Genre: Romance/Drama
Director: Liao Ming-Yi
Cast: Nikki Hsieh, Austin Lin, Michael Chang, Aviis Zhong
Runtime: 1 hr 41 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website:
Opening Day: 17 September 2020
Synopsis: Po-Ching is an OCD patient, with serious symptoms of mysophobia. He has been conditioned to the endless cleaning habits in his daily life. His “quirkiness” has also isolated him from the general public and people see him as a completely weirdo. Po- Ching goes out for daily needs shopping on the 15th of each month. Someday, he meets another weirdo Chen Ching. It is fate that made Po-Ching and Chen Ching to meet each other. They finally find another who is in the same boat. Their relationship is spotless and perfect. But everything becomes different when Po-Ching’s OCD disappears suddenly. In the world of love, we are each other’s weirdos. When the love is gone, I am not attracted to your quirkiness anymore.
Movie Review:
Living with a younger brother with autism, I have a front-row seat to how Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) affects his life. The term is used loosely these days for people who fuss over small discrepancies, say a slightly tilted photo frame or their colour-coordinated stationery, but for people like my brother, it is less a charming idiosyncratic habit than a real impedance in his lifestyle. Like getting up two hours earlier at 5am in the morning just so he can unpack and pack the bag he uses at work, carefully zipping and unzipping each pocket with meticulous rhythm.
I Weirdo dives into the unlikely love story of two individuals with not just OCD but mysophobia (fear of germs). Po-Ching (Austin Lin) is the plastic-wrapped, blue-gloved oddity in his life, until an unfortunate disruption forces him to another supermarket.
There, he meets Chen Ching (Nikki Hsieh) in all her yellow raincoat glory, stealing chocolate bars and having the same robotic antics as he does. Inevitably the two fall in love, until one day when Po-Ching wakes up to find his OCD and mysophobia gone.
The second half of I Weirdo explores the tension when the two characters react differently to this dramatic shift. While one happily accepts his normality, the other desperately tries to trigger a relapse so that he won’t leave. I mean, what’s the chance of finding someone who can not only understand your flaws but accept them too?
The feature is a debut effort by Liao Ming-yi, who has performed keys roles in other films such as 2011’s You are the Apple of My Eye, and even At Cafe 6, which Lin also starred in. “In the past, I was an executive director, like a babysitter. I WeirDo is my first own work, from script to film completed (sic),” he says. But doing quad-duty as screenwriter, director, cinematographer, and edit director might have costed the movie some points.
Shot on an iPhone and painted in rich contrasting hues, I Weirdo has stylistic DNA and concepts, but not all of it suits the theme. While I understand the initial cropped mobile portrait aspect ratio opens up to a full 1.85:1 landscape to express the freedom of having found another, the application feels a little one-note.
The cinematographer and colour scheme seems to play up more on the quirkiness, which removes relatability for the two “odd” leads - something crucial when telling a love story. This gimmicky overtone is also evident in the overly repetitive stress on the habits themselves. There’s only that many repeated shots of house-cleaning and hand-washing we can take before becoming bored. We get it - they have OCD and mysophobia. And this awkward delivery may have had an effect on the couple - the two lack on-screen chemistry, even when they are walking perfectly in step and running away from germs.
The film palette, for all of its fantastical yearnings, becomes even more at odds when the movie steers into philosophical musings in the second half. Cheng Ching’s wistful thoughts sit awkwardly against the vibrant background - a visual disconnect that prevents a more satisfying gestation of her woes.
Thankfully, Lin compensates with a believable performance. He transitions from stoic to “normal” successfully, leveraging on his mannerisms and delivery to convey the change, with better responses to the situations. And although Hsieh doesn’t shine as much - an issue with her characterisation - the scene of her at the supermarket spotting regular Po-Ching is particularly moving.
I Weirdo would have benefited more from spending more time on the character conflicts. One of the biggest missed opportunities was how Liao could have created tension in the couple’s post-discovery lifestyle. With the OCD and mysophobia leading the first half, it turns into an obvious empty trope largely ignored afterwards. If Liao could have built up the disparity as intimately in the second half, the collapse of the relationship would have been more heartbreaking. Lin and Hsieh are talented in their own ways, and I would have enjoyed a deeper exploration from these two. It may have made the love story a little less coerced, and melded the theme more harmoniously.
At least, that would have been my prescription.
