Genre: Horror/Fantasy
Director: Valdimar Jóhannsson
Cast: Noomi Rapace, Hilmir Snær Guðnason, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Ingvar Sigurdsson
Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scene)
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website:

Opening Day: 18 November 2021

Synopsis: A childless couple in rural Iceland makes an alarming discovery one day in their sheep barn. They soon face the consequences of defying the will of nature, in this dark and atmospheric folktale, the striking debut feature from director Valdimar Jóhannsson.

Movie Review:

There’s no better way to put it. This is a movie that is high on the W-T-F level. There is a scene in the film (you’ll know it when you see it) which will throw you off balance, simply because of how warped it is. The moment is easily one of the most absurdly out of this world reveals you would have seen in any movie. Here’s a hint: watch the movie trailer for an idea of what to expect.

Now that we’ve gotten your attention, let’s talk about the story which takes place on an isolated sheep farm in Iceland. The central characters are María and Ingvar, a childless couple who yearn to have someone they can shower love, care and concern. Early in the film, they are presented with a gift from, to put it simply, Mother Nature. The majority of the 106 minute film sees the appearance of Ingvar’s brother Pétur (the look on his face when he sees the addition to the family for the first time is priceless), and a series of events will lead to a finale that is bizarre as the concept of the film.

The movie, which is also Iceland’s entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards, is Valdimar Jóhannsson's feature length directorial debut. He also co wrote the screenplay with Sjón, a poet, novelist, and lyricist who frequently collaborates with the singer Björk. It is not difficult to see how all the wacky ideas culminated in the film.

The setting of the film allows cinematographer Eli Arenson to capture some really sparsely beautiful sights. Throughout the movie, you’d be entranced by the mountainous backdrops, vast fields and mysterious fogs. Coupled with the minimal dialogue and atmospheric music, the film puts you right in the mood.

Noomi Rapace (whom most of us know for her fiercely passionate portrayal Lisbeth Salander in the Swedish film adaptations of the Millennium series) and Hilmir Snær Guðnason (the award winning Icelandic actor is famous in his home country in film and on stage) headline the film as the couple who welcome a new member to their home. Rapace delivers a magnetic performance (the extreme close up shots on her face are mesmerising), while Guðnason is reassuring as the man of the family. Björn Hlynur Haraldsson plays Guðnason’s brother, who may or may not be hiding some secrets.

While it is convenient to categorise this is a horror movie, there is much more than that. Is it about how people are having fewer children these days? Is it about human beings going the extra mile for animals in the absence of kids, seeing their pets as part of the family? Is it about the love for a species which have large eyes, cuddly features and a cute appearance? The film allows you to ponder such thoughts and more.

Yet, it is haunting throughout and will continue to linger in your mind long after the end credits. If you are a fan of twisted tales, this one offers psychological elements, folklores and that freaky titular lamb.

Movie Rating:

(This sparse and haunting film is beautiful and bizzare, and definitely not short of WTF moments)

Review by John Li 

Genre: CG Animation
Director: Mamoru Hosoda
Cast: Kaho Nakamura, Takeru Satoh, Ryō Narita, Shōta Sometani, Tina Tamashiro, Koji Yakusho, Lilas Ikuta
Runtime: 2 hrs 1 min
Rating: PG (Some Violence)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures and Purple Plan
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 18 November 2021

Synopsis: In the virtual world of “U,” there is no one more famous than Belle. A singer/songwriter with exceptional musical talent and fantastical beauty to match, no one would guess that, in the real world, Belle is Suzu Naito, a lonely, unremarkable teen traumatized by the death of her mother years before. Yet, there is one existence within the virtual world that is even more mysterious than Belle. Known only as “The Beast,” its monstrous form contains a strength unrivalled and a burning rage to match. Neither could have guessed that their first meeting would set in motion a chain of events that would change not only their lives but the lives of all those connected to them―both within the virtual world and without. 

Movie Review:

Mamoru Hosoda’s latest self-penned, directorial piece can be summarised as a gift that keeps on giving. To a certain extent, it definitely deserves more than a single sitting to truly appreciate all the positive messages and lush visuals the anime has.

