Genre: Drama/Comedy
Director: Jack Neo
Cast: Mark Lee, Richie Koh, Danny Lee, Meixin Macy, Henry Thia, Wang Lei, Yap Hui Xin, Regina Lin, Ryan Lian, Suhaimi Yusof, Silvarajoo Prakasam
Runtime: 1 hr 31 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language)
Released By: MM2 Entertainment, J Team, Cathay Cineplexes, Golden Village Pictures & Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 11 February 2021

Synopsis: The story continues with Ah Kun, Osman and Shamugam forming a political party C.M.I to contest in the 1988 General Election. The fervant of campaigning has swept up both Ah Kun's and Zhao Di's family. As Ah Kun thinks of many ways to garner support, will both families be dragged in as well? Can Ah Kun really win the election?

Movie Review:

We did not think much about ‘The Diam Diam Era’ for many reasons, so by extension, we saw little reason to be excited about this sequel, despite its subject matter. And yet, it wasn’t simply because of our low expectations that we came to be pleasantly surprised by this sharply observed political satire; indeed, ‘The Diam Diam Era Two’ is genuinely a witty, engaging and even poignant film that is probably one of writer-director Jack Neo’s better works in recent years.

At a much tighter 91 minutes, Neo and his usual co-writer Ivan Ho focus on the 10 days of campaigning that Ah Kun’s opposition party CMI find themselves up to in the 1988 General Elections. Political pundits should recognise that the choice of year is not coincidental; it is the year that veteran opposition politician Chiam See Tong was first elected as a Member of Parliament for Potong Pasir, and would hold that position for the next 39 years. Though there is a passing mention of it in the movie, the significance is profound.

As is to be expected, Ah Kun (Mark Lee) and his fellow CMI running mates Osman (Suhaimi Yusof) and Sharmugam (Silvarajoo Prakasam) find themselves up against the Men in White in the fictional Gim Wang GRC. Reflecting the struggle any aspiring opposition member would face in contesting the elections, we watch how each of the trio have to overcome the strident objections of their family members, the lack of resources in setting up a proper office from which to coordinate their campaign, the walkabouts and rallies that give them false hope of support, and the inevitable crushing defeat come the night of polling day.

Oh yes, there should be no illusion that the CMI party manages to wrestle Gim Wang GRC from the clutches of the PAP, and indeed Neo waits till the end before inserting a diatribe of how Singaporeans are quick to find fault with the Government but slow in according any form of praise, as well as how the election results prove time and time again that Singaporeans would ultimately opt for continuity over change. That said, it isn’t as if any of the three candidates really have a clear political vision, aside from lamenting how quickly Singapore has been evolving over the years and the consequent loss of the so-called ‘kampung spirit’.

When he is at his best, Neo offers sharp critique of our social and societal behaviours, as seen in movies such as ‘I Not Stupid’ and ‘Just Follow Law’; here, he applies that same perceptiveness to poke fun at our political behaviour – walkabouts at the fish market where candidates must make a point not to clean their hands even after shaking that of a fishmonger who had not washed his; flower garlands not of chrysanthemums but of purple orchids; and our bias for well-educated candidates of at least university quality. Neo is shrewd enough to bury his own criticisms of the Government within, such as the no-dialect policy and ban against election videos. But treads carefully given the obvious sensitivities to avoid incurring the censorship ire of our authorities.

Just as in the first movie, the best bits in this sequel are with Mark Lee, who is front and centre most of the time anchoring the obnoxious and perpetually disgruntled Ah Kun. Lee is as sharp-tongued as ever, delivering Neo’s Hokkien-flavoured witticisms with aplomb and offering just enough nuance to his character to avoid being a complete caricature. Henry Thia and Wang Lei provide good support as his comedic foils, especially the latter as a rival opposition member whose insistence at speaking in English offers much tongue-in-cheek humour. The rest of the ensemble are often no more than glorified cameos, which frankly is a better thing than the bloated mess which its predecessor ended up by giving each character its own subplot.

We’ll admit that we were surprised by how much we enjoyed ‘The Diam Diam Era Two’, not least because the first movie was such a disappointment. With this sequel that Neo has finally found purpose in continuing his ‘Long Long Time Ago’ series, and while we hesitate to call him a political commentator, this movie arguably justifies his creative decision to take the franchise into political territory.