Movie Rating:
(The purposeful bright and quirky love story becomes awkward in the second portion when dealing with heavier topics, but decent performances keep this watchable)
Review by Morgan Awyong
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ALIEN HUANG (小鬼黄鸿升) (1983 - 2020)Posted on 16 Sep 2020 |
Genre: Horror/Comedy
Director: Muzzamer Rahman
Cast: Nabil Aqil, Han Zalini, Ika Nabella, Fabian Loo, Arwind Kumar
Runtime: 1 hr 30 mins
Rating: NC16 (Violence)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 17 September 2020
Synopsis: For their graduation project, Abbas (Nabil Aqil), Yang Guo (Fabian Loo), Linda (Ika Nabella), Amir (Han Zalini), Sivar (Arwind Kumar) decided to shoot a horror film. They are known as a bunch of ragtag and their final project is important as it will determine their passing of the course. The group started shooting at a reputable haunted house. Since a lot is riding on their project, they’ve decided to produce an original movie without the usual horror cliché. Things started to go downhill when they discovered that the house is actually haunted and they are trapped in it. In order to survive and escape the house, they have to rely on each other.
Movie Review:
Do we need another horror flick? Apparently we do, and this one is from Malaysia.
The plot isn’t the most exciting for seasoned horror movie fans. A group of students decide to make a horror movie for their graduation project. They do not think highly of the overused clichés in the genre (you know them: a group of friends get split up, women have to fall while running, dark corridors and basements, mirror scares, malfunctioning mobile networks), and think they can do better.
They buy plenty of what looks like pirated DVDs, do some research and presto – they are ready to shoot a movie. Of course, the chosen location is creepy and looks one hundred per cent haunted. Nonetheless, they face their fears and go ahead with their project anyway. The group of five includes a director, a cameraman, a soundman, a script writer and an actress.
Did we mention that they aren’t exactly the best students in their film class? One dreams of being a social media influencer, one dresses up like a Korean pop star, one is somewhat a lecher – you get the idea. These kids aren’t exactly what you’ll call star students.
The 90 minute movie is easy to sit through because the plot developments play out just as you’d expect them to. Fortunately, the ensemble cast isn’t too irritating and delivers decent performances. Nabil Aqil is the leader of the pack, taking on the role of the somewhat incompetent director. Fabian Loo is the Chinese boy of the group and speaks occasionally in English, while Arwind Kumar and Han Zalini are responsible for making viewers laugh with their goofball antics. Ika Nabella is the only female in the group, and we are guessing that the producers gave her the job of being eye candy.
While in the abandoned house, the group (expectedly) encounters spooky incidents. There is a creaky cupboard, a scary looking doll, torn photographs and a long haired woman who relates a tragic love story. There is an amusing sequence where the characters appear in a flashback that supposedly took place in Korea. Without giving too much away, let’s just say it is a spoof of the popular period Korean dramas that have captured the hearts of many.
Just when we thought the finale with the spirits was downright silly, the movie takes on a serious tone and changes the fate of one of the characters. And it doesn’t end there. The plot goes on to reveal a slightly spine chilling epilogue – scenes which probably earned the movie its NC16 rating.
The title of Muzzamer Rahman’s movie means “I’m not afraid”. While it will not be the scariest horror flick you’ll see, it is an easy way to kill one and a half hours of your time.
Movie Rating:
(This Malaysian horror comedy delivers some chuckle-worthy moments and a decent twist)
Review by John Li
Genre: Drama
Director: Wi Ding Ho
Cast: Austin Lin, Moon Lee, Annie Chen, JC Lin, Ding Ning, Pipi Yao
Runtime: 2 hrs 7 mins
Rating: R21 (Some Homosexual Content and Sexual Scenes)
Released By: Lighthouse Film Distribution
Official Website: https://www.facebook.com/terrorizers2021
Opening Day: 19 November 2021
Synopsis: Terrorizers centres on a group of young lost souls in pre-Covid Taipei. Through a public slashing incident, the story follows four characters who tangle up in a multi-narrative tale of love, desire, envy and revenge. Terrorizers reflects that the suspect of the public slashing is not the only culprit but the society as a whole; when tragedy happens, everyone is responsible, and no one is an outsider.
Movie Review:
It is best not to read too much about this Taiwanese film before stepping into the theatre. For the first 20 minutes or so, this 127 minute film paints a pretty picture of two young people falling in love. You wonder where the story is headed. Is it going to be a saccharine sweet tale of the greatness of romance? Is it going to be a drama about how two individuals fall apart after their honeymoon period? Or is there a morality tale behind Ho Wi Ding’s latest work, after impressing critics with Pinoy Sunday (2010) and Cities of Last Things (2018)?