Japan’s third highest grossing movie this summer, Belle tells the story of Suzu Naito, a shy freckled teenager who retreats to the virtual world of “U” after the accidental death of her mother. In the real world, Suzu is just another unremarkable teenager struggling to fit in school but in the virtual world, her avatar is a talented singer dressed in outrageous outfits who has billions of followers. In short, she is a virtual superstar known as Belle.

But things become complicated when a ferocious dragon-like creature barges into her concert one day, igniting the curiosity in her to find out more about the beast. Why is he living in isolation in a floating castle? And what are those bruises on his body? Belle is bent on finding out. The same applies to a bunch of overzealous so-called protectors of the virtual realm led by an avatar named Justin who is trying to capture and reveal the true identity of the dragon.

Hosoda delivers yet another thoughtful, engaging anime after Mirai with the focus on the internet hungry generation. In an era where anything is possible in the virtual world, the anime uses Belle as a story tool to showcase female empowerment without being ever too pushy. Its lesson, a strong one for audiences for all ages, is that being imperfect doesn’t stop you from being talented and beautiful on the outside. Everyone should have the fair chance to prove your worth, and that perhaps lies the strongest message of Hosoda’s movie.

Likely as a tribute or should we say enhancement to the Disney classic, Hosoda cleverly incorporates Beauty and the Beast to the story, an unexpected treat that also features the iconic ballroom dance scene. The similarity however stops here just in case you assume Hosoda is losing the plot. Belle retains one of Hosoda’s biggest trademarks, that is the continuation of featuring strong female leads from The Girl Who Leapt Through Time to Wolf Children and to Mirai, Suzu is the future mould of strong female characters simply put.

Besides that, Hosoda continues to be a solid storyteller by including themes on child abuse and teens angst and romance. We shall not divulge too much on the former but it comes as quite a shock (a good one actually) for an anime that draw more attention to its visual world and pop songs. Other secondary characters such as Suzu’s classmates, Luka and Kamishin contributes some zany comic relief especially the part where they confessed their puppy love to each other. Then there is Hiro, Suzu’s geeky best friend who is partly responsible for the creation of Belle. Shinobu, Suzu’s childhood friend who constantly acts as her secret protector and a group of chirpy choir ladies who are friends of Suzu’s late mother that appears as and when to support Suzu. In addition, there ought to be more screentime devoted to the distanced relationship between Suzu and her father but that’s just us nitpicking.

Although Hosoda has done Summer Wars, another sci-fi based anime more than a decade ago, his very own Studio Chizu has delivered a stellar piece of work as compared to their previous productions in terms of animation. The computer graphics rendered for the virtual world is fantastic and complements well with the 2D static hand drawn technology which remains my all-time favourite over the years. Certainly, with the release of the deliberately paced Belle, Mamoru Hosoda has reached a whole new level of storytelling. The man needs to be recognised with an Oscar or something.

Movie Rating:

(With eye-popping visuals and a contemplative storyline, Belle is very much up there with the best of Studio Ghibli)

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: War/Action
Director: Chen Kaige, Tsui Hark, Dante Lam
Cast: Wu Jing, Jackson Yee, Duan Yihong, Zhu Yawen, Li Chen, Hu Jun, Han Dongjun, Zhang Hanyu, Huang Xuang, Oho Ou
Runtime: 2 hr 56 mins
Rating: NC16 (Violence & Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Clover Films and Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:

Opening Day: 11 November 2021

Synopsis: The story takes place in winter, 1950. In the freezing cold Changjin Lake region, a bloody battle between the United States and China begins. Faced with the harshest conditions of extreme cold, lack of rations and vast difference in weaponry, the Chinese troops forge ahead, fearless and determined. They successfully blow up the Shuimen Bridge, making the most critical victory in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea.

Movie Review: 

Turns out that Wu Jing’s segment about the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in the recent My Country, My Parents was just a teaser of what’s to come on the big screen. Also released over China's National Day holiday, this war drama is an epic blockbuster that has a whopping 176 minute runtime. It tells the historical story of the 1950 Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War. Expectedly, it is seen from the Chinese’s point of view where soldiers fought courageously against the United Nations led by the Americans.

