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

Genre: Action/War
Director: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Ed Skrein, Patrick Wilson, Luke Evans, Aaron Eckhart, Nick Jonas, Etsushi Toyokawa, Tadanobu Asano, Luke Kleintank, Jun Kunimura, Darren Criss, Keean Johnson, Alexander Ludwig, with Mandy Moore, Dennis Quaid, Woody Harrelson
Runtime: 2 hrs 18 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language and Violence)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 7 November 2019

Synopsis:  MIDWAY centers on the Battle of Midway, a clash between the American fleet and the Imperial Japanese Navy which marked a pivotal turning point in the Pacific Theater during WWII. The film, based on the real-life events of this heroic feat, tells the story of the leaders and soldiers who used their instincts, fortitude and bravery to overcome the odds.

Movie Review:

For four days in June 1942, American and Japanese Naval forces engaged in a fierce cat-and-mouse game out at sea, the outcome of which would turn the tide of World War II’s Pacific Theatre. It is not hard to guess why Roland Emmerich had signed on to this historical epic – not only would it give him the chance to apply his gift for big-screen spectacle, it would bestow upon him a certain legitimacy as a serious filmmaker which had otherwise evaded him till this day. And indeed, ‘Midway’ is exactly how you would imagine Emmerich taking the helm of large-scale combat action, every bit as breathtaking, loud and even jaw-dropping as the likes of ‘Independence Day’ and ‘The Day After Tomorrow’ would have set you up for.

It isn’t just the titular battle itself which Emmerich recreates here; in fact, his opening act is a reconstruction of the bombing of Pearl Harbour, told largely from the perspective of an officer and a sailor who were on board the USS Arizona (which eventually sank) when the Japanese struck. Right from the beginning, Emmerich demonstrates his keen eye for visuals, alternating deftly between close-ups and long shots to convey both breadth and intimacy to the bombings. It is though just a prelude to the main act, but important to establish that momentous turn in WWII when the previously neutral Americans were drawn into the conflict, while exposing just how vulnerable they were relative to the naval superiority of their enemies.

The piece de resistance unfolds through a number of points-of-view which the rest of the first hour sets up: back at Pearl Harbour, where the fleet admiral Chester Nimitz (Woody Harrelson) and his intelligence chief Edwin Layton (Patrick Wilson) had to make a strategic choice just where the Japanese fleet were; on board the USS Enterprise, where dive bomber Richard ‘Dick’ Best (Ed Skrein) and fellow pilot Wade McClusky (Luke Evans) are forced to exercise strategic patience while awaiting orders from Pacific command; and last but not least, within the Japanese fleet, where Rear Admiral Tamon Yamuguchi (Tadanobu Asano) is in strategic tension with the Army over how, where and what to attack the Americans on.

Besides the aforementioned, there are also plenty of supporting parts – these include the USS Enterprise sailor Bruno Gaido (Nick Jonas) whose spontaneous heroism earned him an on-the-spot promotion; Best’s flying partner James Murray (Keean Johnson) who will overcome his fear of dying to prove a reliable wingman; the USS Enterprise comamnder Vice-Admiral ‘Bull’ Halsey (Dennis Quaid) who had to be relieved just before the Midway battle because of a bad case of shingles; and Lieutanant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle (Aaron Eckhart) who led a surprise retaliatory raid on Tokyo. It’s a very crowded ensemble all right, and probably little surprise that few get much character development in newcomer Wes Tooke’s functional script.

To Emmerich, as well as to Tooke, these characters matter only insofar as the weight of their decisions and actions on the course of events leading up to and during the Battle of Midway itself. Except therefore for some token screen time given to Best’s wife (Mandy Moore), there is little else known about the other characters beyond their professional capacity, and it doesn’t help that Tooke’s sometimes clunky dialogue renders most of them no better than standard-issue archetypes. Notwithstanding, there are plenty of opportunities to ensure that their spirit of courage, determination and self-sacrifice are on full display, so you’ll most certainly be filled with respect for each and every one of them featured in the title cards just before the end credits.