Suddenly, a public slashing incident takes place in Taipei’s train station and viewers are thrown off track. The film then plays out a series of events that happened before or after that shocking moment, and when the end credits roll, the entire story would have illustrated a dark yet melancholic side of society. What’s even more poignant is that the characters involved are young folks who are courageously living their lives, which further emphasises the impulsiveness that is seemingly reckless yet admirable at the same time.
We get to know Ming Liang (Austin Lin), a young man who is socially awkward and into games which employ virtual reality. He may or may not have developed an unhealthy habit that will lead to disaster. Then there is his roommate Yu Fang (Moon Lee), who is dealing with family problems and trying to get her life together. She is the female half of the couple we see at the beginning of the film, and the dashing dude is Xiao Zhang (JC Lin), an aspiring chef who is prepared to put in effort to make his newfound relationship work.
Then there is Monica (Annie Chen), who is trying to erase her frowned upon past by venturing into serious acting. She desperately wants to be recognised on stage and on screen. Elsewhere, there is a teenage cosplayer who is always on the lookout to try exciting things. Rounding up the ensemble of characters is a mature masseuse (Ding NIng) who gives life lessons on top of special services.
Ho masterfully intertwines the characters’ storylines and presents the film in a non linear manner. It is like putting the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together. Audiences shouldn’t have too much problem figuring out the film when details begin to shed light. Instead of saying that the story development is predictable, it may be more noteworthy to see the multi faceted aspects of why a certain incident would have happened. It is a study of human character and how the society has shaped it.
The actors deliver commendable performances, with Chen and Lee garnering Best Supporting Actress and Best Newcomer nominations at 2021 Golden Horse Awards. The film has also gotten nods in the Best Director, Best Film Editing and Best Sound Effects categories.
It is also interesting to note that the film has the same title as Edward Yang’s 1986 classic about a group of outcasts in Taipeigrappling with loneliness. Likewise, the characters in Ho’s film are fighting the same social sentiments and finding their place in the bigger scheme of thing called life.
Movie Rating:
(A thoughtful piece of Taiwan cinema which sheds light on the seemingly reckless yet admirable human spirit in youths)
Review by John Li
Genre: Thriller/Comedy
Director: Christopher Landon
Cast: Vince Vaughn, Kathryn Newton, Celeste O’Connor, Misha Osherovich, Uriah Shelton, Dana Drori, Katie Finneran, Alan Ruck
Runtime: 1 hr 42 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence and Coarse Language)
Released By: UIP
Official Website:
Opening Day: 12 November 2020
Synopsis: This November prepare to get Freaky with a twisted take on the body-swap movie when a teenage girl switches bodies with a relentless serial killer. Seventeen-year-old Millie Kessler (Kathryn Newton, Blockers, HBO’s Big Little Lies) is just trying to survive the bloodthirsty halls of Blissfield High and the cruelty of the popular crowd. But when she becomes the newest target of The Butcher (Vince Vaughn), her town’s infamous serial killer, her senior year becomes the least of her worries. When The Butcher’s mystical ancient dagger causes him and Millie to wake up in each other’s bodies, Millie learns that she has just 24 hours to get her body back before the switch becomes permanent and she’s trapped in the form of a middle-aged maniac forever. The only problem is she now looks like a towering psychopath who’s the target of a city-wide manhunt while The Butcher looks like her and has brought his appetite for carnage to Homecoming.
Movie Review:
With no less ingenuity than ‘Happy Death Day’ and ‘Happy Death Day 2U’, ‘Freaky’ sees director Christopher Landon score yet another hilariously entertaining horror comedy through bending genres. Indeed, Landon, who co-wrote the script with Michael Kennedy, makes it blatant that his latest is a cross between the classic body-swap comedy ‘Freaky Friday’ (remember the Disney movie starring Lindsay Lohan?) and the classic slasher horror ‘Friday the 13th’.
In fact, Landon makes the latter clear right from the get-go, as Vince Vaughn’s masked killer named the Blissfield Butcher makes his return clear to a quartet of hard-partying teens who so happen to be discussing the homecoming-dance murders he had committed in the 1990s. Depending on whether you’ve bought your ticket to the M18 or NC16 version in cinemas, you may or may not get to see the gleeful image of one of the kid’s head getting impaled from either side by a broken tennis racket.
It Is utterly tongue-in-cheek, not least when the scene of a screaming teen whose head is being smashed between the seat and the cover of a toilet bowl is lined up right before that of another female teen bent over on the front of a car while having sex with her boyfriend. That’s the spirit behind the simple yet inventive premise of the Butcher switching bodies with the high-school misfit Millie Kesslar (Kathryn Newton), after she survives an attack by him using an ancient Aztec ritual dagger which he had stolen from the home of one of his previous victims.