We should add that Neo has left an Easter Egg at the end of the credits, which is a nice throwback to the themes he had explored in arguably his best movie ‘I Not Stupid’ (although bringing back that movie’s lead star Joshua Ang left us slightly uncomfortable especially after his real-life controversy).

It isn’t a CNY movie per se, but Neo’s film offers a happily-ever-after reunion at the end that is as heartwarming as it gets, especially for those who have seen these characters grow up through three feature-length movies.

Movie Rating:

(Redeeming himself after a disappointing first movie, Jack Neo fashions a spot-on political satire that is sharp, witty, engaging and even poignant)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Crime/Drama
Director: Emerald Fennell
Cast: Carey Mulligan, Laverne Cox, Bo Burnham, Alison Brie, Connie Britton, Jennifer Coolidge, Max Greenfield, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chris Lowell, Sam Richardson, Molly Shannon, Clancy Brown
Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins
Rating: NC16 (Coarse Language & Sexual References)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 18 March 2021

Synopsis: From ground breaking director Emerald Fennell (Killing Eve) comes a delicious new take on revenge. Everyone said Cassie (Carey Mulligan) was a promising young woman ... until a mysterious event abruptly derailed her future. But nothing in Cassie’s life is what it appears to be: she’s wickedly smart, tantalizingly cunning, and she’s living a secret double life by night. Now, an unexpected encounter is about to give Cassie a chance to right the wrongs of the past in this thrilling and wildly entertaining story.

Movie Review:

The last time a woman scared us this much, it was The Bride from Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill films. Portrayed by Uma Thurman, the angry lady was became a killing machine after being wronged by a man. Now, we have a new woman sending chills down our spine: Carey Mulligan’s Cassie Thomas.

In fact, the protagonist in this feature directorial debut by Emerald Fennell is more terrifying simply because the character may be someone you know, and is capable of executing revenge in ways that are 100% possible. Cassie is an angry woman who is seeking to avenge her best friend, who became an unfortunate victim of rape during their medical school days. She may seem like a bored service staff at a café in the day, but she turns into a fearless vigilante at night, hunting down sleazy men by pretending to be a vulnerable drunk woman. Good luck to the guys who try to get hanky panky with her, because they will be duly punished.

Mulligan delivers a grounded and relevant performance that has been rightfully recognised at several film awards. Her Cassie is a cool headed woman who has suffered very traumatic experiences in her younger days. She is a loner who still lives with her parents, a girl who is capable of dressing herself up to be very attractive to bring out the worst in men, and an angry individual determined to right the world of wrongs.

The movie seems to be a black comedy at first, with familiar faces like Adam Brody and Christopher Mintz-Plasse appearing as douchebags who try to be funny with Cassie. But you know things are getting serious when Cassie gets down to business to teach these guys a lesson. We do not see what happened to them (we don’t imagine it to be a pretty sight), but you can be sure they were duly dealt with.

The 113-minute film goes on to show how Cassie hunts down people from her past to let them know she hasn’t forgotten about their wrongdoings: an old friend (Alison Brie) who didn’t believe that her friend was raped, the medical school dean (Connie Britton) who dismissed her friend’s rape case, and the lawyer (Alfred Molina) who harassed her friend into dropping her charges.

Fennell’s screenplay doesn’t play out like a typical thriller where the protagonist has an ultimate antagonist to eliminate. The people we see Cassie punishing are not out of this world baddies, which makes the story so frightening real – knowing that #MeToo incidents are probably happening on a daily basis around us.

The movie injects a rom com element by introducing Cassie’s former classmate (Bo Burnham), who seems like a decent gentleman. They fall in love and you wonder whether this leads to a happy ending.

Unfortunately, the movie will end on a queasy but heartbreaking note. Without giving too much away, you will walk out of the cinema thinking about how sexual abuse has is part of our society, and the damage it has caused in many promising young lives.

Movie Rating:

(Carey Mulligan's Cassie Thomas is a woman. Hear her roar in this relevant and timely revenge flick)

Review by John Li  

Genre: Drama/Horror
Director: Christian Volckman
Cast: Olga Kurylenko, Kevin Janssens, Joshua Wilson 
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins
Rating: NC16 (Sexual Violence)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 4 February 2021

Synopsis: Kate (Olga Kurylenko) and Matt (Kevin Janssens) are a young couple in their thirties in search of a more authentic and healthy life. They leave the City to move into an old house in the middle of nowhere, lost in Maryland. Soon they discover a secret hidden room that has the extraordinary power to materialize anything they wish for. Their new life becomes a true fairytale. They spend days and nights indulging their every desire of material possession, swimming in money and champagne. Yet beneath this apparent state of bliss, something darker lurks: some wishes can have dire consequences. That Room could very well turn their dream into a nightmare when it gives them what they’ve been waiting forever and that nature was denying them...

