Genre: Horror
Director: Jason Kim
Cast: Park Seo-jun, Ahn Sung-ki, Woo Do-hwan
Runtime: 2 hrs 9 mins
Rating: NC16 (Horror)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:

Opening Day: 15 August 2019

Synopsis:  After losing his father at a young age, Yong-hu repudiates the existence of God and resolves only to believe in himself. Years later he has become a martial arts champion, but one day he discovers stigmata on his palms (marks that correspond to the wounds suffered by Jesus on the crucifix). Hoping to rid himself of the painful stigmata, Yong-hu searches out Father AHN, and finds him while the priest is performing an exorcism. When Father AHN suddenly falls into danger, Yong-hu ends up saving him thanks to his stigmata and martial arts skills. Even while denying it, Yong-hu comes to realize the power of his stigmata, and as his fellowship with Father AHN deepens, he starts to perform exorcisms with him. However an evil figure named Jisin kills a girl named Min-joo who was recently exorcised by Father AHN and Yong-hu. Jisin hatches a plan to ensnare and kill more people. Father AHN and Yong-hu try to defeat him, but Father AHN is mortally wounded in the fight. Yong-hu takes strength from the God he once rejected, and faces off against Jisin...

Movie Review:

To writer-director Jason Kim’s credit, we’ve not seen an exorcism thriller with Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), so kudos to him for coming up with an intriguing concept to invigorate the occult-themed genre. Whether it in fact makes for a compelling watch is quite a different matter altogether, and it is in this regard that Kim’s attempt at creating a cinematic universe for the Korean film industry falls short.

The first in what is meant to be a ‘Holy Universe’, the movie pairs Park Seo-joon’s acclaimed MMA champion Yong-hu with Ahn Sung-ki’s veteran priest Father Ahn to take down Woo Do-hwan’s Satan-worshipper Ji-sin. Otherwise known as a Dark Bishop, Ji-sin has been luring innocent souls to pledge their loyalty to the devils he reveres, which he presents as an offering in return for eternal life. As part of God’s plan, Father Ahn is sent from the Vatican to investigate the recent spate of possessions, while Yong-hu mysteriously develops stigmata during this same period.

Though it may sound like a three-hander, ‘The Divine Fury’ is really focused on Yong-hu, who undergoes a faith transformation as he joins hands with Father Ahn. An extended prologue describes how Yong-hu had turned his back from God and church when he was a young boy, after neither his earnest prayers or that of a young priest managed to save his father, who was on duty at a traffic stop when he was run over by a drunk driver. Yong-hu is still seething 20 years later, but is fortunately protected from the dark side by his father’s spirit, embodied in the gold wedding ring he wears around his neck which used to belong to his dad.

At first, Yong-hu struggles to make sense of the wound which had appeared out of the blue on his right palm, but he discovers after stumbling upon a ritual that Father Ahn was in the midst of performing that it gifts him with the power to cast out demons. Even so, it will take a while before Yong-hu fully embraces his role as God’s crusader against evil next to Father Ahn, during which he will have to come to terms with his own pent-up resentment against God and come to discover the extent of his powers – in particular, the latter will see him (literally) apply his right hand onto the foreheads of the possessed, which causes the evil within them to erupt into bright white flames that will eventually extinguish without physically causing any signs of burns.

What triggers the change-of-heart though is the bond which develops between Yong-hu and Father Ahn, that is also intended to be the heart of the film. That their surrogate father-son relationship turns out surprisingly poignant is credit to both Park and Ahn, who share an engaging low-key chemistry that never pushes the credibility of what it is trying to portray; in fact, their conversations about faith and the way God works will probably strike a chord even with non-believers, and is a testament to the earnestness and sincerity with which both actors carry their roles next to each other. As you may suspect too, their bond will be tested and re-affirmed over the course of the film, especially in the run-up to the climax where Yong-hu goes head to head with Ji-sin.

Like we said, the emphasis of the storytelling has been placed quite squarely on Yong-hu, and that is a pity, because we would have loved as much to explore Ji-sin’s motivations for worshipping the Devil, as well as Father Ahn’s own conviction to fight on behalf of God despite the tolls and scars it has exerted on him. Not quite enough attention has been spent detailing how and why one of them chooses God, the other chooses Satan, and the last struggles on the fine line between good and evil before prevailing (predictably) on the side of the former. Without that character depth, the movie relies instead on a steady stream of exorcism sequences throughout its two-hour plus runtime to keep up the pace and momentum.

And in that regard, horror fans will probably not be disappointed, as these scenes are both frightening and exciting. Of note is one where Yong-hu and Father Ahn find themselves in the bedroom of a teenage girl whose demon within turns out to be a cunning and wily opponent; another in the basement of a Catholic orphanage where a young boy tests the mettle of a group of nuns and Father Ahn; and last but not least, the showdown in Ji-sin’s lair where he transforms into a part-man and part-amphibian creature after giving himself body and soul to the demons. Each of these encounters are intense and compelling, and hold their own against countless other such depictions in Hollywood films of the same genre.

Equally, the film serves up helpings of MMA action alongside the exorcisms, though the showpieces – one, where Yong-hu has to fight off Ji-sin’s fellow devil-worshippers in a nightclub; and two, where Yong-hu goes mano-a-mano with whatever Ji-sin has morphed into – are saved for the last third. While the idea of combining MMA with exorcism sounds intriguing in concept, writer-director Kim struggles to integrate both fully, so much so that the MMA elements seem superfluous and only so that Park can show off some martial arts moves.