On one hand, the body-swap allows Newton-as-the-Butcher to turn the tables on those in school who had picked on her before, including the self-absorbed bully Ryler (Melissa Collazo) and her wood shop teacher Mr. Fletcher (Alan Ruck); and on the other, it allows Vaughn-as-Millie to grow into the confidence she needs to take on high school and even the rest of her life. Both however have 24 hours on – you’ve guessed it – Friday the 13th to reverse their roles or risk being stuck in each other’s bodies forever (so goes the curse translated by their high-school Spanish teacher).
It’s been a while since Vaughn has been in such an out-and-out comedic role, but the actor who starred in such hits as ‘Old School’, ‘Dodgeball’ and ‘Wedding Crashers’ proves he is still comedy gold. In particular, Vaughn has most fun trying to convince Millie’s best friends Nyla (Celeste O’Connor) and Joshua (Misha Osherovich) that he is really she inside; a scene where he busts out their secret handshake is simply a hoot. Even as he leans into the whimsy of playing a teenager, Vaughn never lets it slide into caricature, and there are a couple of brilliantly incongruous moments that he pulls off with a surprising amount of heart.
Unshackled from the usual awkward teen roles, Newton dives into the role of a psychotic serial killer with absolute glee. It’s a good thing Landon doesn’t exaggerate her physicality, so after realising how it isn’t quite so easy to throw his victims around, the Butcher-within-Millie opts for creative use of nearby objects, such as a locker-room cryotherapy chamber, a buzzsaw and a dusty wine bottle. Like we said, if you’d opted for the M18 version, you’re probably going in expecting the kills to be gruesome, and we’re quite sure you’ll be satisfied by what Landon has staged.
On his part, Landon’s by-now familiarity with the slasher genre gives him the confidence to choreograph a number of effective and unexpectedly elaborate kills; but what truly impresses is how he has perfected mixing sly comedy and high horror into an art. If he had demonstrated that he had a knack playing with genre conventions, ‘Freaky’ proves how truly good he is at it, such that the eventual mish-mash comes off witty, heartfelt and yet thrilling at the same time. It is not easy maintaining tonal control, but Landon pulls it off with aplomb.
And with ‘Freaky’, Blumhouse yet again shows how they have cornered the market on such low-budget horror fare over the past decade. With a clever wink-wink, ‘Freaky’ manages to feel original, even if it always makes everything old new again. As odd and incompatible as these descriptors may be next to one another, ‘Freaky’ is the sweetest, funniest and bloodiest body-swap slasher comedy we’ve seen, and we’d dare say one of the best times we’ve had in the cinema this year.
Movie Rating:
(A blatant combo of 'Freaky Friday' and 'Friday the 13th', this genre-bending slasher cum body-swap comedy is one of the best times you'll have at the cinema this year)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Drama
Director: Armando Iannucci
Cast: Dev Patel, Hugh Laurie, Tilda Swinton, Benedict Wong, Peter Capaldi, Ben Whishaw
Runtime: 1 hr 59 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 17 September 2020
Synopsis: THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD re-imagines Charles Dickens' classic ode to grit and perseverance through the comedic lens of its award-winning filmmakers - giving the Dickensian tale new life for a cosmopolitan age with a diverse ensemble cast of stage and screen actors from across the world. Emmy® winners and Oscar® nominees Armando Iannucci (In The Loop, The Death of Stalin, HBO's Veep) and Simon Blackwell (In The Loop, HBO's Succession) lend their wry, yet heart-filled storytelling style to revisiting Dickens' iconic hero on his quirky journey from impoverished orphan to burgeoning writer in Victorian England.
Movie Review:
It would never have been easy to squeeze Charles Dickens’ sprawling novel into a two-hour feature film, but ambition alone is not enough to redeem what is otherwise a scattershot, only occasionally engaging, adaptation which has little to offer anyone but the most die-hard Dickens’ fanatics.
If you haven’t yet heard of the literary classic on which this film is based, let’s just say it is widely regarded as one of the author’s best, a semi-autobiographical tale which touched on such issues as child abuse, social status and personal tragedy.
At the heart of it is the titular David Copperfield, who is shuffled between homes and towns and never quite has a choice over his own possible futures.
The story is sprawling, covering his myriad encounters from the time of his birth till he is a young adult, with an ensemble of supporting characters to lend colour to these formative years.