Movie Review:

What if you found some way of making an unlimited number of your material wishes come true? What would you wish for? How far would you go to get what you would not be able to naturally? What consequences would you be prepared to ignore?

In French director Christian Volckman’s English-language debut, a childless couple Kate (Olga Kurylenko) and Matt (Kevin Janssens) who move into an old Gothic mansion in a remote Maryland town discover a strange room within the house that grants them anything they want, as long as they ask.

While their initial wishes of wealth and other forms of debauchery are to be expected, things take a more unexpected turn when Kate succumbs to her desire to wish for a child. Having endured a number of miscarriages, Kate feels that that alone is necessary to make her life complete; and as commanded, the room gives her a baby boy she names Shane.

Whereas Kate is elated at simply being a mother, Matt becomes disillusioned at the unnatural circumstances of Shane’s coming into existence; in particular, Matt is disturbed by what happened to the former occupants of the house, a couple back in the 1970s who were murdered by a young man of unknown identity who came to be known as ‘John Doe’. Matt is even more unnerved when, after leaving the house to meet John Doe at the psychiatric hospital where he has been locked up in, he discovers that whatever the room gifts disappears into ash once it leaves the house.

In case you’re wondering, this is not some haunted house horror despite the foreboding nature of the room; instead, this is ultimately a twist on the old ‘Monkey’s Paw’ story, depicted as a cautionary tale about the unintended consequences that come with the best of intentions or even the most innocent of wishes. Indeed, the plotting becomes more interesting in the second half, which sees Shane mature first into a grade-school boy and then subsequently into a young adult after leaving the four walls of the house.

Not only does he grow jealous and possessive over Kate, Shane discovers the powers of the room and uses it to cleverly manipulate his ‘parents’. His piece de resistance is transforming the room into the outside world, replicating the real world within the world of the room so that he and Kate need never to leave the house in order to enjoy the pleasures that the world outside the house holds. It is a thrilling turn, but also goes somewhat off the rails when coupled with a sexual assault that is less shocking than plain disgusting.

Oh yes, Volckman pulls off all restraint in the extended climax, and without giving anything away, let’s just say that it pits Matt against Shane in a full-blown life-and-death cat-and-mouse game over Kate. That tension is not coincidental, and Volckman’s ambition at exploring the dangers of Oedipal complex taken to its most extreme is admirable. His execution however is less sophisticated, and you get the sense that he is going over-the-top without ever getting in deep about what he wants to say.

Had the writing and characterisation been stronger, ‘The Room’ would probably have been a lot more persuasive. It is never clear why Kate feels so strongly about being a mother, not least because she and Matt had seemed perfectly happy in the first half-hour simply enjoying each other’s company and what the room seemed to offer. On the other hand, Matt’s behaviour when confronted with Shane is also perplexing, and it is also never clear why he immediately builds a wall between him and Kate once Shane comes into the picture. And then of course there is Shane himself, whose motivations remain ambiguous right up till the end.

As intriguing as it is therefore, ‘The Room’ never quite becomes something truly satisfying. Never mind that it does not bother to explain the origins of the room, which is ultimately just a narrative device for the wishbone storytelling, but the movie lacks the depth to turn its conceit and themes into what it clearly aspires to be. It is still a wild ride though, something curiously original at that, and worth checking in only on that count; but if you’re expecting a dark, wicked and profound psychological horror, you’ll probably come out wanting more out of your stay.

Movie Rating:

(A uniquely high-concept psychological drama that lacks the depth and nuance to be truly compelling)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Romance/Drama
Director: Harry Macqueen
Cast: Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci, Pippa Haywood
Runtime: 1 hr 34 mins
Rating: R21 (Homosexual Theme)
Released By: Golden Village
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 18 February 2021

Synopsis: From writer and director HARRY MACQUEEN (Hinterland) comes Supernova, a heartrending modern love story about a couple struggling with a diagnosis of early-onset dementia who take a road trip together to reconnect with friends, family and places from their past.