Wu headlines the movie as a valiant People's Liberation Army commander who is brought to the frontlines of the battlefield with his loyal comrades, including his younger brother (Jackson Yee) who decided to leave home to join his elder brother to fight the war. The story also has it that the two men’s eldest brother died fighting the ongoing war not too long ago. The sense of patriotism is strong as the tragedy hadn’t deterred the protagonists from roughing it out in the tough terrains.

The film boasts an impressive ensemble cast. The flashy lineup includes well known stars in China’s showbiz: Duan Yihong, Zhu Yawen, Li Chen, Hu Jun, Zhang Hanyu, Huang Xuan and Oho Ou. You would have seen these men in some other Chinese films recently. Most of the characters in the movie are fictionalised army soldiers and commanders. The filmmakers did not waste the opportunity to include real life figures like Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping and other notable figures who have contributed to the war.

You wouldn’t expect a puny budget for a film like this. Made with a reported amount of US$200 million, it has already become the highest grossing film of 2021 in China and globally (we aren’t expecting any other title to beat that), and is the second highest grossing title of all time at China's box office, after Wolf Warrior 2 (2017) starring – surprise, surprise – the testosterone filled Wu.

With such a star studded cast, no expense would have been spared on the directors too. We don’t recall any other movie helmed by not one, not two, but three big names in the directing world. Chen Kaige, Tsui Hark and Dante Lam are known for their illustrious careers, and each of them has a different style. Film fans would know titles like Farewell My Concubine (1993), the Once Upon a Time in China series and Unbeatable (2013). Each filmmaker brings something to the film. The explosive action sequences that give Michael Bay a run for his money are probably courtesy of Lam, while the captivating visual style which elevate the battle scenes are probably Tsui’s influence. Chen is probably the master behind the touching emotional scenes which involve farewells and sacrifices.

If you have watched enough films from China, you will know that they are made with the objective to stir the people’s patriotic feelings. This one is no different. While cynics will scoff at the portrayal of one dimensional Americans and how the story unabashedly over glorifies the Chinese soldiers, it is, after all, a commissioned film to mark the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party. Put these aside and you’ll get an epic war movie with lots of human drama to tug at your heartstrings.

Movie Rating:

(Strap yourself in for a three-hour war epic bursting with testosterone, action sequences, explosions and human drama)

Review by John Li

Genre: Comedy/Adventure
Director: Walt Becker
Cast:  Jack Whitehall, Darby Camp, Tony Hale, Sienna Guillory, David Alan Grier, Russell Wong, John Cleese 
Runtime: 1 hr 36 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 2 December 2021

Synopsis: When middle-schooler Emily Elizabeth (Darby Camp) meets a magical animal rescuer (John Cleese) who gifts her a little, red puppy, she never anticipated waking up to find a giant ten-foot hound in her small New York City apartment. While her single mom (Sienna Guillory) is away for business, Emily and her fun but impulsive uncle Casey (Jack Whitehall) set out on an adventure that will keep you on the edge-of-your-seat as our heroes take a bite out of the Big Apple. Based on the beloved Scholastic book character, Clifford will teach the world how to love big! 

Movie Review:

As far as wholesome family entertainment goes, this live-action adaptation of ‘Clifford the Big Red Dog’ is as warm, funny and fuzzy as it gets.

Those familiar with the source material will know that the character was born in a series of children’s books by author Norman Bridwell, and has since been translated into three popular PBS Kids TV series, a live musical, video games and even a 2004 animated feature. Even so, given how the books themselves were bigger on illustration than on narrative, the screenplay (credited to Jay Scherick, David Ronn and Blaise Hemingway) would have needed to come up with enough story of its own to fill a feature-length film.

To director Walt Becker and his writers’ credit therefore, it is laudable that their invention is both suitably contemporary and true to the tone of Bridwell’s books. Transporting Clifford and his 8-year-old owner and human friend Emily Elizabeth (Darby Camp) to modern-day New York, it imagines the latter as a likeably earnest sixth grader whose wish for the former to be big and strong transforms him from a little red puppy into a 10-foot bright red dog.  