As you may expect, the best bits within the two-and-a-half hour long film place us within the seat of daredevil pilot Dick Best, especially as he fearlessly dives at a nearly vertical angle at the Japanese aircraft carriers in order to ensure that he drop his lethal payload with pinpoint accuracy. Even though Emmerich repeats the same perspective several times during the movie, the thrill of each of these dive-bombing sequences is just as exhilarating every time. Just as exciting are the multiple aerial combat scenes, which show with utmost clarity the American and Japanese planes engaged in fierce and intense dogfights against sunlit skies, and it is to Emmerich’s credit that you feel a sheer adrenaline rush each time you are in the air with these aviators.

So even though it could do with better writing, ‘Midway’ still holds up as a rousing WWII movie that re-stages the legendary naval battle beautifully. Some liberties with the characters aside, Emmerich makes the effort to get the historical detail right, and it is no coincidence that the film is opening during the Veterans’ Day weekend in the United States. Than go the character-driven way which recent WWII movies (like ‘Dunkirk’) has done, Emmerich aims and accomplishes an old-fashioned war blockbuster with spectacular aerial sequences which places us right in the heartstopping seat of the pilots. In this regard, it is epic, stirring and poignant all right, and we dare say everything you’ll probably be expecting of Emmerich at the helm of a WWII extravaganza.

Movie Rating:

(Every bit as breathtaking, loud and even jaw-dropping as you would expect a Roland Emmerich movie to be, this faithful recreation of the pivotal Battle of Midway overcomes its functional storytelling with crackerjack aerial action)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Drama/Thriller
Director: Todd Phillips
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen, Shea Whigham, Bill Camp, Glenn Fleshler, Leigh Gill, Douglas Hodge
RunTime: 2 hrs 2 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Violence and Nudity)
Released By: Warner Bros
Official Website:

Opening Day: 3 October 2019

Synopsis: Forever alone in a crowd, Arthur Fleck seeks connection. Yet, as he trods the sooted Gotham City streets and rides the graffitied mass transit rails of a hostile town teeming with division and dissatisfaction, Arthur wears two masks. One, he paints on for his day job as a clown. The other he can never remove; it's the guise he projects in a futile attempt to feel he's a part of the world around him, and not the misunderstood man whom life is repeatedly beating down. Fatherless, Arthur has a fragile mother, arguably his best friend, who nicknamed him Happy, a moniker that's fostered in Arthur a smile that hides the heartache beneath. But, when bullied by teens on the streets, taunted by suits on the subway, or simply teased by his fellow clowns at work, this social outlier only becomes even more out of sync with everyone around him.

Movie Review:

We can only imagine the intensity Joaquin Phoenix went through during the course of making this movie. In fact, after hearing all the hype (and repeatedly watching the chilling trailer), this reviewer had some concerns how mentally affected he would be after watching the film.

DC Comics’ most recognised antagonist gets a standalone movie. It is an origin story of how the Clown Prince of Crime came to be. Set against the backdrop of 1980s GothamCity, we first see Arthur Fleck working as a clown who brings people joy. And because life isn’t fair, he is subjected to prejudice, no thanks to his mental condition. After repeated disappointments, Arthur turns to a life of crime and chaos and emerges as the Joker.

Phoenix, who has delivered critically acclaimed performances in powerful films like Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master (where he won Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival) and Lynne Ramsay’s You Were Never Really Here (where he won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival), is on top form here.

As a sidelined individual in society, the actor scares us with his malnourished physical appearance, pathological laughter and a dejected personality that is frighteningly relatable. Disregarded by people around him, the character is mentally unstable and impoverished. Despite his good intentions, life lets him down again and again. To find an outlet, he seeks solace in all the wrong places. That is why we are pretty convinced that Phoenixhad gone through a tough time bringing this Joker to life on the big screen. We would love him to take home some prizes during the award season.   