Much hype has preceded the release of ‘The Divine Fury’, and the movie itself fails to live up to its own lofty expectations. Chiefly, it needs more character work on Ji-sin, Father Ahn and even Yong-hu, though the latter two are somewhat compensated by strong performances. That said, it is still engaging in how it depicts the eternal fight between good and evil, the tension between God’s ways and Man’s expectation, and the choices of faith that confront each and every one of us. It is also yet another in a recent string of South Korean films that have ventured into exorcism horror, and while it doesn’t stand out as much as say ‘The Wailing’ or even ‘Svaha: The Sixth Finger’, it’s a decent attempt at world-building that will require more to sustain into a franchise.

Movie Rating:

(Even as it struggles to mix MMA with the occult, this exorcism action-thriller remains a compelling watch for its portrayal of good versus evil, God's plan versus Man's expectation, and the choice of faith)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Drama
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Kurt Russell, Dakota Fanning, Timothy Olyphant, Luke Perry, Margaret Qualley, Al Pacino, Mike Moh
Runtime: 2 hrs 42 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence and Coarse Language)
Released By: Sony Pictures Releasing Singapore
Official Website: https://www.onceuponatimemag.com/

Opening Day: 15 August 2019

Synopsis:  Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood visits 1969 Los Angeles, where everything is changing, as TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) make their way around an industry they hardly recognize anymore. The ninth film from the writer-director features a large ensemble cast and multiple storylines in a tribute to the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age.

Movie Review:

These days, any movie that runs past two hours may not go down well with viewers with little patience. Quentin Tarantino probably doesn’t care, because his films often run past the 120-minute mark. His latest work is no different. Are you prepared to spend almost three hours of your life watching his love letter to Hollywood’s Golden Age?

The American filmmaker is known for his indulgent movies which star showbiz’s prettiest people, feature extended dialogue sequences which does little to extend the storyline, and are unnecessarily violent.

This time round, Leonardo DiCaprio is the male lead of the film, a has-been TV star who is beginning to realise that he is not destined for movie stardom. His best friend and drinking pal is his long-time stunt double played by Brad Pitt, who is ageing very well for a 55-year-old.

The two men make their way through the ups and downs of Hollywood, crossing paths with real-life character like director Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha), his movie star wife Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), as well as actors like Bruce Lee (Mike Moh), Steve McQueen (Damian Lewis), James Stacy (Timothy Olyphant) and Wayne Maunder (Luke Perry).

There will always be a group of people who loves Tarantino’s stylistic works, and this reviewer is one of them, despite having to sit in the theatre for 161 minutes.

If you grew up watching Hollywood movies in the 1960s, you would be familiar with the world Tarantino has created in this film. For the rest of us, the comedy drama film is another indulgent Tarantino project where our eyes feast on attractive people, lingering shots of walking feet, cigarette smoke and cars travelling on the highway. We aren’t complaining though, because the Palme d'Or-winning director has got what it takes to deliver an engaging tale that crosses multiple storylines.

It is evident that Tarantino loves movies. He weaves in plots about TV cowboys, rising starlets and how realistic showbiz can get even before the advent of computer effects. There is a lot of effort put into creating that era’s look and feel, and like his previous films, the soundtrack featuring music from the past is a blast.

The casting is perfect. DiCaprio deserves another Oscar for his powerhouse acting, Pitt may have delivered his most underrated performance yet, while Robbie’s wide-eyed wonder shows how celebrities took their jobs seriously back then. Other familiar faces in the film include Dakota Fanning as a hippie, Al Pacino as a Hollywood agent and Kurt Russell as a stunt coordinator.

The most interesting about this film is how it includes the infamous story of the invasion of the Manson Family. For the uninitiated, this is a real-life tragedy in August 1969 where a group of hippies, led by Charles Manson, murdered seven people (including Tate, who was eight months pregnant at the time). Tarantino takes the liberty to change the story for dramatic effect, and this is also the perfect opportunity to showcase his signature stylised violence. Watching the last moments of the film is like seeing a rich and spoilt brat tearing up dollar notes because he can.

Because the man behind this passion project is Quentin Tarantino, he gets away with being indulgent and giving the world a film that is a mood piece more than anything else.

Movie Rating:

(Ageing TV stars, a moving bromance and above all, a cruelly practical industry that has evolved over the decades - this is Quentin Tarantino's indulgent tribute to Hollywood's Golden Age)

Review by John Li

SYNOPSIS: Inspired by remarkable true life rescue missions, THE RED SEA DIVING RESORT is the incredible story of a group of international agents and brave Ethiopians who in the early 80s used a deserted holiday retreat in Sudan as a front to smuggle thousands of refugees to Israel. The undercover team carrying out this mission is led by the charismatic Ari Levinson (Chris Evans) and courageous local Kabede Bimro (Michael Kenneth Williams).

MOVIE REVIEW:

After the end of his stint as Captain America, Chris Evans once again assembled a team of heroes but this time round, for an entirely different kind of mission in Netflix’s The Red Sea Diving Resort. 

Inspired by true events as per any Hollywood title that is based on real-life incident or event will tell you, The Red Sea Diving Resort depicts the tale of how a group of Mossad agents made good use of a dilapidated seaside resort to smuggle Jewish-Ethiopians caught in the middle of a civil war out of Sudan to Israel with the help of the Israeli government. 