These episodes of David’s life begin with his cruel stepfather Mr. Murdstone (Darren Boyd), who casts David out of the house to work in a bottle factory; during his time at the factory, David is sent to stay with the forever-in-debt Micawber family, led by the garrulous Mr Micawber (a superb Peter Capaldi); upon learning about the death of his beloved mother, David escapes to the home of his eccentric aunt Betsey Trotwood (Tilda Swinton), whereupon he meets her sweetly delusional cousin Mr. Dick (Hugh Laurie).
It is while with Betsey that David meets her business manager Mr. Wickfield (Benedict Wong), who gets him a place at a school for gentlemen; there, he meets the egoistical Steerforth (Aneurin Barnard) and the conniving Uriah Heep (Ben Whishaw), both of whom will play a significant role in altering the course of his life later on. David will also fall in love – first knowingly with the childish Dora Spenlow (Morfydd Clark), and then unknowingly with Mr. Wickfield’s daughter Agnes (Rosalind Eleazar) – though it is clear whom he will eventually end up with.
Like we said, there is an overabundance of colourful roles which play varying degrees of significance in David’s life. As much as director Armando Iannucci injects momentum into the storytelling, there is no doubting that it advances in fits and starts, flitting from subplot to subplot in a spirited but hollow manner. The frantic pacing at the start followed by some considerable braking at the middle before the final rush in the last third, leaves little room for David – or us as his audience – to contemplate the meaning behind each of his encounters and appreciate the allegory behind them.
Than stick to the tone of his source material, Iannucci and his co-writer Simon Blackwell have leaned in heavily on humour, amplifying the eccentricities within the narrative to tell the story with amusing brio. Yet that madcap way of going about the tale is ultimately exhausting, and pretty soon, there is a certain randomness to the way characters flit in and out of David’s life that you wonder if it all isn’t just a complete and utter farce, so much so that any poignancy which could be found is lost.
If ‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’ remains affable all the way through, it is in no small measure due to the earnest and passionate performance of Dev Patel in the titular role. Patel is the film’s very beating heart, bringing warmth, nuance and verve to his character. It is a pity that the movie doesn’t give Patel the space or the time to settle into the role more deeply, but such depth escapes this fleeting adaptation whose post-modern edge also comes off gimmicky. Unless you’re a Dickens fan, there is little charm to be had in this coming-of-age tale that never quite knows what it wants to say.
Movie Rating:
(Not much charm or depth, this adaptation of the classic Charles Dickens novel boasts a passionate performance by Dev Patel in the titular role but little more)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: M.J. Bassett
Cast: Megan Fox, Philip Winchester, Calli Taylor, Jessica Sutton, Lee-Anne Liebenberg
Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins
Rating: M18 (Coarse Language and Violence)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 1 October 2020
Synopsis: Megan Fox (TRANSFORMERS) tackles a thrilling new role as a battle-hardened mercenary in this explosive action saga. As team leader O’Hara, she leads a lively squad of soldiers on a daring mission: rescue hostages from their captors in remote Africa. But as the mission goes awry and the team is stranded, O’hara’s squad must face a bloody, brutal encounter with a gang of rebels – and the horde of ravenous, enraged lions they encounter.
Movie Review:
After retiring from the ‘Transformers’ trilogy, Megan Fox has not yet found similar success, and it is telling that she is headlining a B-movie like this. Don’t get us wrong – we’re not looking down on such genre fare; rather, we had not expected Fox’s career to have taken such a nosedive since then.
And yet, it is surprising that Fox isn’t the best thing about this action thriller. Playing the leader of a team of mercenaries, Fox struggles to deliver anything more than a one-note hardened performance that doesn’t convey any shade of nuance or character development throughout the film.
Not that the script co-written by Isabel and M.J. Bassett gives her much room to do either; instead, it thrusts her into a straight-forward story about a group of guns-for-hire who get more than what they expected after rescuing a couple of young women from a trafficking ring somewhere in the African wilderness.
Besides being pursued by the kidnappers, Samantha (Fox) and her team are also hunted by a lioness roaming the grounds of an abandoned lion farm where they are taking refuge; we are shown in the opening sequence how the lioness had come to stalk these grounds in the first place, and let’s just say it is not a pretty sight.
The same can be said of those within Samantha’s team unlucky enough to run into the lioness under the cover of darkness; and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the finale will see Samantha facing off with the lead kidnapper Zalaam (Adam Deacon) with some help from the lioness herself.
Truth be told, it is a pretty promising set-up for a lean one-and-a-half hours movie, but director M.J. Bassett squanders that potential away with too much exposition in the second act. Trying but failing to generate any meaningful rapport between the mercenaries and the women they had rescued, Bassett lets the pace slacken with lame jokes and cringe-worthy banter, while occasionally throwing in an appearance by the lioness to keep you from dozing off.