Movie Review:

When the film begins quietly in the motorhome of Sam (Colin Firth) and Tusker (Stanley Tucci), one almost instantly feels intrusive - such is the simmering tenderness coming from the on-screen lovers.

As Supernova unfurls, the story of this middle-aged couple facing obstacles from a medical predicament is teased out in similar fashion. Tucci displays remarkable full-body acting, sending out signals with tired eye flutters and quivering hands. His state diminishes stealthily, an insidious pollution to his witty banter, but the signs of the early dementia is controlled by a silent, stubborn goal.

Firth, on the other hand, is the noble caretaker, always on hand to make things a little bit more comfortable. But it gets to a point where the excessive coddling itself becomes a loaded reminder of where things are going, and the need to appear strong sings differently from the fractured vulnerability leaking from the partner.

The two have no actual quarrel besides the joking jabs and passing irate comments, so if not for the condition, they would likely have spent out the rest of their lives together. But as people often say, life isn’t always fair.

Harry Macqueen who directs and writes, often allows Supernova to stand upon the nuanced dynamics between the two actors. It works the most during the quiet moments, thanks to their rich performances, though in speech, there are times which become affected moments that lay things a tad too bare.

Because the film is presented as a script-tease, with nudged reveals and motivation puzzle pieces rewarding the audience, the more obvious conversations (such as the ones recorded on tape) feels out of cadence with this ballad of a plot. Thankfully, it only occurs a few times.

The ebb and flow might mark this a slow piece, but director of photography Dick Pope keeps the interest by draping the title with either luxurious scenes of the Lake District in England or atmospheric lighting within confined spaces. And it’s not purely for aesthetics. It is balm and space for when the unsaid becomes all too tense between the two. Or intimacy told in the shadows when the truth becomes too much to bear. The cinematography here helps to wrap this quiet story with incredible dignity.

Tusker’s shares his approach to this crippling disease to his sister-in-law in one scene. “You're not supposed to mourn somebody when they are still alive,” he states. The writer and astronomy hobbyist clearly feels that memories should not be marred by burden or degeneration. Sam on the hand, is the desperate optimist, always planning far ahead for his lover.

From this, we mull upon the subject of goodbyes. Not all of us get the privilege of doing so when a loved one passes, but is it any better if it is prolonged? Each side puts forth a case, unwrapping love’s sacrifice in a beautifully tragic way, and this process will no doubt strike a chord at some point. But ultimately the realisation is less about which philosophy is better, than it is to reach a consensus on how to let go.

Movie Rating:

(A modest but poignant project. The examination here is a joy to watch, courtesy of the brilliant cast)

Review by Morgan Awyong

SYNOPSIS: Based on the incredible true story, Penguin Bloom follows Sam Bloom (Academy Award® nominated Naomi Watts), a young mother whose world is turned upside down after a near-fatal accident leaves her unable to walk. As she learns to adapt to her new life, she finds hope in an unlikely hero, a small bird named Penguin.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Penguin Bloom is not a movie about a wondrous penguin nor an unauthorized biography of Orlando Bloom and his love life. It’s simply a fact-based, moving story about Samantha Bloom, an Australian para surfing and kayaking champion.

Married to a professional photographer, Cameron (Andrew Lincoln from The Walking Dead), Samantha Bloom (Naomi Watts) is an ordinary working mother to three bubbly sons. But the once active sports and beach lover became paralyzed from the waist down after she suffered a fall when a faulty railing gave way while vacationing in Thailand.

Sam returned to their home confined to a wheelchair, emotionally drained and frustrated in her inability to continue her daily chores and a life that she will never get back. Once a lovable presence in the household, she’s now depressed and detached from her love ones. Though her husband and sons tried to lift Sam’s spirits up, Sam continues to isolate herself until her eldest son, Noah (Griffin Murray-Johnston) found a tiny, abandoned magpie in which he named as Penguin or Pen in short. While Noah is in school, Sam becomes the surrogate mother and companion to Pen and along the way, established a relationship that awakened the dying spirit in her.

Watts, an actress who is more than capable of performing a wide range of impressive emotions also produced the effort. Penguin Bloom is largely watchable because of Watts’ committed performance as the tortured Sam. There’s a couple of heartbreaking scenes but fortunately never reaches the level of weepy exaggerated soap-opera antics.