It is also hard to believe that the director behind this 122 minute movie is Todd Phillips, who is know for his comedic works like Starsky and Hutch, Old School and The Hangover franchise. He leverages on the setting of the movie to deliver a stylistic homage to films from that era. The film feels bleak and gloomy. Characters are angry, miserable and delusional. There is hurt everywhere, and the deaths do not help. No one is feeling cheery, and there is despair behind the Joker’s laughter. Film fans would draw a connection to classics like Taxi Driver (1976) and Dog Day Afternoon (1975).

It is a nice coincidence that the original Taxi Driver is Robert De Niro, who takes on a supporting role as a talk show host who Arthur worships. Zazie Beetz plays a female neighbour Arthur takes a liking to, while Frances Conroy portrays his long suffering mother. There are also connections to the Dark Knight himself.

This is a major studio comic book movie, and while it is something different from what we are used to seeing, there is still quite a bit of room if the filmmakers wanted to push the boundaries (it is rated NC16 for some violence and nudity). It is not a bad thing though, because things have to start somewhere before they become extremely radical. It is also commendable that the mainstream production won the Golden Lion, the highest prize at the Venice Film Festival.

Despite the controversy related to violence, it is a decent exploration of mental illness, a condition we should be more aware of because of the confused and chaotic world we live in.

Movie Rating:

(Joaquin Phoenix's disturbingly intense performance takes the spotlight in this bleak major studio comic book movie about how life will continue to be unfair)

Review by John Li

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Mike Flanagan
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran, Carl Lumbly, Zahn McClarnon, Emily Alyn Lind, Bruce Greenwood, Jocelin Donahue, Alex Essoe, Cliff Curtis
RunTime: 2 hrs 33 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Nudity and Violence)
Released By: Warner Bros
Official Website:

Opening Day: 7 November 2019

Synopsis: Still irrevocably scarred by the trauma he endured as a child at the Overlook, Dan Torrance has fought to find some semblance of peace. But that peace is shattered when he encounters Abra, a courageous teenager with her own powerful extrasensory gift, known as the “shine.” Instinctively recognizing that Dan shares her power, Abra has sought him out, desperate for his help against the merciless Rose the Hat and her followers, The True Knot, who feed off the shine of innocents in their quest for immortality. 

Movie Review:

Stanley Kurbrick’s The Shining (1980) is often said to be one of the best horror movies of all time. Based on the 1977 novel by Stephen King, it is also known to many that the author disliked the movie version because it was too cold and distant. Decades later, he wrote a sequel to the original story and no time was wasted into adapting the 2013 novel into a film. Helmed by Mike Flanagan, this version has reportedly gotten King’s approval.

For viewers who are familiar with the original story, this film shows us what happened to young Danny Torrance after he and his mother survived the ordeal at the Overlook Hotel, which led to the unfortunate demise of Jack Torrance. Danny is all grown up and is fighting alcoholism and an endless list of adult problems. He eventually picks himself up and eight years after his recovery, crosses paths with a young girl who ‘shines’ (the ability to communicate with others using the mind) like him, a cult that consumes the ‘shine’ of others, and is forced to return to the Overlook Hotel to end things once and for all.

If you have caught The Shining recently, this would be a treat because of the Easter eggs and Stephen King references. You would smile at the sequence of Danny’s tricycle ride, an identical recreation of the opening of Kubrick’s film, a visual nod to Jack Torrance’s “Here’s Johnny!” scene, a scene where see a tidal wave of blood flow into the hallway, and familiar moments where characters are in the Overlook’s Gold Room and hedge maze.

If the above do not ring a bell to you, this movie may lose some of its intended effect (it is a sequel after all), but you will still be engaged in the screenplay written by Flanagan. The characters are well crafted, and the 152 minute film takes its time to flesh out the personalities. Impatient viewers may want the movie to move along quicker (fans will especially feel the sudden perk when Danny finally heads back to the Overlook), but if this is viewed as an independent movie, it does deliver a decent viewing experience.

Flanagan, who is known for his work on the supernatural horror series The Haunting of Hill House (2018), also takes on editing responsibilities. He knows how to set the mood, and creates a dreaded sense that looms over viewers throughout the entire film. There is nothing cheery about the story, and the gloom is masterfully created. The cinematography by Michael Fimognari captures the murkiness of the story, and the atmospheric score by The Newton Brothers is a piece of art.