Evans plays Ari Levinson, the predictable reckless white and brave hero who has no qualms saving every refugee out there while putting the lives of his fellow teammates liked field doctor, Sammy (Alessandro Nivola from Jurassic Park III) and tough girl, Rachel (Haley Bennett from The Magnificent Seven remake) at risk. Boardwalk Empire’s Michael K. Williams on the other hand plays Kebede, the local hero who acts as the middleman for the refugees and fans of Games of Thrones will spot Michiel Huisman as one of the teammates, Jacob (including a bonus scene of him baring his butt). 

Despite the fact that writer and director Gideon Raff (Homeland) has assembled an eye-catching cast and did we mention Sir Ben Kingsley and Greg Kinnear in smaller roles? The story on the whole remains almost pedestrian-like and frustratingly underwhelming for the two hours running time. For the most part, the espionage flick never reaches the height and tension of similar-themed movies liked Argo and Munich as it plods along aimlessly.   

There’s nothing wrong with the cast delivery for sure. It’s just that the momentum and execution is poorly handle even with the introduction of a menacing Colonel (played wonderfully by Chris Chalk) mid-way. By then, it’s a little too late especially when the movie has delivered its obligatory feel-good montage of Ari and gang smuggling thousands of refugees out of their so-called fake resort filled with real tourists. Still, the last 30 minutes or so is mildly engaging as expected. The typical Hollywood title should end with a rousing showdown between good and evil and The Red Sea Diving Resort provides a half-baked ending to the whole saga.     

The Red Sea Diving Resort is unquestionably a letdown consider the pedigree of the cast. It’s never taut, thrilling let alone convincing the audiences of the compelling real-life event that actually took place in the 70s. For now, it seems Evans and his fellow Avengers (also check out Frank Grillo and Anthony Mackie in Point Blank) need to look for more substantial projects post-Endgame. 

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Chen Guo Hui
Cast: Huang Xiao Ming, Du Jiang, Tan Zhuo, Ou Hao, Yang Zi
Runtime: 1 hr 59 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Intense Sequences)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 29 August 2019

Synopsis:  When an oil pipeline in Bingang’s harbor explodes, oil flowing through a gigantic tank catches fire, igniting the tank and triggering unrelenting explosions, threatening the lives of millions in the city, the province, even neighboring countries. Yet as the people flee, fire engines rush into the flames…

Movie Review:

Perhaps one of the most overlooked examples of everyday heroism is that displayed by firefighters, who risk life and limb day in and day out to battle blazes and save lives. While Ron Howard’s ‘Backdraft’ is regarded till this date as the gold standard in Hollywood’s canon of firefighting movies, Johnnie To’s ‘Lifeline’ is that similar benchmark for Asian cinema, even as more recent entries such as Derek Kwok’s ‘As the Light Goes Out’ have tried to challenge it for the mantle. And despite a much larger scale and some genuinely thrilling firefighting sequences, ‘The Bravest’ doesn’t reset that standard, let down as much by its own melodramatic tendencies as its inability to fashion compelling real-life equivalent firefighting heroes.

As per the screenwriting template for such movies, the film sees its lead characters confronting their own personal struggles while facing their most challenging professional mission yet. The mission here is an inferno at a gigantic oil tank near the harbour of the fictional city of Bingang, triggered by a powerful explosion along a pipeline connected to it; and to make matters worse, the tank itself is located near tanks containing hazardous chemicals such as benzene, xylene and cyanide, which if set aflame, could very well wipe out the entire city’s population of eight million people. Not only must the fire at the tank be subdued, it must be prevented from spreading to the chemical tanks nearby.

Assigned with the enormous undertaking are the men from the special response squadron of Bingang’s fire department, who over the course of one long arduous night, will be given ample opportunity to demonstrate their bravery, commitment and perseverance in the face of sheer danger. Among these men, the focus is on the squadron’s former captain Jiang Liwei (Huang Xiaoming) and its current captain Ma Weiguo (Du Jiang) – given how the handover was due to a misjudgement by Jiang while attending to a fire at a hotpot restaurant, which ended up costing the life of their teammate, you can imagine there’ll be some degree of awkwardness between them no matter their sense of professionalism.

It isn’t just their dynamics that could get in the way; whereas Jiang has to overcome his guilt arising from the consequences of his oversight, Ma feels that he has to prove that he is worthy of his new role, especially since his own father is dismissive of his ability to have made captain if not for what had befallen Jiang. Though the first act elaborates on their personal circumstances, these are almost immediately forgotten once Jiang and Ma arrive at the scene of the fire, such that there is hardly any meaningful depth to either of these characters to allow us to empathise with them, and the same can be said of all the other characters in the film.

Instead, all the attention is placed on the fire itself, which to Chan’s credit, is quite a sight to behold – imagine the roof of an entire industrial-capacity petroleum storage tank engulfed in flames, surrounded by fire on all sides caused by leaking fuel along pipelines feeding into and from it, and of course occasional explosions which spew tongues of fire. It’s impressive all right, and among the specific challenges which that scenario poses to our heroes include needing to close four valves in order to prevent burning fuel from flowing out into the sea, clearing a pump of rubbish so that seawater can be piped to subdue the fire, and preserving a wall between the flames on the ground and the chemical tanks.