Andrew Lincoln on the other hand has it easy this time since there are no tricky zombie situations to diffuse while Australia’s favourite veteran actress Jackie Weaver puts in an assured performance as Sam’s over-protective mother. Newcomer Griffin Murray-Johnston gave a bravura performance as Noah, the son who lives in guilt and presumably blame himself for leading his mom to the balcony where she suffered the fall. There’s one singular powerful scene in the entire movie which has Sam confronting Noah that will probably have you weeping buckets of tears.

What about the supposedly eight magpies who played Pen? The magpie seen in the movie actually provides a sweet, sometimes whimsical performance complementing fully with Watt’s presence. Since a magpie sort of rejuvenates the life of the real Sam Bloom, one shouldn’t blame the filmmakers on the Disney-like treatment. At least the bird doesn’t talk or sing, it just hilariously requires the companionship of one of Noah’s soft toys.

Penguin Bloom is a harmless family movie. It doesn’t break the mould of a typical inspirational flick but as a movie that celebrates the true spirit of a once broken individual, it’s significant enough. On a side note, someone should advise Watts not to visit Thailand anytime soon. Remember The Impossible?

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

BOOK REVIEW #36: THE NOLAN VARIATIONS: THE MOVIES, MYSTERIES AND MARVELS OF CHRISTOPHER NOLAN Posted on 07 Feb 2021 Trust us, Christopher Nolan is going to join the long list of celebrated cinematic auteurs liked Fritz Lang, Alfred Hitchcock, David Lynch, Stephen Spielberg in years to come. But first, there’s The Nolan Variations: The Movies, Mysteries and Marvels of Christopher Nolan, a compelling, in-depth study and interviews on Nolan and how he creates his riveting movies. Written by Tom Shone ... more

SYNOPSIS: After 12 years in prison, former high school football star Eddie Palmer returns home to put his life back together—and forms an unlikely bond with Sam, an outcast boy from a troubled home. But Eddie's past threatens to ruin his new life and family.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Justin Timberlake is one of the few artistes in Hollywood that can juggle between a music and movie career. Madonna certainly has her days in the eighties but she is never a welcome onscreen presence in the eyes of critics. Timberlake on the other hand has The Social Network, Inside Llewyn Davis and Trolls on his resume to thank for. After a brief hiatus to plug his music talent, Timberlake is back to impress in the Apple+ original movie, Palmer.

Eddie Palmer (Timberlake) is a former high school football star that has just gotten out of jail after serving over a decade for attempted murder. He returned to his hometown and stayed with his grandmother, Vivan (June Squibb) while he tries to look for a job. On the lawn outside their house is a trailer where a drug addict, Shelly (Juno Temple) and her son, Sam (Ryder Allen) lives. When Shelly disappears one day, Sam came to stay with Vivian and Palmer forging a long-term, problematic relationship in the days to come.

The core of the drama lies in the relationship between Palmer and Sam. While Palmer didn’t really like Sam from the start because of his queer ways, he sort of slowly turned himself into a surrogate father figure. Sam being a boy loves to play dress up, watches Princesses cartoon, indulges in tea parties with his best friend resulting him being bullied in class. Even if Palmer attempts to change Sam’s gender nonconforming ways, he is largely left to what he likes and loves in the end.

Where the plotting is concerned, the only challenging part is Sam’s character. It’s an issue that is in existence forever but not one that is commonly told in a commercial flick. Director Fisher Stevens and writer Cheryl Guerriero takes good care to portray Sam as believable and identifiable though without resorting to propaganda. It’s a well-told message that such issues exist in current society. Why deny and hide if the issue is real?

The rest of the story however is a little predictable. An ex-con trying to find his life back but encounter naysayers at every corner. We have seen that a thousand times onscreen. But Palmer succeeds mainly the journey for Palmer to redeem himself is surprisingly heart-felt and honest. Despite not taking any calculated risks or unnecessary subplots beside an expected confrontational with rugged friends, the drama feels remarkably real although it does gets a bit bogged down by a courtroom drama and police procedural caused by Sam’s irresponsible mother in the third act.

There’s enough chemistry between Timberlake and his young co-star to make things worked. Ryder Allen is a refreshing young actor to watch out for and Timberlake for the best part puts in a nuanced, likeable and scene-stealing performance. Alisha Wainwright stars as the love interest and also Sam’s teacher while English actress Juno Temple does her best to portray a messed-up junkie.