Ewan McGregor plays the adult Danny, and is totally believable as a man who has experienced trauma in his life. Rebecca Ferguson is chillingly wonderful as a cult leader, and newcomer Kyliegh Curran makes an impression with her feature film debut. While this is not a sequel without flaws, it is an ambitious project that Flanagan and his team have pulled off with very commendable results. Whatever King feels about the original film, this one is a complementary piece of work to the horror classic.   

Movie Rating:

(A horror movie that is masterfully draped with a gloomy sense of dread, this piece of work complements Stanley Kubrick’s original)

Review by John Li

Genre: CG Animation
Director: Walt Dohrn
Cast: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, J Balvin, Rachel Bloom, Flula Borg, Kelly Clarkson, James Corden, Ester Dean, Jamie Dornan, Gustavo Dudamel, Ron Funches, Caroline Hjelt, Aino Jawo, Kunal Nayyar, Ozzy Osbourne, Anderson .Paak, Anthony Ramos, Sam Rockwell, Betsy Sodaro, Karan Soni, Kenan Thompson, Charlyne Yi, George Clinton, Mary J. Blige
Runtime: 1 hr 31 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 12 March 2020

Synopsis:  Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake return in an all-star sequel to DreamWorks Animation’s 2016 musical hit: Trolls World Tour. In an adventure that will take them well beyond what they’ve known before, Poppy (Kendrick) and Branch (Timberlake) discover that they are but one of six different Troll tribes scattered over six different lands and devoted to six different kinds of music: Funk, Country, Techno, Classical, Pop and Rock. Their world is about to get a lot bigger and a whole lot louder.

Movie Review:

Whereas there was just pop before, there are now six different tribes of trolls in this expanded – and we dare say, even funnier – sequel.

The Techno trolls get the first introduction, as their rave party under the sea is interrupted by the onslaught of Queen Barb (voiced by Rachel Bloom) and her army of Hard Rock trolls. By the end of that sequence, King Trollex (Anthony Ramos) would have lost his tribe’s musical string – think of it as the very soul of the tribe, without which the tribe would have lost its tune.

Queen Barb’s ambition is to unify the trolls under Rock, or in other words, to destroy all other types of music except Rock. While at first utterly naïve to the grave threat her kingdom faces, Queen Poppy (Anna Kendrick) realises what she is confronting when she pays a visit to the Classical kingdom and finds it devastated. Oh yes, once again, Branch’s (Justin Timberlake) over-caution proves right, though this time he and Poppy are no longer at loggerheads with each other.

Their quest to warn the rest of the other Troll kingdoms will lead to a run-in with the Country Trolls, led by the stern Delta Dawn (Kelly Clarkson), an attempted kidnapping by a Smooth Jazz troll named Chaz (Jamie Dornan), and a more elaborate ruse engineered by the Yodelling trolls. At the same time, Princess D’s (Anderson Paak) personal expedition to find his own kind will reunite him with the Funk trolls, especially his parents King Quincy (George Clinton) and Queen Essence (Mary J. Blige).

It’s a lot of different kinds of trolls in one movie, and credit goes to director Walt Dohrn and his returning screenwriters Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger for conjuring such an expansive universe based on a line of dolls. The animation is just as, if not even more, gorgeous, with immaculate attention paid to their appearance and dressing of each of the various tribes in order to distinguish one from the other. Oh yes, it is to the credit of the animators that you can tell at one glance just which musical tribe each troll belongs to, especially at the end when the entire species is gathered for Queen Barb’s concert event.

Complementing the visual design is the soundtrack, which like the previous movie, is meticulously curated to be an integral part of the storytelling. Timberlake returns as executive music producer with Ludwig Göransson, and the duo have outdone themselves with an extensively eclectic mix of tunes from across the genre spectrum. Besides each of the aforementioned forms (such as pop, country, techno, funk, classical and rock) corresponding to the six tribes, there is also K-pop, reggae and hip-hop, and it is testament to the strength of the storytelling that none of these additions feel superfluous.