It doesn’t help that the plotting is too linear to keep us intrigued, or that the lioness is generated by budget-constrained CGI which looks like it was the work from a decade ago. The latter we don’t hold against the filmmakers, given how they were probably not given much to work with in the first place; but the former is what will probably leave you disappointed, and wondering why they did not just try harder. That the filmmakers try to throw in some social commentary about poaching and conservationism also doesn’t excuse the lazy writing.
Still, those looking for an utterly mediocre action fix will probably find themselves reasonably satisfied. The third act is pretty much an extended climax, with plenty of running, explosions and gunfire within the farm compound; and on her part, Bassett handles the action with enough assurance. Fox is also reasonably adept as a female action heroine, doing what she does best in the ‘Transformers’ movies.
‘Rogue’ may not be a standout, but neither does it belong at the bottom of the food chain; the same though cannot be said of Fox if she continues to muddle in such forgettable B-movies. If all you’re looking for is to kill time in the comfort of a cinema hall, ‘Rogue’ will keep you suitably distracted while it lasts.
Movie Rating:
(Neither memorable enough as a solid B-thriller or woeful enough to be written off, 'Rogue' is a middling time-killer that will satisfy those looking for a mediocre action fix)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Drama
Director: James D'Arcy
Cast: Liam Neeson, Valeria Bilello, Micheál Richardson, Lindsay Duncan
Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins
Rating: PG13
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 24 September 2020
Synopsis: Made in Italy is a heart-warming comedy set in glorious Tuscany about bohemian London artist Robert (Neeson) who returns to Italy with his estranged son Jack (Richardson) to make a quick sale of the house they inherited from his late wife. Neither expects to find the once beautiful villa in such a state of disrepair… Renovations go badly, and father and son find themselves at odds – not for the first time. Robert’s comical lack of DIY experience leads him to seek help from some colourful locals, but for Jack, the state of the house seems to mirror his search for memories of happier times with his mother. Then Jack falls for Natalia, a vivacious young Italian chef, who restores both body and soul with delights from her local trattoria - until the pair find their developing relationship in jeopardy from Natalia’s jealous and threatening ex-husband. As Robert and Jack painstakingly restore the villa to its previous glory, they also start to mend their relationship. The future may now look quite different and surprise them both.
Movie Review:
While he is not busy kicking butt, Liam Neeson is trying to connect with his estranged son in this father-son dramedy which is directed by actor James D’Arcy (Dunkirk). As an added bonus, his on-screen son, Jack is played by Neeson’s real-life son, Micheál Richardson.
Are two Neesons better than one in the end?
Neeson exchanged a pistol for a paintbrush in Made In Italy, playing an artist, Robert who is dragged along a cross-country trip by his son to beautiful Tuscan to sell away their old Italian countryside home which Robert inherited from his late wife. Jack desperately needs the money to buy over the art gallery from his soon-to-be ex-wife. But due to decades of negligence, the house is in need of a facelift before the estate agent, Kate (Lindsay Duncan) could sell it off at a higher price.
On top of a great amount of DIY renovating work and a weasel to get rid of, Robert still has to confront a heart-breaking past in which he has been fearfully failed to embrace and a son he has never been present after the tragic death of his wife. Made In Italy is an unapologetically emotional story that is out to tug at your heartstrings. It’s also a story that deals with grief, pain and a hidden past that remains unaddressed by the people involved. In this case, Robert Foster who escaped to his art instead of facing the future with his then young son.
It’s a heartfelt movie that took a while to get started and moving. Instead of focusing solely on the traumatic relationship between Robert and Jack, the flick takes a detour to the town’s restaurant where Jack meets and later on, captivated by a divorced lady, Natalia (Valeria Bilello) and her love for her daughter. And you probably knows where this is heading to. And don’t forget the lush Tuscany sun, some wine and risotto, an old Italian movie, typical clichés of a shot in Italy movie.
Made In Italy of course is a beautiful shot movie. It’s easy on the eyes and the team up of the two Neesons makes it a mesmerising watch despite the all too predictable plotting. It’s not that Neeson and son isn’t trying. There’s one heartbreaking scene towards the end of the movie that justifies the admission ticket. But apparently, we need more of that consider that the gist of the movie mirrors the life of Neeson and his son. For the uninitiated, Neeson lost his wife in a skiing incident back in 2009.