Each of these setpieces is milked to its fullest to showcase the heroic acts of the firemen, but by the time we get to the n-th slo-mo shot, you’ll probably be less moved than bemused by how shamelessly over-the-top and manipulative the movie can get. That we end up less stirred than Chan intended is also as a result of the haphazard plotting, which as we’ve said earlier, doesn’t let you get invested in any of the characters, and by extension their acts of self-sacrifice. All that propaganda is of course opportunistically timed to coincide with the 70^th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic this year, so let’s just say there is reason to all that unabashed display of courage.

In terms of translating the real-life incident which broke out in Dalian in July 2010, ‘The Bravest’ is undoubtedly an achievement, employing top-notch CGI and practical stunts to celebrate the heroic altruism of the firefighters involved. And yet it is equally true that we expected more of the film, whose lack of narrative and character development impedes it from being truly poignant as classics like ‘Backdraft’ and ‘Lifeline’ were. As long as you’re going in just for the wall-to-wall firefighting spectacle, you will quite surely not be disappointed; otherwise, you might find yourself sniggering at the unabashed melodrama that is as widespread as the fire itself.

Movie Rating:

(There is no doubt the firefighting spectacle is impressive, but less so the shamelessly manipulative emotional drama, which is poorly developed and often unnecessarily over-the-top) 

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Drama
Director: Simon Curtis
Cast: Milo Ventimiglia, Amanda Seyfried, Gary Cole, Kathy Baker, Ryan Keira Armstrong, Martin Donovan, Kevin Costner
Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Walt Disney
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 8 August 2019

Synopsis:  Based on the best-selling novel by Garth Stein, THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN is a heartfelt tale narrated by a witty and philosophical dog named Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner). Through his bond with his owner, Denny Swift (Milo Ventimiglia), an aspiring Formula One race car driver, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition and understands that the techniques needed on the racetrack can also be used to successfully navigate the journey of life. The film follows Denny and the loves of his life - his wife, Eve (Amanda Seyfried), their young daughter Zoe (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), and ultimately, his true best friend, Enzo.

Movie Review:

Whereas last year The Travelling Cat Chronicles tells its story from a feline’s point of view, The Art of Racing in the Rain tells it from the point of a dog named Enzo. Ultimately, it’s not going to spring any surprises for audiences other than taking every one of us on a sentimental, sappy journey of life’s ups and downs.

Milo Ventimiglia from Heroes plays Denny, an aspiring racer who dreams of getting into the big league (like racing in the Daytona for example). On impulse, he decides to adopt a golden retriever, which he aptly names Enzo after the founder of Ferrari. Voiced by veteran Kevin Costner, Enzo is a born racer at heart who regularly companies Denny on his run and also a fan of racing programs on television. Enzo is Denny’s best friend until one day he meets Eve (Amanda Seyfried), and Enzo realises he has to share his best friend with this beautiful lady.

Of course, Enzo is not CGI and he doesn’t really talk throughout the movie, though he plays a huge role that is maybe even bigger than his human counterparts. But still, audiences are often treated to Enzo’s generous philosophical thoughts, whimsy views on human beings and his confrontation with his greatest enemy - a stuffed zebra. It’s definitely a lot for a canine who has no human thumbs or speech, but Enzo greatly makes up for it by being the loyal friend and companion to Denny, Eve and their young daughter, Zoe.

The Art of Racing in the Rain never shuns from presenting itself as a tearjerker even if you have never read the source material by Garth Stein. You expect something melodramatic is going to happen later when Eve starts to develop severe headaches. How about the subsequent need to balance a career and the role of a struggling dad? Or an overprotective obnoxious grandpa (Martin Donovan) who stands in the way of Denny and Zoe? Maybe it’s all too predictable, or maybe it’s just part and parcel of life and Enzo just happened to be the perfect living thing to witness every single one of the event.

Depending on your religion or your take on life, Enzo is a dog who believes he will be reincarnated as a human in his next life from a documentary set in Mongolia. It is one of those fun facts that makes Enzo so adorable for pet and non-pets lovers alike. And what’s a dog movie if there’s no pee or poo in sight? And of course, the gravelly-voiced Kevin Costner who “danced with wolves” and dabbled in “field of dreams” does a wonderful job bringing the character of Enzo to life.

There are also metaphors about life and car racing scenes, but this is generally not a sports movie nor a movie about formula one racing. Director Simon Curtis who did My Week With Marilyn and writer Mark Bomback who wrote War for the Planet of the Apes keep things simple yet believable, tragic yet heartfelt and enough thoughts have gone into the story to keep the narrative going.

The Art of Racing in the Rain happens to be among the last completed titles by the now shuttered Fox 2000 label. Pity the fact that Disney is never likely going to release another mid-range family drama that involves a thinking dog. If you love dogs, a heartwarming story and the likeable performances of Ventimiglia and Seyfried, hop on with Enzo for a final nice ride. You can tell we simply adore this self-proclaimed dumb dog.

MOVIE RATING:

(The art of making you weep on the outside and warm you on the inside)

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Thriller/Drama
Director: Leste Chen
Cast: Aaron Kwok, Duan Yihong, Zhang Zifeng, Hsu Weining, Sean Rong
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Mature Content)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures and Clover Films
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 6 May 2021

Synopsis: A story that follows a family of four leading harmonious and contented lives. When a mysterious visitor starts residing in their basement, their lives are turned upside down as strange events begin to occur.

Movie Review:

If too many cooks spoil the broth, then too much emphasis dulled this film.