In fact, the presence of so many types of music is used to make an empathic statement on the beauty of diversity, given how culture and music are both often intimately intertwined. It’s not hard to guess that Poppy will come to defend the right of each tribe in Troll Kingdom to exist despite their differences, in contrast to Queen Barb’s vision of harmonisation, but the message of integration over assimilation is beautifully portrayed and poignantly conveyed.

That there are so many other supporting characters inevitably means there is less time on the whole for Poppy and Branch, but our leading couple are still sweet and delightful company thanks to the infectious chemistry between Kendrick and Timberlake. Their banter is utterly hilarious, contrasting Poppy’s sunny optimism with Branch’s controlled exasperation once again, and peppered with Branch’s witty quips (‘oh your map is definitely outdated; it still has Disco on it!’).

Among the other scene-stealing trolls, you’ll be tickled silly too by Biggie and Mr Dinkles, the latter displaying a lot more vocal abilities than just ‘mew’ (for those who remember the first movie), especially when put on the spot to prove their Hard Rock talents while trying to sneak into their kingdom. There’s also Hickory (Sam Rockwell), a Country troll who proves unexpectedly resourceful and who possesses a surprising immunity to Chaz’s Smooth Jazz charms. And last but not least, the father-son pair of Guy and Tiny Diamond (Kunal Nayyar and Kenan Thompson) has a couple of laugh-out-loud interludes, what with Tina demonstrating his hip-hop flair from birth.

Quite frankly, we never expected to enjoy ‘Trolls World Tour’ as much as we did, but the combination of dry humour, toe-tapping music and dazzling visuals make for a truly crowd-pleasing reunion with the trolls. There is even a topical reminder for embracing than diminishing diversity, which is particularly timely in these xenophobic times. It is also a perfect panacea for the whole family in this climate of anxiety and gloom, sure to put a smile on your face and leave you in a happy place. 

Movie Rating:

(Witty, wacky and winsome, this sequel expands the world of the Trolls in delightfully eclectic ways, and is sure to leave you in a happy place) 

Review by Gabriel Chong 

Genre: Action/Comedy
Director: Michael Dowse
Cast: Dave Bautista, Kumail Nanjiani, Iko Uwais, Natalie Morales, Betty Gilpin, Jimmy Tatro, Mira Sorvino, Karen Gillan
Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins
Rating: M18 (Brief Nudity & Some Violence)
Released By: Walt Disney
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 8 August 2019

Synopsis:  When a mild-mannered Uber driver named Stu (Kumail Nanjiani) picks up a passenger (Dave Bautista) who turns out to be a cop hot on the trail of a brutal killer, he's thrust into a harrowing ordeal where he desperately tries to hold onto his wits, his life and his five-star rating.

Movie Review:

Stuber can’t make up its mind to be an ultra-violent action flick or simply a buddy comedy. In the end, it’s a scattershot and formulaic outing for wrestler-turned-actor Dave Bautista and upcoming comedian Kumail Nanjiani.

The action comedy starts with a rousing, violent prologue which starts with an old school LAPD cop, Vic (Bautista) and his rookie partner (played by his Guardian of the Galaxy’s co-star Karen Gillian) trying to bust a drug deal involving a notorious drug lord, Oka Tedjo (Iko Uwais from The Raid). Expectedly, things doesn’t go as planned and Vic ended up failing to capture Tedjo and also losing his partner.

Months later, Vic received a lead on Tedjo but given his poor eyesight due to a laser eye surgery, Vic hops on a Uber driven by Stu (Nanjiani), a mild-mannered part-time worker at a sports store. Together, Vic and the unwilling Stu must navigate through various sleazy locations and shootouts before they can locate where’s Vic’s number one enemy.