This is potentially a powerful movie marred by some light-hearted jokes and familiar plottings. For those who don’t mind a so-so sappy movie, Made In Italy comes recommended before Liam Neeson resumes his set of special skills. And I’m not talking about his paintings.
Movie Rating:
(Plot too predictable though intentions are good)
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: CG Animation
Director: Teng Cheng, Li Wei
Cast: Zheng Xi, Yang Ning, Yan Meme, Ji Guanlin, Jiang Guangtao, Sheng Feng
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence & Disturbing Scenes)
Released By: Encore Films
Official Website:
Opening Day: 1 October 2020
Synopsis: Jiang Ziya, the head disciple of Kunlun Sect, leads a divine army against the Shang dynasty and is victorious in the battle for deification. Just as he is about to be made the leader of the gods, he makes a costly mistake that results in his banishment to Beihai and becomes spurned by all. Ten years later, a twist of fate brings Jiang Ziya back on the path to Kunlun. Atop the ruins of war, he finds himself once again and uncovers the truth of the past.
Movie Review:
If the opening credits are anything to go by, this project took a LOT of work. Studio after studio flashed their vanity intros across the screen, but the most significant contributor is clearly Coloroom Pictures.
Initially bought over by Beijing Enlight Pictures to establish themselves as a Chinese animation powerhouse on par with Disney’s Pixar and DreamWorks, the crew produced box office receipts that went beyond even their talented imagination.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Ne Zha, the studio’s 2019 previous effort, smashed records by a wide margin, raking in $425 million in the first 13 days of release. Disney’s Zootopia previous record, in comparison, was only $236 million. Needless to say, Jiang Zi Ya: Legend of Diefication has big shoes to fill.
From the trailer alone, this sequel piece to Ne Zha has yet again the renderings animation equal to the giants. But then Covid-19 happened, and the Chinese Spring Festival release ground to a halt. It is now finally telling its tale this October. Similar to many film studios over the last decade, Enlight is beginning to build a universe populated by Chinese lore - which is quite the trove. Jiang Zi Ya is based on the Ming Dynasty novel Investiture of the Gods, and illustrates the concept of compassion above justice. And this it does beautifully.
Visually stunning with epic settings, Jiang Zi Ya continues to showcase the potential of the Chinese creatives through glorious depictions. While it doesn’t stray as far as it wants to, trying to differentiate itself from Hollywood and Japanese animation, there is enough material here for them to call it their own.
The legacy of Chinese folklore is extensive and rich, often layered with centuries of philosophy and ethics that fuels mature storytelling. Though Jiang Zi Ya over-simplifies the concept here for me, the story here makes better sense for a mainstream capture and yet remains engaging enough for a global audience. Admittedly, I would have enjoyed more injection of poetic segments like the bone chimes, but I’m grateful enough that there’s enough here to move the story forward sensibly, as opposed to productions which script motivations through loosely-chained visual ideas alone.
But yes, you’ll see a little of Pixar’s style of character design and delivery, or the format and sequences of Japanese anime coming through, and even in some close-up scenes, eerie parallels reminiscent of Blizzard’s signature textural scenes. Jiang Zi Ya’s influence from its creators (who have worked on Disney projects and cited Hayao Miyazaki as inspiration) can be a point of contention for some, but calling it a copy would be a disservice. The skill here is undeniable, and the flair of Chinese culture translates well in animation, delicious in its details. The opening sequence in 2D is especially stylistic and riveting, and scenic displays with generous scale suits the divine story.
This journey of a disciple that challenges the heavenly immortals does however have some distractions. The discrepancy in attention to detail and style can make certain scenes feel unfinished, such as the ones where the characters move over landscapes and no footprints are seen. The editing too can sometimes be too snappy for one to make sense.
The characters in their reactions too are odd at times, and can benefit from better depth - especially in the case of the rogue girl Xiao Jiu and the fox spirit. A villain needs to move beyond just how fast they move the body count. And my own pet peeve is probably China’s new tendency to insert a cutesy sidekick in every flick, often serving as nothing more than an emotional plug with their beeps and boops. Some restraint here would be nice.
To graduate from pure visual excellence to global success, Enlight has to realise they need to move past the showy visuals and produce stories and personalities that truly captivate. But when it comes to pure wizardry in the animation skills themselves, it’s safe to say they have ascended.