Having just enrolled at a posh private school and finding that she cannot fit in with the rest of her classmates, Emily immediately laps up Clifford as a friend after encountering him in an animal rescue tent run by a mysterious Mr Bridwell (John Cleese). Following the overnight transformation, the rest of the movie unfolds as a series of wild adventures through the city, including a visit to the vet (Kenan Thompson) to check out his extraordinary growth and a subsequent series of cat-and-mouse games to protect him a greedy bio-tech CEO (Tony Hale), who thinks the secret to his accelerated growth could help his company Lyfgro succeed in its ambition of eradicating world hunger by making food gigantic.

Thankfully, even with the addition of Hale’s stock villain Tieran, the film never descends into a rowdy chase movie; instead, it remains sweet and good-natured all the way through. That is in no small part due to Camp’s preternaturally warm and winning presence; if there was any doubt, Clifford was completely CGI-ed, but you’ll still find yourself won over by the irresistibly endearing bond that develops between him and Emily. On the other hard, that Clifford proves so vividly engaging is credit to the animators, who amp up his expressions without over-doing it, or losing sight of the emotional connection that anchors the movie’s heart in the right place.

Both Clifford and Emily also find good company in her feckless, good-natured uncle Casey (Jack Whitehall), whom her mother leaves her in the care of after she is called away to a last-minute business trip in London. As he did in ‘Jungle Cruise’, Whitehall plays it loose and spontaneous here, generating more than his fair share of good-natured laughs alongside Clifford’s antics. Besides Whitehall, the movie has also assembled an ensemble of genuinely funny actors, including David Alan Grier, Rosie Perez, Tovah Feldshuh, Siobahn Fallon Hogan, Alex Moffat and Horatio Sanz.  

So despite what we feared about such CGI-critter-meets-live-action comedies, ‘Clifford the Big Red Dog’ proves unexpectedly winning with its low-key whimsy, never once veering into the sort of loud and wacky territory that its ilk often do. In fact, we’d go so far as to say that you’ll find yourself embarrassed to beat it up, seeing as how sincere and guileless it is, with a well-intentioned message about how difference can ultimately can be a strength. Even if it isn’t particularly original, it is refreshing to find such a sweet and earnest film without any dint of smirk, snark or irony; and in these uncertain times, perhaps that is all we need.

Movie Rating:

(Warm, fuzzy and funny, this is old-fashioned family fun that you'll cherish during such uncertain times)

Review by Gabriel Chong 

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Rodo Sayagues
Cast: Stephen Lang, Brendan Sexton III, Madelyn Grace, Adam Young, Bobby Schofield
Runtime: 1 hrs 38 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence and Gore)
Released By: Sony Pictures Singapore
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 11 November 2021

Synopsis: Blind veteran Norman Nordstrom has been hiding out for several years in an isolated cabin with a young girl. When a group of unseemly criminals kidnaps her, he's forced to tap into even darker and more creative instincts in an effort to save her.

Movie Review:

As much as it owes its existence to its predecessor, ‘Don’t Breathe 2’ is probably better off if you remember as little of the 2016 original as you can.

Oh yes, it has been five years since the ruthless Fede Alvarez horror-thriller introduced us to Stephen Lang’s blind antagonist Norman Nordstrom; and while it is inevitable that a follow-up would centre on Norman, those who remember how the tragedy-ravaged Gulf War vet had kidnapped the woman responsible for the car accident which killed his daughter, tried to impregnant her using a turkey baster and locked her in his basement to gestate a child he feels he is owed, would probably flinch at how quickly we are meant to forgive these sins in order to embrace him as an anti-hero in this sequel.

Set at least eight years after the events of the earlier film, it finds Norman having started a new life with a young girl whom he had taken into his care after a fire ravaged the house she was in and presumably killed her family. Though he had trained her in both fighting and survival skills, Norman is still hesitant about letting her leave the house, and the early scenes show how the girl named Phoenix (Madelyn Grace) resents how he coops her up at home, longing instead to move into the covenant shelter with the other kids she plays with on the rare occasions she is allowed into town.

It is on one of these occasions where she is spotted by Raylan (Brendan Sexton III), who would probably have kidnapped her right there and then if not for the presence of Norman’s fiercely loyal dog Shadow keeping watch over her. Raylan and his gang follow Phoenix back to Norman’s house, and decide to wait till night to launch a home invasion.