The trailer for Home Sweet Home has allusions to an epic noir - a suspense thriller centred around a wealthy family, unravelling at the introduction of a stranger in their basement (which sounds eerily similar to another Korean title that won an Oscar in 2019).

But this production is clearly overworked, eventually becoming even tiresome to watch, feeling very much like a person wringing out a dry towel. At one point, thinking that the movie was nearing its end given how slow it felt, I glanced down at my watch notification and was horrified to learn I was only past the halfway one-hour mark.

Leste Chan has had some success in suspense with previous efforts The Great Hypnotist (2014) and Battle of Memories (2017); and in fact Home Sweet Home echoes these titles with its theme on amnesia, but this clearly is the weakest of the lot, tripping over itself in an effort to impress with its grandiose veneer.

If this movie buried itself, it was with spades of its own unnecessary drama. You know that self-important friend who always creates a mountain out of a molehill? This is the film version of it.

It’s the overuse of exaggerated sound effects. The melodramatic score that refuses to let up. The repeated lingering frames on the photos in the house, or facial closeups. A script that felt so manipulative, it’s - once again - the friend that says “I’ve got a secret but I’d better not say anything”. Like… we get it. Everyone in this family has a secret. But after a lot of emotional guilt-tripping and motivational obfuscation, one starts to resign oneself to the final reveal after the first 30 minutes. But Home Sweet Home doesn’t let up, continuing to campaign you with the same spiel for the next hour.

It’s partially Chan’s fault in making the characters stoic to the point of being dead. The haunted faces become really annoying, really fast. Yes, we get that wealthy people sometimes go to extremes to keep up a facade, but when you make that fact obvious within the first 10 minutes, you have to offer more beyond that.

We see the return of actors from previous films - Duan Yihong as the cellar “stranger” and Hsu Weining as the mother - but it seems even the director’s working experience with them doesn’t translate in this film. As Kunqiao, Duan’s guilt comes and goes much too easily. Hsu as Mrs Wong, is as cardboard as they come, which makes her fits of insanity abrupt and illogical.

While Aaron Kwok as the father is pitched as the obvious protagonist, Home Sweet Home soon loses his captainship when all the members become as unlikeable as him. I’m really not entirely sure who to root for or what to feel when the truth is revealed - that itself an unbelievably wrapup that will have one questioning the point of this film.

It goes for philosophy - how wealth corrupts happiness, how guilt tears one apart, maybe even a probe as to what makes a family, a family. But you won’t find the material here provoking, cathartic or insightful. It’s just really, really annoying.

Movie Rating:

(Ambition and gloss fail to do this film any favour, as a manipulative production makes everything overworked and tiresome to watch)

Review by Morgan Awyong

Genre: Horror/Romance
Director: Glen Goei & Gavin Yap
Cast: Nur Fazura, Remy Ishak, Hisyam Hamid, Shenty Feliziana, Nam Ron, Tony Eusoff, Nadiah M.Din, Wan Hanifi Su, Nadia Aqilah, Nik Harraz Danish
Runtime: 1 hr 32 mins
Rating: PG13 (Horror and Some Violence)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 29 August 2019

Synopsis:  1965, Malaysia. A small village helps Khalid and Siti prepare for their wedding day. Soon after, a great darkness falls upon the village as a string of horrific deaths and supernatural happenings create widespread fear and paranoia amongst the villagers. The events force a confession from Khalid to a murder of a girl he made pregnant years before, now believed to have returned as a Pontianak. To kill this vengeful vampire, he rallies all the men of the village and sets out into the jungle to hunt her down. But can the village stop her?

Movie Review:

Probably one of the most enigmatic and popular supernatural entity in this region, the pontianak is to Southeast Asia what Sadako is to Japan. 

Based on popular mythology, she is the ghost of a woman who died pregnant or during childbirth, and boy is she angry! Appearing as a beautiful woman to lure victims to a quiet area before ravaging their innards and drinking their blood, her true form is a spectral white ghost with long hair, long nails, and long teeth. Like a stake to a western vampire, the blood-thirsty pontianak can only be stopped with a nail, but in the nape instead of the heart.

Glen Goei returns after a decade from his last film release (The Blue Mansion) and partners with Malaysian actor and director Gavin Yap to create a modern retelling of this horrific folklore in Revenge of the Pontianak. And it mostly works.

Says of the treatment, Glen Goei shares that he was “heavily inspired by the look and feel of film classics from the ‘50s and ‘60s”. So with cinematographer Jon Keng at the helm, the film is lush with saturated colours and gorgeously-detailed art direction. From the get-go, the film palette invokes a sensual tone. A glossy banana leaf, the misty golden hills, the scarlet kebaya of the spirit - it’s a visceral treat when coupled with the textured sets and costuming.

When not focused on colours, the camerawork and lighting is just as elegant and luscious, this time with filtered light and abundant bokeh lending their magical aura to the scenes. There’s one scene I especially loved, where Shenty Feliziana walks through the house after waking up. Every leaf and room is precisely coordinated, and the layered dimensions and storytelling in that one tracking shot is a joy to watch unfold.

The technical and visual qualities of Revenge of the Pontianak is stellar, and even the soundtrack (Kasihku Selamanya, sung by diva Dato’ Sri Siti Nurhaliza) and score is equally lux. That said, the storytelling can benefit from the same injection of bold - it is after all, supposed to be a “new and intelligent take”.