Palmer though formulaic features strong acting especially from Timberlake. It’s definitely his showcase of the year. Do go for this if you have the chance as it’s not very likely we are going to see a well-made intimate drama on the big screen anytime soon.  

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

SYNOPSIS: As WWII looms, a wealthy widow (Carey Mulligan) hires an amateur archaeologist (Ralph Fiennes) to excavate the burial mounds on her estate. When they make a historic discovery, the echoes of Britain's past resonate in the face of its uncertain future‎. 

MOVIE REVIEW:

Although there are some historical inaccuracies in what appears to be based on a true story, The Dig remains highly watchable due to the rich layered performances of Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes.

As World War II looms in Britain, a rich widowed Suffolk landowner, Edith Pretty (Mulligan) engages Basil Brown (Fiennes), a self-taught excavator to work on her piece of land to see if there’s anything buried under. Pretty soon, Brown confirms her suspicions, the mounds indeed were burial ground for precious, not seen before Anglo-Saxon artefacts.

Soon it attracted the attention of a snobbish Cambridge archaeologist, Charles Phillips (Ken Stott) and his team members including Peggy Piggott (Lily James) and her husband, Stuart (Ben Chaplin) who insist the site is of national importance and no longer under the jurisdiction of Brown and Pretty.

Dubbed the Sutton Hoo treasures and currently on permanent display at the British Museum, the drama on the other hand is based on a novel by John Preston, nephew of Peggy Piggott. A reimagined tale of course but with the gist of it remains intact.

In fact, there are somewhat two separate storylines, the first being the most crucial, the relationship between Pretty and Brown. The other being mostly imagined or created for the movie is about Peggy and his lover, Rory (Johnny Flynn), the site photographer and cousin of Edith. And like any well-respected English titles, The Dig is told with a deliberate pacing and delicate performances.

There is a somewhat underlying awkward sexual tone, you know the kind that exists in a rich lonely, widow and a talented older man. But the period drama is too classy for such shallow lust. Instead much of the focus is on Pretty’s frailing health and her son, Robert. Pretty is struggling with the pressure of the newly discovered treasure and most importantly the little time she has left with her young son. Mulligan proves she is an extremely compelling actress regardless of the material.

Fiennes’ screen presence is formidable, always providing an air of authenticity and warm especially as the passionate Basil Brown. The drama would have been more meticulous and complete if they have left out the clumsy affair of Peggy and Rory. Stuart who prefers companionship in a fellow male colleague than his beautiful newly-wed wife which in turn led Peggy into a passionate fling. But by making Rory who is getting to be listed into the air force as a hasty love interest just turned the entire subplot into something unremarkable.

The cinematography on the whole is picture perfect and Australian helmer Simon Stone does a marvellous job steering a very classic English production. The Dig is not an archaeologist drama that has Mummy or Viking boats coming alive. It’s simply a rich historical piece that is worth watching despite the flaws mentioned.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Fantasy/Action
Director: Lu Yang
Cast: Lei Jiayin, Yang Mi, Dong Zijian, Yu Hewei, Guo Jingfei, Tong Liya, Dong Jie
Runtime: 2 hrs 10 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Violence)
Released By: Golden Village
Official Website: https://cmc-pictures.com/a-writers-odyssey/

Opening Day: 12 February 2021

Synopsis: A WRITER’S ODYSSEY tells the story of Kongwen Lu (Dong Zijian), the author of a fantasy novel series following a heroic teenager, also named Kongwen, on a quest to end the tyrannical rule of Lord Redmane, under the guidance of a Black Armor (Guo Jingfei). But through a strange twist of fate, the fantasy world of the novel begins to impact life in the real world, leading Guan Ning (Lei Jiayin) to accept a mission from Tu Ling (Yang Mi) to kill the author. 

Movie Review:

When Hollywood goes big, the rest of the world follow. Not in the Covid-19 sense mind you but dumb loud CGI-filled spectaculars. The Korean film industry has done their fair share over the years and now the increasingly maturing China film industry is following suit. Lu Yang’s A Writer’s Odyssey is the latest to join the race after the box-office hit, The Wandering Earth and disasters liked Shanghai Fortress.

It takes a while to fully grasp the essence of A Writer’s Odyssey, it can be a bit confusing at first and takes way more explanation than the average movie. But the end result is definitely worth the wait.