If you thought the movie has something smart to say about the ride hailing app, think again. The best thing about Stuber is definitely the pair up of its two leads. Bautista is always likeable in his own unique ways and Nanjiani is often funny despite the lacklustre scripting and dialogue. Still, both men manage to create some chemistry out of the dumb, razor thin plot which honestly is linked up together by a couple of action setups and a twist which you will spot a mile away. It’s so dumb that our two leading men have to had a screaming match midway into the movie.

The poorly written story even tries to wring out some laughs out of Stu’s secret crush on his BFF, Betty. With a joke about his casual sex session with Betty becomes repetitive and annoying, the movie moves clumsily to Vic’s estranged daughter, Nicole only to have her saving the day for no reason other than she received a weird hug from another character.

And because of the involvement of Iko Uwais, the prologue has an impressive action sequence which Uwais can probably deliver with his eyes closed. If you are hiring Uwais for an action flick, the best thing the filmmakers could do is to choreograph a bigger stunt spectacle for the finale but it seems everyone is satisfied seeing Uwais doing some half-baked kicking moves and running around.

Also joining the affair is Mira Sorvino if anyone can still recall her from Mimic, The Replacement Killers and Mighty Aphrodite. It is likely you won’t remember Sorvino’s character or the supposedly funny scene set in a male stripper club as the movie is packed with enough loud gunfights to numb your senses to make your admission ticket worthwhile.

Stuber runs at an economical duration of 93 minutes. With most of the gags falling flat, it’s simply not as funny as what the trailer has projected. The action on the other hand can be bloody but Bautista and Nanjiani deserve some credit for at least making the entire movie watchable. Iko Uwais is wasted in a disposable role and Stuber ends up being as forgettable as your next Uber ride.

MOVIE RATING:

(It’s not going to deserve a 5 star rating for sure)

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: CG Animation
Director: Lino DiSalvo
Cast: Anya Taylor Joy, Gabriel Bateman, Daniel Radcliffe, Jim Gaffigan, Adam Lambert, Kenan Thompson, Meghan Trainor
Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Encore Films
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 29 August 2019

Synopsis:  When her younger brother Charlie (Gabriel Bateman) unexpectedly disappears into the magical, animated universe of PLAYMOBIL® and winds up in the evil clutches of Emperor Maximus (Adam Lambert), unprepared Marla (Anya Taylor Joy) must go on a quest of a lifetime to bring him home. As she sets off on a fantastic journey across stunning new worlds, Marla teams up with some unlikely and heroic new friends - the smooth-talking food truck driver Del (Jim Gaffigan), the dashing and charismatic secret agent Rex Dasher (Daniel Radcliffe), a wholehearted misfit robot, an extravagant fairy-godmother (Meghan Trainor) and many more. Through their vibrant adventure, Marla and Charlie realize that no matter how life plays out, you can achieve anything when you believe in yourself!

Movie Review:

Much like how Playmobil the toy range is like an inferior version of the Lego the toy range, Playmobil: The Movie is similarly an inferior version of The Lego Movie.  Playmobil: The Movie is a run-of-the-mill movie about how its protagonist, who was abruptly forced to grow up, rediscovers a sense of adventure and the joy of childhood.

While both movies are clearly attempts to sell movie merchandise and introduce new audiences/consumers to the toy ranges, PlayMobil: The Movie lacks the self-aware, ironic wit of The Lego Movie, reducing it to nothing more than an extremely long advertisement screaming “Buy and collect all of the PlayMobils!” for the smiling, claw-handed Playmobil toys. 

The movie starts off with an unnecessarily extended prologue introducing high school senior Marla who dreams of travelling the world and seeking adventure. In a cliché plot development, she unrealistically becomes a hardened and dispirited guardian to her younger brother, Charlie, in the span of four years after her parents die in a tragic car accident (even adults don’t harden that quickly).

Beamed into a magical world of, you guessed it, Playmobil figurines, Marla and Charlie are transformed into three-inch, less expressive versions of themselves. Together they need to figure their way out of this world, and fight off the villains who undermine them. In the process, Marla, of course, rediscovers her sense of adventure and sheds the unnecessary adult persona she has adopted.