Remy Ishak is Khalid, who has just brought his new wife to his village. As soon as Siti (Shenty Feliziana) arrives, a murder and strange disease follows, making her the target of the locals. But Khalid hides a secret, and the curse is closely tied to his past, which has conjured the wrath of the pontianak upon his kampung. 

Although the refocus on making the monster a little bit more humanised is a great idea, it is honestly not the new in this day and age. If we look towards motivations and plot, the secret isn’t really hard to guess as well. So when it comes to reinvention, the film doesn’t really achieve what it set out to do.

The plot is helped somewhat by some great performances - mainly thanks to Nur Fazura as the vengeful spirit. Her natural screen presence fills the scenes she’s in, and her character has better room for expression than some of the others. Another is Hisyam Hamid, who as Khalid’s brother Reza, has the chops to create a compelling persona. His possessed delivery would have seemed comical, if not for the commitment you can see from his eyes.

That said, these successful performances get bogged down by others, and sometimes, the disparity is too much to ignore. Ishak’s Khalid is extremely stiff and uncharismatic, which as the lead, takes down the entire film a notch. Feliziana is also extremely dull as his pretty wife, which directly affects the scenes of punishment she has to endure later in the movie.

Nam Ron as the witch doctor will probably be a polarising figure. I enjoyed his performance, even though he does repeat himself just a little too much. I would also have loved an actual interaction between him and the pontianak. But his manic portrayal might come across as cheesy to some others, though still by far better than the tragedy that was in a certain TV anthology with the same horror theme.

Revenge of the Pontianak remains a commendable effort despite some lack in casting and acting, but Asian folklore deserve more presence on the screens, and this serves as a worthy entry to enjoy.

What would have made it incredible would be better pacing (the long, drawn out scenes of the pontianak feels necessary at times), better acting (again, picking up on the delivery pace would make the performances less uncomfortably deliberate) and to totally unleash the supernatural force of the pontianak upon her victims for a true homage to vintage cinema.

Movie Rating:

(It suffers a little in pace and acting from some characters, but the amazing cinematography and production values bolster this and make it a worthy retelling)

Review by Morgan Awyong

Genre: Romance/Comedy
Director: Jeff Chan, Andrew Rhymer
Cast: Jack Quaid, Maya Erskine, Ed Begley Jr.
Runtime: 1 hr 39 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scene and Some Mature Content)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 5 September 2019

Synopsis:  It’s wedding season, and for Alice and Ben, it seems like everyone is tying the knot, except them. Alice is going through a breakup, and Ben’s best friend is getting married, leaving him behind. To make matters worse, his dad springs the news that he's getting remarried in a few months. Feeling alone in their singleness, Alice and Ben agree to team up, going as each other's dates, and embarking on an odyssey of ten weddings, where they'll make new friends, meet each other's odd families, confront their hangups with love and relationships, and ultimately push their friendship into uncharted territory.

Movie Review:

Ah, if only this writer’s life turned out to be like this movie.

The premise is probably nothing new. Two college friends come together to attend wedding parties because, well, everyone around them seems to be getting hitched. Both of them are single and looking for someone to settle down with. The girl just broke up with her long time boyfriend and is still recovering from the heartache. The guy is a no nonsense charmer, and while he is seemingly serious, he is a natural with the ladies. The unlikely partners accompany each other to weddings, help each other with speeches and take fun pictures at photo booths.

Yup, you can see from a mile away where this is headed towards: a happy ending awaits. Yet, there is something refreshing about this 109 minute romantic comedy that makes it an engaging watch from beginning to end. The chemistry between the leads is so endearing, you’d want to look for and hang out with people like that in real life.

Maya Erskine, who has a European father and a Japanese mother, has a charisma that makes her fit into the role very nicely. The character’s eccentricity Is what you wish your friends possess. The fun and cheekiness lifts the spirit of the whole movie, and you’d be a Scrooge if you have issue with her personality. Her co star is Jack Quaid, the Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan. You may have seen him as the vigilante seeking revenge in the popular TV series The Boys, but his role here is completely different. The dude is someone you can count on when you need a shoulder to cry on. Behind his prim and proper appearance is a guy you’d want to hold on to.

The movie revolves largely around how these two individuals navigate through their current life events. In the mix is the upcoming wedding of the guy’s father, which makes things a little awkward for everyone. There are people falling into swimming pools, seemingly inconsequential flirting and seduction, as well as other gags that make this movie very enjoyable.

Jeff Chan and Andrew Rhymer are making their feature debut here. Taking on the role of both writers and directors, it is clear what they want for the film. The sure handed direction can be seen how the story progress at a breezy pace. With supporting characters played by Ed Begley Jr, Beck Bennett as Matt and Finn Wittrock, this is a perfect movie to catch after a stressful occasion.  

The events portrayed in the movie may feel lightweight, but it is an apt reflection of human relationships happening in the urban society. This writer, for one, often wonders what his life would be like now if he had spent tons of time with a single friend.

Things aren’t all fun and triviialised in the movie. When things get a little serious towards the end, you know life isn’t all a joke. There are decisions and commitments to be made, and this mature piece of work reminds you about that.