The movie opens with a dishevelled man named Guan Nin (Lei Jiayin) who has spent the past six years looking for his missing daughter, nicknamed Little Tangerine. Shortly after, he is engaged by Tu Ling (Yang Mi), CIO of a famous technology company, Aladdin to assassinate a novelist, Kongwen (Dong Zhijian) as Guan possesses a “special” skill. In return, Aladdin will promised to help Guan search for his missing daughter.

And why must it be Kongwen, a down-and-out miserably young man who is hiding behind a mask scribing his unfinished novel? Because the owner of Aladdin, Li Mu believes that his life depends on the outcome of the character in Kongwen’s fantasy novel. Still with us at this point of time? Well, in Kongwen’s novel, a character named Kongwen is fighting against an evil warlord, Lord Redmane in an imaginative land where war is a daily affair. Along with an orphan girl named Little Tangerine and a blood-sucking creature living inside him, Kongwen must kill Lord Redmane to avenge the death of his sister.

How does all the above convoluted elements actually work in one single movie?

Does it works? In fact, it does if you can also accept the convenient fact that there are “mutants” living among us as well on earth. The story is structured around two worlds. A Writer’s Odyssey is a weird blend of reality and fantasy. First the one that has Guan trying all means to stalk and kill Kongwen and the second which is set in an ancient creepy world ruled by ruthless villagers, a mysterious Lord Redmane and his army of creepy crimson cavalrymen.

Some might deem the overall flick as excessive but the main core and theme of it is simply Guan’s endearing fatherly love or as what Dominic Toretto always say in Fast & Furious- family. Dong Zhijian and Lei Jiayin are such consummate performers that they are the main reasons to sit through this fantasy venture. Yang Mi who is usually known for her looks take on a tough gung-ho action-oriented role here. Together with Lu Yang and his team of writers, they seem to assemble all the right elements to tell both of the ongoing adventures. The movie has no issue juggling between what is real and what’s imagined. And to make everything cohesive in the end is no mean feat.

The movie surprisingly contains the right amount of narrative, exposition and action pieces to complement the constant onslaught of visual effects. The characters of Guan and Kongwen takes their time to establish their relationship without degenerates into nonsensical territory even though time is not on their side. There’s an obvious antagonist. Most important of all, there’s a clear-cut objective. The visual effects by MoreVFX Beijing are impressive as well, creating an atmospheric, carefully constructed imaginary world filled with drab and despair mirroring the fate of our protagonists.

While there are many CGI-filled titles out there that are low on substance and high on visuals, this is thankfully not one of them. The last act does erred on the overly indulgence side but that’s just a minor flaw that can be forgiven. A Writer’s Odyssey scores high with its rich production design, highly stylized well-done visual effects and enjoyable storyline. It's loud but not dumb. Perhaps producer Ning Hao (Crazy Stone) has a hand in steering the script as well.

Movie Rating:

(Reality and fantasy blends perfectly in A Writer’s Odyssey)

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Action/Thrller
Director: Benny Chan
Cast: Donnie Yen, Nicholas Tse, Qin Lan, Patrick Tam, Kenny Wong, Deep Ng, Jena Ho, Angus Yeung, Bruce Tong, Henry Mak, Yu Kang, German Cheung, Tony Wu, Ray Lui, Simon Yam, Ben Yuen, Ben Lam, Ken Low, Carlos Chan
Runtime: 2 hrs 6 mins
Rating: NC16 (Violence and Coarse Language)
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 19 August 2021

Synopsis: While conducting a raid to arrest a drug lord, the police encounter a team of masked thugs. In a stunning act of sabotage, the thugs steal the drugs and murder the police officers on the scene. Arriving late, Inspector Cheung Shung-bong (Donnie Yen) is devastated to see the brutal aftermath of the carnage. After investigating overnight, Bong discovers that the cop killers are led by Ngo (Nicholas Tse), a former fellow cop. Behind Ngo’s scar is a tragic story of a police force rising star who is forced into a life of crime, and the man who pushed Ngo into crime was none other than Bong. As the two men’s fates are entangled again, it’s time to settle the score once and for all...

Movie Review:

One sad fact that is going to stick with Raging Fire forever is that it marks the last completed work of one of Hong Kong’s best action director, Benny Chan. Chan known for A Moment of Romance and Big Bullet unfortunately passed away last August after a brief bout with cancer. On a happier note, we have a new Donnie Yen movie which is always a good thing for action fans.