Despite the heaviness of a tragic death and the strong emotional stakes that this movie sets as its pretext, the cliché nature of that premise plus the fact that this movie feels like an overextended commercial, makes it hard to care for and sympathise with the two children. Their barely expressive faces and voices as Playmobil figurines makes it even more of an uphill task to feel for these characters. The male and female roles are also typecast with the boys having most, if not all, of the fun in the Playmobil world while the girls either end up as fairy godmothers or some vengeful villainess (with the exception of Marla who really isn’t a Playmobil figurine in the first place).

For a movie based on toy figures, the characters are, ironically, not much fun. Marla is not relatable and her brother Charlie is a bit of a brat. The villain, Maximus (voiced by the usually fun Adam Lambert) is a bore. The only bits of fun from any character is that of a Sterling Archer clone (voiced by Daniel Radcliffe) who is kind of an idiot while being a master of disguise but who never quite matches up to Sterling Archer in both aspects. 

As the audience journeys through the different worlds of cowboy, futuristic, Viking, fantasy (which are clearly the worlds the audience is brought through because these are the different Playmobil universes available as toys), it feels like a child is eagerly showing off his collection of different Playmobil toys to the audience, waving something new and slick in the audience’s face. From a technical point of view, the director (Lino DiSalvo)’s expertise in animation from his time at Walt Disney Animation Studio is evident. The animation portion of this movie is slick and the computer graphics are fluid. The smoothness of the animation as well as the never ending in-your-face visuals will probably keep the children entertained but the lack of cleverness, a generic and entirely predictable plot will definitely bore the adults.   

MOVIE RATING:

(If you want to watch a feature length commercial, this is the movie for you)

Review by Katrina Tee

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Kim Jin-Won
Cast: Seo Yea-Ji, Jin Sun-Kyu, Ji Yoon-ho, Cha Yup, Jo Jae-young, Kim Bo-ra
Runtime: 1 hr 26 mins
Rating: NC16 (Horror and Violence)
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 29 August 2019

Synopsis:  An aspiring director Mi-jung struggles to come up with ideas for a new horror film. Even intense bouts of nightmares won't stop her from compulsively reaching out for her laptop every morning. One day, her friend Jun-seo tells her about a mysterious film rumoured to be shot by a ghost. While researching on the film, an idea of writing herself into a horror story emerges. However the more she goes on, strange things starts to take place...

Movie Review:

Another day, another Korean horror flick. There surely must be some mysterious market force that keeps this genre alive. How does it stand out from the countless films that we have seen before from the land of kimchi? Unfortunately, this is probably not going to go down cinematic history as a horror classic.

The premise is fairly interesting though. The protagonist is a female rookie director who is trying to come up with a kickass script for a, ahem, horror movie. She has been cracking her head for the longest time and in  a strange twist of fate, she learns of a movie that was so scary, it was banned from screening. She begins her search for this elusive title and gets more than she bargained for (but of course).

Call is biasness, but nothing seems to scare this writer anymore when it comes to this genre. Perhaps it is the frequency of how these productions are being churned out. Perhaps it is how there have been no critical buzz. Or perhaps, things are beginning to feel like templates that movie studios are churning out such products by the numbers.

If there is one thing commendable about this movie directed by Kim Jin Won, it is the how long the duration is. In this day and age where we are bombarded by films with bloated runtimes, anything within 90 minutes is very much welcome. This 86 minute flick does what it is supposed to do, comes to an end, so we can move on with our lives. That said, if we were to edit the movie, we could have cut a good 10 to 15 minutes more.

There are several elements that feel unnecessary. We are told that the protagonist tried to kill herself in a bathtub many years back. Then there is what seems like a love interest. The most important supporting character is the actual director of the banned movie, and it would have been nice to know him more, instead of creating a shroud of mystery with the abovementioned side plots. After a sequence which we thought would have ended the movie, the story goes on to introduce other developments which feel like an attempt to stretch the runtime to make it a feature film.