Movie Rating:

(Reel life very much reflects real life in this breezy romantic comedy which scores with its charismatic leads)

Review by John Li

Genre: Drama
Director: Andrew Lau
Cast: Zhang Hanyu, Yuan Quan, Ou Hao, Li Qin, Du Jiang, Zhang Tianai, Gao Ge, Yang Qiru, Ya Mei, Huang Zhizhong, Wu Yue, Li Xian
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 3 October 2019

Synopsis: Director Andrew Lau's cinematic portrayal of the most miraculous emergency landing in the contemporary history of Chinese aviation. The actual incident occurred on May 14 (Monday) 2018 morning at 30,000 feet on Sichuan Airlines flight 3U8633 from the southern city of Chongqing to Lhasa. About 40 minutes after the Airbus A319 flight took off at 6:27a.m. local time (10:27 GMT), the cockpit windshield shattered and flung the aircraft into a state of low pressure with a temperature at minus 30 to minus 40 degree Celsius over the Tibetan Plateau. The co-pilot was sucked halfway out of the cockpit window and all things went down. Many devices were damaged, communication with control tower broke down, passengers began losing consciousness with thin oxygen, and an enormous storm was awaiting right in front. The clock was ticking and strong-willed Captain Liu Chuan Jian was determined to get out of danger and bring everyone home safe...

Movie Review:

Trust veteran Hong Kong director Andrew Lau to turn what has been termed a ‘miracle emergency landing’ in real life into a nail-biting disaster movie that pays tribute to its ordinary heroes – especially as the title mentions, the pilot who steeled his nerves and trusted his instincts to save the lives of 119 passengers and eight other crew members. That individual is Captain Liu Chuanjian, a former Air Force pilot turned Sichuan Airlines staff, whose flight from Chongqing to Lhasa on the morning on 14 May 2008 was met with a shattered windscreen about 150km from Chengdu and had to pilot the plane through the mountainous Tibetan region to reach the nearest airport.

As played by Zhang Hanyu, the onscreen Liu is a stoic, almost stern, no-nonsense figure who demands the highest standards from his fellow crew, in particular his young co-pilot Liang Peng (Oho Ou). Although Liu gives the movie its title, apart from the scenes bookending the film showing him leaving and returning to his wife and young daughter, the film is only about him insofar as it relates to the events of Sichuan Airlines Flight 8633 (3U8633) that fateful day, so don’t expect this to be a character study like Clint Eastwood’s ‘Sully’; indeed, what it does want us to learn about Liu, and what it portrays magnificently, is his composure, adroitness and perseverance under tremendous conditions, given the sudden loss of pressure and temperature in the cockpit upon the loss of the plane’s windshield.

Together with his writer Yu Yonggan (who also wrote this summer’s ‘The Bravest’), Lau zooms in on three key periods during the harrowing journey: when the windshield first blew out and the plane dropped 8000ft from its cruising altitude; when Liu had to fly through a thunderstorm over the Tibetan mountains in order to get to Chengdu’s Shuangliu Airport; and when Liu had to land the overweight plane on the runway as well as bring it to a halt without either thrust reversers working. Even though you’re fully aware that the crew will pull through, each of these periods is an edge-of-your-seat sequence in itself, with Lau skilfully toggling between the cockpit and the cabin to illustrate the reactions of the pilots versus the passengers and stewardesses. 

Whereas Liu anchors the cockpit, it is inflight service manager Bi Nan (Quan Yuan) who takes the lead in the cabin – not only is she an exemplar in guiding her younger colleagues to serve with commitment and professionalism, such as in dealing with self-entitled business-class passengers, she is Liu’s complement in managing the anxiety among the passengers so as to avoid pandemonium from breaking out in the cabin (therefore allowing Liu to focus on bringing the plane under control). Like Liu, the film mostly shows her in relation to the crisis, so even though there is some hint that she is going through a rough patch in her marriage, we are never really told what exactly it is, and therefore fully grasp how her perspective on that changes after the incident.

Interestingly, while convention would have dictated that the film pick a couple of passengers to show how the brush with death changes their attitude towards life and/or their loved ones, Lau decides to make his movie an engaging procedural about airport and airline operations, as well as air traffic management. With some deft editing by Azrael Chung, Lau assembles a couple of intriguing montages that show how the crew of 3U8633 get ready for takeoff, how control is handed over from the airport control tower to the air traffic control centre at various altitudes, the interfacing between civilian and military in air traffic management (ATM), and the coordination among various parts of airport operations in preparation for the flight’s emergency landing. The involvement of the Civil Aviation Authority of China (CAAC) ensures the authenticity of these scenes, with the CAAC head honcho Feng Zhenglin credited as chief consultant no less, but it is to Lau’s credit that the nuts and bolts of airport and ATM operations in response to the disaster is as fascinating to watch as what went on inside the plane itself.

That said, even as there is less emphasis than expected on the passengers, Lau doesn’t lose the poignancy within these harrowing moments. From a husband confessing to his wife that he is going to be a chef at a work site than at a high-class hotel in Lhasa, to the wife of the plane’s third pilot waiting feverishly on the ground, and to Liu’s own wife trying hard not to lose her cool in front of their young daughter, Lau captures the gamut of emotions from those in the air to those on the ground as the events unfold, and wisely chooses not to dwell on them excessively in order to avoid turning his movie into melodrama.

Whether as a proactive or necessary addition to appease the infamous Chinese censors, ‘The Captain’ ends on a slightly awkward note as Liu and the rest of the crew of 3U8633 sing a patriotic song celebrating the motherland. That aside, this portrait of the heroic actions of one ordinary person, as well as the professionalism of those involved in one way or another, is gripping, rousing and even informative, showing a director at the very top of his game. We dare say it is one of our favourite Mainland Chinese films this year, and we dare guarantee you’ll be similarly enraptured by this effortless crowdpleaser. As paradoxical as it sounds, this is one flight you won’t want to miss.