Chan shared story credits with Ryan Ling (Hand Rolled Cigarette) and Tim Tong (Call of Heroes) in this frustratingly average crime flick that deals with police politics and brotherhood. Given Donnie and Nicholas Tse’s combined star power, the expectation is undeniable sky high but the entire premise can only qualify as a passable entertaining actioner.

Within minutes of the opening, the story established Bong (Yen) as a by-the-book, capable, committed cop who is happily married with a pregnant wife (an underused Qin Lan). But Bong is haunted by an incident which will be slowly revealed as the story goes. Shortly after, Bong’s mentor (Ray Lui) and his colleagues are brutally killed in a drug bust by a group of mysterious masked men. Not surprisingly, Bong vows revenge thus setting off a series of confrontations and action pieces.

Unless you have been living under the rocks or avoiding the trailers and promotional materials, you would have known Tse plays the main antagonist, Ngo opposite good guy Donnie. Apparently, Ngo and his henchmen were once policemen but jailed for killing a suspect. Ngo was once a promising cop under his mentor Bong and when a prominent millionaire businessman is kidnapped, Ngo was forced by a senior policeman (Ben Yuen) to take harsh action or risk “implications” in his career. In order to extract the truth, the suspect was killed during the ordeal. Ngo blamed Bong for refusing to lie under oath which resulted in the suicide of a fellow team mate and their subsequent prosecution. Thus, it’s time to settle their scores but not without more deaths and destruction.

Given the tense relationship between the Hong Kong law or cops and commoners in recent years, Raging Fire raises a very promising idea about corrupted cops who rather curry favour the rich and famous and those whose ultimate aim is just to mete out justice on the criminals. Yen’s character of course belongs to the latter as he refuses to kowtow to his immediate supervisors over an incident involving a spoilt brat of a rich man. Ngo on the hand was let down by a similarly “corrupted” higher ranking cop who simply wants to rub shoulders with the rich and not having the guts to cover up for his subordinates. However, this potentially interesting idea never gets much realization in the end except opening a can of worms which involve a righteous cop sparring against a ruthless criminal.

Because of his backstory, the script allows Tse to turn in a villainous performance that is both complex and at times, over-the-top. Maybe it’s the result of the horrid Mandarin dubbing or perhaps the weak scripting that prevents Tse from fully embracing the psychological nuance of his tortured character. Still, he is able to give the late Heath Ledger a run for his money especially in an interrogation scene with Bong which reminds us of The Dark Knight with Donnie acting all riled up liked an unmasked Batman.

As expected, Raging Fire has all the shoot-em-up of a typical Benny Chan flick. The action choreography credited to Donnie Yen stuntman team, Tanigaki Kenji (Yen’s frequent collaborator), Ku Huen Chiu (protégé of Yuen Woo Ping) and Nicky Li (ex-member of Jackie Chan stuntman team) supervising the car stunts is a bit of a mixed bag. Likely a result of too many cooks spoiling the soup, the various action set pieces have none of the memorable, rousing factors seen in Firestorm and Cold War, both choregraphed by Chin Kar-Lok.

Although the trailer showcases Donnie going mano a mano with Nicholas, that only happens in the finale which for a lack of better word, serviceable only. Obviously, it’s not possible to top SPL, you know the one that has Wu Jing and Donnie in a back alley. The climatic gun battle that happened prior on a crowded Tsim Sha Tsui shopping street fails to top the one in Firestorm as well. You know the one that has Andy Lau and a machine gun. An earlier motorcycle chase between Bong and Ngo fairs somewhat mediocre and ends unbelievably liked a superhero sequence. Donnie also gets to spar with veteran actor Ben Lam in a hard-hitting sequence but as mentioned, none of the action stands out as particularly well-choreographed, (well-lit) or compelling. Despite the many energetic action sequences, quantities don’t measure up to quality.

As much as we love to give a four stars rating to Benny Chan’s last cinematic contribution, the odds are simply not in his favour. While certainly not as muddled as Divergence or the cheesy, bromance disguised action thriller, The White Storm, comparing to recent efforts from younger HK directors churning out the same themes as Raging Fire, this movie often times feel undercooked and painfully familiar. We wish somehow there’s a better story with better action somewhere. We can only wish.

Movie Rating:

(Benny Chan and Donnie Yen knows action. Enough said if you are an action fan of HK cinema)

Review by Linus Tee