bodies, getting petition from their unsupportive neighbours or worse scenario, resorting to cold-blooded murder.

A Home With A View sounds fascinating on paper or maybe on stage. Seen through the eyes of a typical family, it’s a critical piece on the problematic, pressurizing housing issue faced by the former British colony. Years of endless mortgage which took a toll on the family finances, small constraint spaces faced by the growing children and neighbours of all sorts which adds to the woes of Hong Kongers. However, instead of focusing on the core theme of the story, A Home With A View slowly disintegrate into an absurd, dark comedy that hardly anyone will find funny or satisfying.

Still, Francis Ng and Anita Yuen puts in a wonderful performance as husband and wife and ditto to Ng Siu-hin and Jocelyn Choi who plays their children. Cheung Tat-ming who in real-life has been battling cancer for years returned to the screen donning believable make-up effects. Anthony Wong cameos as Lo’s friend who seems to be a carrying a torch for his wife and Lam Suet appears as a noisy butcher. Lastly, Koo is hugely shortchanged playing a supposedly suffering character that never gets a proper exposition of his own.

Sometimes, it’s better to leave things as it is on the stage than adapting it to the big screen as A Home With A View shows. It has the potential to showcase a comedy that touches and revolves around common social issues but alas the promised themes never materialized. What you get in the end is the cast members constantly screaming at one another as if the microphones on stage are faulty and Louis Koo acting all too cool.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

SYNOPSIS: Everything Happens for a Reason. “Kings of Thieves” Cheuk Chi Keung, Yip Kwok Foon and Kwai Ching Hung never know one another even though they share the same notoriety in the underworld. But unbeknownst to them, their random presence at a restaurant in China at the same time in early 1997 is destined to change their fate forever. In his own unique way, each of these “Kings of Thieves” is at a crossroads in his crime career on the cusp of Hong Kong’s Handover to China. When they hear in the grapevine that the three of them are planning a big heist together to leave their mark in the crime Hall of Fame, they decide to take a stab at it ultimately.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Although it’s a story that is based on three of Hong Kong’s notorious mobsters, Trivisa is not a biography of their exploits but a reimagined tale of how the three kings of thieves wanting to assemble together for one glorious round of crime spree but never came to. It’s basically Avengers: Endgame but without infinity war actually happening.

Taking place before the handover in 1997, Trivisa opens with Yip Kwok-Foon (Richie Ren) trying to sell off his loot after robbing a series of gold shops. Seeing that smuggling has lesser risks, Yip and his two loyal henchmen decides to leave armed robbery and embark on their smuggling business by constantly bribing and entertaining high officials along the way. Although the money is good, Yip can’t help but feel increasingly frustrated by the day.

The second storyline involves Kwai Ching-Hung (Gordon Lam), a low-key, mysterious criminal who is back in Hong Kong for his next robbery. Opting to stay with his ex-pal, Fai (Philip Keung) and his family, Kwai’s unpredictable characteristic might not solely be a threat to the jewellery store below Fai’s unit but to his family as well.

The last story strand has Jordan Chan playing Cheuk Tze-Keung, a loud flamboyant criminal who spend his time kidnapping the heirs of rich tycoons for huge ransom and at the same time looking for his next bigger challenge in life. In the end, it seems that the only way is to round up Kwai and Yip although both of their whereabouts are currently unknown.

Produced by Johnnie To’s Milkyway outfit, Trivisa’s narrative on the whole is engaging despite being shot separately by three young directors. Thanks to editors Allen Leung and David Richardson, the story flows seamlessly and there’s never a moment you are feeling detached from the whole exposition.

Milkyway’s regular Richie Ren puts in a solid performance as Yip all thanks to a more rounded story arc as compare to the rest of the characters as we witness the compelling change of why a man liked him has to resort to his old ways even with a successful changeover. Gordon Lam’s portion is richly shot by cinematographer Zhang Yin, atmospheric and creepy due to Kwai’s almost psychotic behaviour though his character remains as mysterious as before. The Jordan Chan’s storyline with the exception of his goofiness and over-the-top performance is weak and redundant. And it seems his sole purpose in the entire flick is to assemble Yip and Kwai.