Like Alvarez, first-time director and co-writer Rodo Sayagues has a knack for nail-biting set-pieces. Among the highlights are one where Phoenix has to evade two of Raylan’s men who have broken into the house while Norman is out; another where Norman engages in a mano-a-mano against another one of Raylan’s men while racing against time to break Phoenix out of a container before she drowns; and yet another in Norman’s greenhouse where he fends off against Raylan and his gang with just a variety of gardening tools.

To Sayagues’ credit too, what follows doesn’t just end up as a retread of the original; instead, Sayagues spins off from the tight claustrophobia of the earlier film in surprising ways. Without giving too much away, let’s just say that a midway twist changes the dynamic not just between Phoenix and Raylan, but also between Phoenix and Norman, setting the stage for a blood-driven showdown in more ways than one. Even as it breaks out of its compact setting, Sayagues keeps the pace tight and tense, with the events unfolding almost in real time over the course of one ill-fated evening.

Whereas the original cleverly played around with our sympathies for Norman, the sequel leaves no doubt that Norman is an avenger, notwithstanding his brutal methods. For that reason, those who recall the sins of his past will probably find it more difficult to embrace him as the undisputed hero of this picture, even with second chances and what have you. To be sure, as Norman, Lang is still the heart, soul and muscle of the movie, turning in a performance of real feeling as a broken, anguished figure who is determined to play father figure to Phoenix in spite of his previous transgressions.

Still, even though the storytelling does go easy on Norman, it retains a hard edge thanks to a roster of damaged characters, distorted agendas and uncompromising violence. Indeed, for those who may be worried, ‘Don’t Breathe 2’ hasn’t gone soft throughout, and we should add that Norman ends up being worse for the wear physically than in the previous movie going up against men (read: not college students) who are just as harsh but fitter than him.

As long as you’re prepared to lean into Norman as saviour, this is as taut and thrilling a follow-up as the original deserves, and one that is every bit as nerve-wracking as the title implies.

Movie Rating:

(Every bit as taut and thrilling as the original, even if it does lose the ambiguity that made Stephen Lang's Blind Man a morally complex character, this sequel will have you holding your breath from start to end)

Review by Gabriel Chong

SYNOPSIS: In this prequel to Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead, small-town bank teller Dieter gets drawn into the adventure of a lifetime when a mysterious woman recruits him to join a crew of Interpol’s most wanted criminals, attempting to heist a sequence of legendary, impossible-to-crack safes across Europe. After Lilly (Melissa McCarthy) suffers a loss, a battle with a territorial bird (the Starling) over dominion of her garden provides an unlikely avenue for her grief and the courage to heal her relationships and rediscover her capacity for love. 

MOVIE REVIEW:

Army of Thieves is the official prequel to the Zack Synder’s zombie flick, Army of the Dead. However, instead of another gory zombie actioner, we have a heist comedy flick starring and directed by Matthias Schweighofer, the breakout star from Army of the Dead.

Sebastian Schlencht-Wöhnert before he is turned into Ludwig Dieter is living a mundane life as a bank teller. His only hobby it seems is posting videos about safecracking online. This attracts no viewers except the attention of international wanted criminal Gwendoline Starr (Nathalie Emmanuel) who invites Sebastian on a heist to break into three intricate safes built by legendary safe designer Han Wagner (entirely fictitious by the way).

Sebastian of course is intrigued with Gwendoline’s offer. Thus, he decides to join her team which consists of muscleman Brad Cage (Stuart Martin), hacker Korina (Ruby O. Fee) and getaway driver Rolph (Guz Khan). Not knowing their crime is soon going to attract the attention of Interpol agent Delacroix (Jonathan Cohen), the gang begins to plan for their first heist which is scheduled to take place in a credit union in Paris.

The story by Zack Synder and Shay Hatten is a popcorn crowd pleaser that is surprisingly lightweight with the stakes pretty low for a heist movie. Rather than introducing a series of complex plotting, car chases or insane amount of CGI, Schweighofer kept things pretty grounded mostly. Relying on his sizzling chemistry between his co-stars Nathalie Emmanuel and his real-life partner, Ruby O. Fee, Schweighofer manages to showcase the cast performances effortlessly with the bulk of it owing to his likeable character.