Movie Rating:
(Hands-down a visual success, delivering opulent scenes and a good protagonist. Could bear better support from the rest of the cast though)
Review by Morgan Awyong
Genre: Action/Crime
Director: Hong Won-Chan
Cast: Hwang Jung-Min, Lee Jung-Jae, Park Jung-Min, Choi Hee-seo, Park Myung-hoon
Runtime: 1 hr 48 mins
Rating: NC16 (Violence and Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Filmgarde
Official Website:
Opening Day: 17 September 2020
Synopsis: A shocking kidnapping case takes place in Thailand. In-Nam (Hwang Jung-Min) just completed his last murder for hire contract as an assassin. He is aware that the kidnapping case is related to him. In-Nam heads to Thailand. There, he meets his helper Yoo-Yi (Park Jung-Min) and they work on the kidnapping case. Meanwhile, Ray (Lee Jung-Jae) learns that his sibling was assassinated by In-Nam. To take revenge on In-Nam, he heads to Thailand.
Movie Review:
As its title suggests, ‘Deliver Us From Evil’ is a hard-boiled South Korean crime thriller in the same vein as ‘Old Boy’, ‘A Bittersweet Life’ and even writer-director Hong Won-chan’s previous ‘New World’. Yet even among its ilk, Hong’s latest stands out as one the more violent and gory ones we have seen in recent years, although it does at the same time pack an emotional wallop few genre predecessors do.
Reuniting his leads from ‘New World’, Hong casts Hwang Jung-min this time as a contract killer In-nam who has been promised a final job by his handler; that job is the assassination of a ruthless Tokyo mob boss whom he despatches with brutal professionalism. In-nam is planning his retirement in the Panamanian beaches when he gets word through his former Black Ops unit boss that his former lover Yeong-joo (Choi Hee-soo) is trying to reach out to him.
Not wanting to revisit his past, In-nam ignores the request to talk; alas, Yeong-joo is found viciously murdered in Thailand a few days back, and In-nam learns that it follows the kidnapping of her young daughter. It should come as no surprise that In-nam is in fact the father to Yeong-joo’s child, and that the former resolves then to locate the missing kid before her organs are illegally harvested for sale.
That personal mission is however complicated by the entry of an utterly cold-blooded killer Ray (Lee Jung-jae), driven by the need to avenge his slain brother, i.e. In-nam’s last job. Ray leaves a trail of bodies and blood consisting In-nam’s contacts along the way, setting the stage for a series of fierce confrontations along the streets of Bangkok where this movie had been filmed.
The set-pieces in this regard are excellent – from a closed-room fight which sees Ray slash and slay about a dozen Thai goons who had the gall to ambush him; to a mano-a-mano knife fight between In-nam and Ray along a narrow hallway; to an intense vehicular chase/ gunfight which also involves the local cops; and finally to the extended finale where In-nam and Ray have a fight to the death at the back of a moving SUV. Each is exhilarating in its own right, and the fact that Hwang and Lee perform most of the stunts on their own just makes it all the more thrilling to witness.
Amidst the carnage and bloodshed though, Hong weaves a tender story of a father connecting with the daughter he never knew existed, as well as doing all it takes in order to protect her from evil. It is a familiar trope no doubt, but Hong’s poignant treatment of it, coupled with an affecting turn by Hwang, makes it nonetheless effective and moving. Hwang’s compassionate performance is also intended as sharp contrast to Lee’s psychopathy, which is as scary, intense and committed as you would expect a veteran character actor like Lee to pull off.
For sheer comic relief and then some, Hong throws in an interesting side character in the form of a transvestite Yoo-yi (Park Jung-min), who helps In-nam navigate the colourful local community of gangsters, cops and crime. Such characters usually walk a thin line between being authentic and farcical, but it is a relief that Yoo-yi comes off most, if not always, the former; indeed, Yoo-yi plays a surprisingly significant role in the plotting towards the end.
In addition to the stellar cast, Hong has assembled an equally talented behind-the-scenes ensemble: cinematographer Hong Gyeong-pyo (of ‘Parasite’ and ‘Burning’) fully capitalises the on-location shooting in Korea, Japan and Thailand in the rich visual palette which he captures for the movie; while composer Mowg enhances the atmospherics with a stellar score.
It is no wonder that ‘Deliver Us From Evil’ gave the Korean box office some much-needed salvation post-COVID-19, and has even surpassed the Train to Busan sequel ‘Peninsula’ in its gross. This is every bit the visceral crime thriller you would be expecting, packed with action, emotion and devotion, the last by its two compelling leads Hwang and Lee. We dare say it is one of our favourite Korean films this year, so if you’re a fan of the genre, this is quite certainly one of the must-sees.
Movie Rating:
(Intense, violent and packing an emotional wallop, this brutal crime thriller that reunites 'New World' leads Hwang Jung-min and Lee Jung-jae is a sheer visceral delight for genre fans)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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