Honestly, Trivisa lacks the weight and authenticity of Hong Kong classics that were based on true crimes and mobsters such as Sentenced to Hang (1989),To Be Number One (1991) or even The Untold Story (1993). Though enjoyable on its own, those craving for some Milkyway’s trademark wham-bam action or a stirring crime flick should look elsewhere.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

NIL

AUDIO/VISUAL:

The DVD delivers a rousing Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack which features clear audio and loud surround gunfiring effects when it calls for it. Visual quality is commendable for a DVD.

MOVIE RATING:

DVD RATING :

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Action
Director: Antonin Baudry
Cast: François Civil, Omar Sy, Mathieu Kassovitz, Reda Kateb, Paula Beer
Runtime: 1 hr 56 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scene)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:

Opening Day: 27 June 2019

Synopsis: A young man possesses the rare talent of being able to identify every sound he hears. Aboard a French nuclear submarine, everything depends on him. He is the Golden Ear. His reputation for infallibility takes a knock after a mistake puts the lives of the whole crew in danger. His determination to win back his comrades’ trust drags them into an even more dramatic situation. In the world of disinformation and nuclear deterrence, they find themselves caught in a crisis spiralling rapidly out of control.

Movie Review:

Who would have thought that we take defence for granted? And who would have thought that there is so much that entails being in the military (the navy, in this case)?

Chanteraide‘Socks’ (François Civil) is a young man who has the ability to identify sounds very clearly and accurately and is assigned as the ‘golden ear’ of a French nuclear submarine. All goes well until one day he made a mistake and nearly cost the lives of his team members. Since then, he tries so hard to win the trust of his comrades despite many setbacks, but ended up being pulled into a dramatic situation, which involved the attack of 2 submarines from the same French navy forces.

So, the thing about some war films or films involving the military is that in many cases, one might be dragged into rampage of firing shots, bombs and bloodied scenes that may be too hard to ‘digest’.

But this is not the case of The Wolf’s Call and thankfully, you would not see too much brutality in this film.

In fact, the film takes a slightly more analytical and emotional approach, showing instead the action within the submarine (where they spent most of the film in) and internal processes, with a little bit of emotions and sentimental moments, including Chanteraide’s involvement with a random lady from the bookstore (the love part escalated very quickly by the way) and the interaction between the team members.

The great thing about the film is that the pacing is near perfect. It had the right dramatic elements to keep viewers glued to the screen and get them excited and yet viewers do not feel too overwhelmed with overly bombastic action like some (or rather, most) Hollywood films.

And also because it is not often you see French navy dealing with internal and external security issues on a daily basis (I guess it is something we take for granted), there is some sort of novelty in this film that makes you slightly intrigued, despite the ambiguous English title.

The film, however, suffers for a slightly confusing plot towards the second part of the film that makes you ponder about the rationale of the counter attack to begin with (apparently once a top order is sent out, in this case, involving a drastic military attack, not even the President can override it). You feel frustrated, just knowing that there is nothing you can do about the situation that they have gotten themselves into, which led to a rather disappointing ending.

Having said that, one loses focus on the actual plot and its sub plots due to its unknown direction. It is not known if it wants to fully go purely military-like with its overall plot or if it wants to showcase the impact of military personnel when placed in stressful situations.

It is also uncertain if François’ role as Chanteraide is meant to be extremely vulnerable. Despite the desire to show Chanteraide as someone with more affection and warmth, he ended up looking more emotionally wrecked, leaving the viewers puzzled and maybe frustrated.

The film also suffers from some slight plot loopholes and some weird CGI, on top of viewers having to figure out certain military terminology, which slightly ‘alienates’ some viewers especially if they are not familiar with the navy and submarines in general.

Other than that, the casting was generally appropriate and the cast did a really great job at being rather convincing in their roles. Although most of the film was filmed in the submarine, it does not bore the viewers at all, with enough action inside to keep one going.

The Wolf’s Call is generally an exciting and intriguing film with balanced pacing. Despite the film not being too accessible to non-military viewers or viewers who are unfamiliar with the navy in general, it is still a pleasant film that desires to reflect on the importance of security and the cost involved in protecting a nation, while featuring the very men involved and their vulnerability.

Movie Rating:

(Thrilling and exciting with good pacing and great cast, but only fully comprehendible if you are familiar with navy or military terminologies and if you do not mind a less than happy ending)

Review by Ron Tan