Employing jump scares is an approach that still works though, because there are moments during our time in the dark theatre that startled us. The same can’t be said for the makeup effects though. Seeing gruesome characters initially felt novel, but when the creature made more appearances towards the end, it felt like the filmmakers wanted to make the most out of the budget thrown into employing the actress playing the supernatural being.

The cast members, which include relatively unknown actors like Seo Yea Ji, Jin Sun Kyu and Ji Yoon Ho do their best to look petrified, but are eventually let down by a mediocre attempt to marry suspense with horror. Is this a good way to spend one and a half hours in the cinema? If you are a horror fan, it won’t be the best scary movie you’d see. But if you are agreeable to some standard jump scares without having the need to appreciate a good script, then this movie would do just fine.

Movie Rating:

(Definitely not the scariest horror movie you have seen)

Review by John Li

Genre: Documentary/Biography
Director: Ron Howard
Cast: Luciano Pavarotti, José Carreras, Plácido Domingo, Bono, Lang Lang, Nicoletta Mantovani, Adua Veroni
Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins
Rating: PG13
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 22 August 2019

Synopsis:  From director Ron Howard and the award winning team that brought you The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years, comes the life story of acclaimed Tenor, philanthropist, and 20th Century icon, Luciano Pavarotti. From his humble beginnings in Modena, to the heights of success including the record breaking Three Tenors, this documentary pulls back the curtain and gives the audience an unprecedented exploration into the challenging, tempestuous, and triumphant journey of this master artist and global figure.

Movie Review:

This reviewer was part of a symphonic band during his secondary school days, and he remembers the first time he played "Nessun Dorma", a tune from the final act of Giacomo Puccini's opera Turandot. Naturally, the grandeur of the piece blew him away.

This is also largely because Italian operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti had performed it at the 1990 World Cup in Italy, which popularised the song beyond the operatic world. On top of that, The Three Tenors (Pavarotti, together with Spanish opera singer Plácido Domingo and Spanish tenor José Carreras) went on to perform the tune at the World Cup Finals in 1994 (Los Angeles), 1998 (Paris) and 2002 (Yokohama).

It is highly unlikely that you haven’t heard “Nessun Dorma” (go search for it on YouTube if you haven’t).

The documentary directed by Ron Howard isn’t high art. For those who are familiar with Pavarotti, you will enjoy the music that appears in the film. There is no need to feel alienated if you have not heard pieces like “Curtis: Voce 'e notte”, “Lama: Silenzio cantatore” and "Celeste Aida", because this film is simply a showcase of a performer, his love for music and his charitable contributions. Produced with the cooperation of Pavarotti's estate and featuring family archives, interviews and live music footage, you can be sure this isn’t one of those documentaries which attempt to uncover the shady pasts of a well known personality.

The people who say nice things about Pavarotti include his first and second wives Adua Veroni and Nicola Mantovani, as well as his daughters, Lorenza, Cristina and Giuliana. They talk about how the man was a great human being who went on tours and made visits to the disadvantaged. His fellow Tenors Domingo and Carreras share how talented their collaborator was. For most of us who are in tune with pop music, you will sit up when rock singer Bono appears on screen (he sang and recorded with Pavarotti to raise funds for charity).

Howard, who also helmed The Beatles: Eight Days A Week (2016), sure handedly put together a series of visuals to tell a compelling story of a man who gave his life to music. This biography moves along like how you would flip the pages of a book. It is perfect for anyone who is too lazy to read up about Pavarotti’s life. There are also footages of live performances like “Miss Sarajevo” and “Ave Maria, dolce Maria” where you see the charisma of one of the most commercially successful tenors, who is also affectionately known as the "King of the high C's".

Running at 115 minutes, the film may test the patience of viewers who are not into the documentary genres, especially when it comes across as a glorified personality piece. However, if you are keen to see how the well produced movie chronicles the milestones and achievements of Pavarotti, this will definitely be an engaging two hours. You may even walk out of the theatre inspired to pursue only the very best in life.   

Movie Rating:

(Love "Nessun Dorma" but don't know much about the man who popularised it? Watch this documentary which sheds light on his contributions to the music scene and charity)

Review by John Li