For a movie that is set up in a universe where zombies exist, it’s more of an unnecessarily gimmick or distraction consider that Sebastian has lots on his hands to worry about than zombies which at the moment are still stuck in Las Vegas. There’s the usual betrayal by fellow team mates, law enforcers on the trail and gulp, a hot romance brewing, there’s really not much screentime left to worry about Zynder’s zombies.

Still, Army of Thieves can be a tad too long at slightly over two hours. With the exception of the first heist which had most of the members playing to their strength, the rest of the heists lack the high energy and tension with mainly the scenes solely focusing on Sebastian stretching his fingers and cracking the safe. Because simply put, there’s only so much fun in watching someone turning the dial constantly, listening to a safe and people screaming round him.

There’s supposedly a larger universe planned for Army of the Dead and this is just one of them. We heard a sequel is more or less confirmed for the former. For now, Army of Thieves is an enjoyable romp without the gore and violence seen in the Synder’s flick.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin & Tyler Gillett
Cast: Melissa Barrera, Kyle Gallner, Mason Gooding, Mikey Madison, Dylan Minnette, Jenna Ortega, Jack Quaid, Marley Shelton, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sonia Ammar, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Neve Campbell  
Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence and Coarse Language)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 13 January 2022

Synopsis: Twenty-five years after a streak of brutal murders shocked the quiet town of Woodsboro, a new killer has donned the Ghostface mask and begins targeting a group of teenagers to resurrect secrets from the town's deadly past. 

Movie Review:

11 years after the late Wes Craven’s fourth instalment of the franchise, ‘Scream’ returns in the form of a ‘re-quel’. As the movie itself dubs them, 're-quels' are sequel-reboot hybrids that aim to reinvent legacy for a new generation of audiences, while remaining faithful to the original fanbase; those familiar with David Gordon Green’s ‘Halloween’ or Nia DaCosta’s ‘Candyman’ will know the rules of such movies, including the return of familiar faces (like Courteney Cox, Neve Campbell and David Arquette, in this case) and reverent call-backs to the original.

So it is that ‘Scream’ begins with its infamous pre-credit scene of a teen alone at home, who receives an anonymous phone call from a killer wearing a Ghostface mask that asks her the signature question: “What’s your favourite scary movie?” Tara (Jenna Ortega) cites ‘The Babadook’, explaining how she likes her thrills with a side of social commentary, layers of meaning and art direction. Unfortunately for her, the killer isn’t interested in that or Tara’s other favourites like ‘It Follows’, ‘Hereditary’ or ‘The Witch’, choosing instead to base his three movie trivia questions on the fictional-movie-within-this-movie known as ‘Stab’.

Whilst playing homage to the original’s Drew Barrymore sequence, this redo reveals its own cheeky wit critiquing the state of the horror genre today, in particular the subgenre of what it calls ‘elevated horror’. Indeed, though the original’s author Kevin Williamson serves only as executive producer here, the screenwriting duo James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick serve up just as brilliant a piece of meta-horror that nods to the conventions of the genre while being an excellent mystery whodunnit (hint: like the original, it will eventually be revealed that there are two killers here).

Without giving much more away, let’s just say that the killers are among Tara’s high-school friends, including the nostalgically-named Wes (Dylan Minnette), best friend Amber (Mikey Madison), twins Chad (Mason Meeks) and Mindy (Jasmin Savoy Brown), and Chad’s girlfriend Liv (Sonia Ammar). Tara’s attack also prompts the return of her estranged older sister Sam (Melissa Barrera), who is accompanied by her boyfriend Randy (Jack Quaid). It is Sam who decides to look up Dewey (Arquette), who has since given up the job of sheriff to Wes’ mother Judy (Marley Shelton).

Incidentally, it is Dewey who reminds us of the rules of the game: never trust the love interest, and always suspect the first victim’s friend group. Not surprisingly too, it is Dewey who draws the return of Sidney (Campbell) and Gale (Cox) to their former hometown of Woodsboro to confront the return of Ghostface. Those who have grown up with the series will be glad to know that these legacy heroes do not just play second fiddle to the newbies; instead, directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett justify their return with dignity and purpose, not least with a shocking mid-way twist that may gut the hearts of some fans.