Movie Rating:

(Gripping as a disaster movie, fascinating as a procedural and poignant as an emotional drama, this fact-based retelling is an effortless crowdpleaser in every measure)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Adrian Grunberg
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Paz Vega, Sergio Peris-Mencheta, Adrianna Barraza, Yvette Monreal, Genie Kim aka Yenah Han, Joaquin Cosio, Oscar Jaenada
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 19 September 2019

Synopsis:  Rambo must confront his past and unearth his ruthless combat skills to exact revenge in a final mission. A deadly journey of vengeance, RAMBO: LAST BLOOD marks the last chapter of the legendary series.

Movie Review:

Even though the second to fourth films saw John Rambo become a one-man war machine to take on various Communist regimes in Southeast Asia, the very first ‘Rambo: First Blood’ was really a small-town thriller which had John struggling to overcome the nightmares of his time as a soldier in the Vietnam War. And in that respect, this supposedly final chapter of the Rambo franchise is a fitting conclusion, seeing as how it finds John enjoying a quiet life on an Arizonian ranch; that is, of course, before the teenage girl whom he has looked after like a daughter is kidnapped by the Mexican cartel.

Like each one of the other ‘Rambo’ movies, Sylvester Stallone not just stars, but also co-scripts the exploits of one (of two) of his most iconic characters; and just like he did with the last Rocky Balboa film (not counting the ‘Creed’ spinoffs), shrewdly avoids trying to recapture the glory days. As much as John remains haunted and bound by his past, the movie itself doesn’t have to be and isn’t, so you’ll find a much older and more wearied John than before. That also means you should not expect him to reprise his signature pose of shooting two machine guns on either shoulder at all; in fact, rather than take the fight to his enemies, John baits and waits for them to bring the fight to him, in order to use the element of surprise and preparedness to his advantage.

For that matter, those expecting a no-holds-barred action flick will certainly be disappointed; rather than let the action drive the storytelling, Stallone takes time to let his audience (many of which would likely have grown up with the character) re-acquaint themselves with John, as well as his newfound relationship with his foster daughter Gabrielle (Yvette Monreal) and her aunt Maria (Adriana Barraza), before unleashing the action in controlled measure. Indeed, Stallone makes it clear it isn’t that John cannot put his violent past behind him, but that he is driven by vengeance to exact the same pain on those who have hurt the ones he cares about the most.

So while it isn’t dull, the first half is pretty much just set-up that sees Gabrielle ignore both John and Maria’s advice to head into Mexico to see her father who had abandoned her and her mother as a child, and ends up falling prey to a prostitution racket which her do-no-gooder friend Gizelle (Fenessa Pineda) is part of. In the same breath, it also establishes the utter contempt of the Martinez brothers who run the operation, who say that in their line the girls are no more than things (and not people) to them. Suffice to say that there is no redeeming quality to either of the brothers, whether the more poised older one Hugo (Sergio Peris-Mencheta) or the more brash younger one Victor (Óscar Jaenada).

Whereas a younger John would certainly have beaten the shit out of a whole gang of Mexican gangsters, the 73-year-old Stallone lets Rambo be brusied, bloodied and beaten unconscious by them during their first confrontation, and has to be nursed back to health by a female journalist (Paz Vega) who so happened to be tailing the very mark he was pursuing to track down Gabrielle. Like we said earlier, given his relative physical state, John taunts them (by cutting the head off one of the Martinezs and tying him to the bed no less) and waits for them to come to him on his ranch for a final showdown that puts the Rambo in his name.

That last stand is not just the piece de resistance of the film, it is also the only full-blown action sequence in the entire movie, with the earlier scenes limited to swift (but still vicious) moves which John springs on his enemies. Facing down close to 20 men at the same time, John resorts to taking him out using a whole menagerie of booby traps consisting of trip wires that set off explosions, rifles and trap doors. Not content to see them maimed, pierced or blown apart, John often adds a finishing spray of bullets, while reserving the most brutal finish for the other Martinez with a bow and arrow and his own very, very sharp knife. It is violent all right, but never so over-the-top that the action tips into caricature.

Next to the last three ‘Rambo’ films, this one is probably much milder; yet, we’d much prefer a more human Rambo than one that defies the ages of time. Given how he has pretty much determined how the character has evolved over the years (which the closing credits recaps through a nostalgic montage of some of the more iconic scenes from the earlier movies), Stallone gives a befittingly world-weary portrayal that probably reflects how the actor himself has seen the world change over the past few decades. On his part, director Adrian Grunberg keeps the pace tight throughout a lean 100 minutes, while painting an empathetic portrait of John by emphasising his physical and emotional vulnerabilities. 

As the last chapter, ‘Rambo: Last Blood’ is an elegiac farewell to a character whose relevance has probably faded over the years. Even though the world is still made up of good and bad guys as John warns Gabrielle before she makes her ill-fated trip, John’s methods are somewhat anachronistic, especially given how the war movie genre has itself transformed. Seen in that light, you’ll appreciate how Stallone has crafted this farewell for himself as much as for his fans, and even if Rambo doesn’t draw as much blood in his last as he did in the first, it is probably for the better. 

Movie Rating:

(Stallone lets age, emotion and even devastation come to Rambo, and this concluding chapter of the legendary series is all the better for it)

Review by Gabriel Chong