To their credit, as much as they recognise how important the fans are to the success of the franchise, Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett (collectively known as Radio Silence, or as the directors of ‘Ready or Not’) make clear they aren’t beholden to them by sending up toxic fandom in the third act. It takes nerve to lampoon the very sort of people who would be making a beeline for this 're-quel', who regrettably sometimes take pop culture to its extreme by turning it into religion, so we must say we were impressed not just by how sharply it taps into the zeitgeist but also by how elegantly it does so, weaving it nicely into the finale that keeps you guessing till the very end.

As audacious as it may have seemed for this new chapter to reclaim the original title, ‘Scream’ lives up thoroughly to the playful, irreverent and inventive spirit of the original. Skillfully interweaving the old and the new, it manages to be self-aware and self-mocking while reinventing the rules of the genre. We dare say this is easily our favourite ‘re-quel’, and as long as you’re prepared to embrace its meta-playfulness, you’ll find this tightrope of a movie that balances in-jokes with thrills, chills and adrenaline rushes genuinely scary, funny and most importantly, fun.

Movie Rating:

(As scary, funny and fun as the very first movie, 'Scream' lives up to the legacy of the Wes Craven original with its blend of new and old and an utterly infectious dose of meta-playfulness)

Review by Gabriel Chong

SYNOPSIS: This film chronicles record-breaking Paralympian So Wa-wai’s relationship with his mother as they overcome hurdles in their lives. Based on a true story.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Zero To Hero is unabashedly a feel-good, inspirational sports drama about former Hong Kong Paralympic champion So Wa-wai. Remarkably, it’s not just a tale of So but also a heart-warming story about the love of a never-say-die mother.

So Wa-wai was diagnosed to be suffering from cerebral palsy as a baby. As a result, he lost part of his hearing and the ability to walk. But his mother (Sandra Ng) isn’t going to let fate have its way anytime soon as we learnt that in a near child-abuse scenario, Mrs So forces Wa-wai to stand up and walk. Years later, Mrs So noticed his son’s potential in running and shortly after, he is talent-spotted by a certain Coach Fong (Louis Cheung) to be part of the 4x100m relay team at the Atlanta Paralympics in 1996. But later on, we realised the road to being a full-time athlete is never as easy as Wa-wai has to juggle working as a courier to help support his family and risk giving up on the sports he love.

Besides being based on a real-life story, Zero To Hero is also basically an underdog tale as well. Winning alone apparently is not enough for an athlete. In order to ensure that Wa-wai has a more secure future, at the insistence of Mrs So, Wa-wai reluctantly has to take on sponsorships and commercials which cuts into his training regime. In the movie’s standout scene, Mrs So and Wa-wai has a brutal confrontation over the latter’s failure to turn up for a commercial shoot. Zero To Hero fares the best when detailing the struggles and conflicts between mother and son.

Though to much lesser success, director and writer Jimmy Wan who has worked with Derek Tsang and Pang Ho-cheung over the years attempts to balance some of the drama with quirky humour. There’s a bunch of Wa-wai’s eccentric teammates in the beginning and a half-baked romantic subplot involving Fong’s sister that very much goes nowhere. End of the day, the spotlight lies solely on Mrs So and Wa-wai, hitting all the right notes whenever both are onscreen.

Theatre actor Leung Chung-hang is a refreshing addition to the ailing Hong Kong cinema, portraying an ordinary man’s road to being extraordinary with much dedication. The pain and anguish of a mother is deeply characterized by Sandra Ng who deserved at least an acting nomination for her genuinely moving performance. Veteran Ching Siu-ho who portrays Wa-wai’s father on the other hand is not given much screentime. Even Louis Cheung is very much side-lined in the end given this is a far more interesting and challenging part for the actor.

Anchored by strong performances on the whole and despite being a conventional, by-the-numbers sport fare, Zero To Hero manages to cross the finishing line with much respect and gung-ho. Surprisingly for a budgeted sports drama, the CGI rendered is amazingly credible and eye-popping too.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

SYNOPSIS: Tom Hanks is Finch, a man who embarks on a moving and powerful journey to find a new home for his unlikely family—his beloved dog and a newly created robot—in a dangerous and ravaged world.

MOVIE REVIEW:

While Tom Hanks is stuck mostly with a volleyball dubbed Wilson in Castaway, at least he has a lanky robot, a dog and another helper-robot to accompany him on a journey to safer ground in Finch.

Hanks is Finch Weinberg, once an engineer in a scientific institute, he is now one of post-apocalyptic earth’s last few survivors living in an underground bunker after a solar flare destroyed the ozone layer. Earth is now largely inhabitable and you will be instantly turned into ashes if you stand under the blistering sun.

Finch’s only living companion is his dog named Goodyear and while he has a makeshift robot named Dewey, an economic version of the Boston Dynamics robot dog, Finch is worried about the welfare of Goodyear after his demise. Ahem..did we by chance mentioned that Finch is suffering from radiation sickness? Finch’s only hope lies in a humanoid robot assembled with various spare engineer parts he gathered.

As a deadly storm approaches, the gang embarked on a long road trip to San Francisco in Finch’s solar powered RV. The humanoid robot eventually dubbed Jeff is taught by Finch from how to walk to how to drive and to trust no one. He is basically the future caretaker of Goodyear that is if Jeff is able to live up to Finch’s expectations.

Let us first get this out of the way. The sparse plotting is not exactly gripping or as we called it “a-page-turner-sort-of-excitement”. The screenplay by Craig Luck and Ivor Powell is essentially a sentimental post-apocalyptic adventure about family and human responsibility. There’re no horrific undead creatures as seen in I Am Legend or The Road’s portrayal of the grim darkness of human nature. Raising more questions than answered, Finch for the most part is chillingly effective and funny which explained the seemingly leisure pacing.

Jeff as motion-captured by Caleb Landry Jones is an endearing lad for the most part. He is curious, innocent and naïve like a newborn baby. Making matters worse, he also has to endure Finch’s increasingly irritable mood and temper especially after Jeff’s initiative to replenish supplies nearly got them killed. Still, you got to give the grumpy old man a break as he is coughing out blood every now and then.

Even though Finch is played by one of America’s favourite actors, Tom Hanks, Finch is not a very interesting character in the end. In fact, the guy is probably a loner or a geek living alone in a makeshift apartment pre-dystopian. He doesn’t seem to develop much relationship with his co-workers or has an immediate loving family. Nevertheless, Hanks as usual has the charisma to drive home the concept that there will always be light in a flawed dark world.

Finch is primarily a small-scale heartwarming affair especially after spending two hours with Finch and Jeff. The rather solemn ending will leave some in tears but nevertheless, if you hate the undead, zombies or anything that are massively rendered on the computers, you will likely appreciate this charming little movie.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Comedy/Fantasy
Director: Jason Reitman
Cast: Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Paul Rudd, Logan Kim, Celeste O'Connor, Bokeem Woodbine, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, Sigourney Weaver, J.K. Simmons, Olivia Wilde, Harold Ramis
Runtime: 2 hrs 4 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Intense Sequences)
Released By: Sony Pictures Releasing Singapore
Official Website:

Opening Day: 18 November 2021

Synopsis: From director Jason Reitman and producer Ivan Reitman, comes the next chapter in the original Ghostbusters universe. In Ghostbusters: Afterlife, when a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind.

Movie Review:

This is clearly for the fans who want to indulge in nostalgia. After several unsuccessful efforts to make the third movie in the successful franchise, and numerous delays for this version of the film directed by Jason Reitman to be released, the much anticipated movie finally hits theatres.

With a screenplay co written by Reitman and Gil Kenan, the story takes place 30 odd years after the events of the second movie (if you even remember how that ended, because let’s be honest, the first instalment  in 1984 is the one that everybody loves). The prologue sees an aged Egon Spengler killed by supernatural forces in a rural location in Oklahoma. At this point, the character appears mostly in the dark, so the filmmakers could get away with getting someone to play the beloved Ghostbuster originally portrayed by the late Harold Ramis.

Shortly after, Callie (Carrie Coon) and her two kids Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) and Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) arrive, and they turn out to be Egon’s daughter and grandchildren respectively. They discover their connection to Egon and what he has been planning. Other supporting characters like Phoebe’s talkative classmate who produces podcasts (Logan Kim), Trevor’s love interest (Celeste O’ Connor) and the school teacher who is a fan of the Ghostbusters (Paul Rudd) appear, and through a series of events, Gozer the Gozerian (fans would know her as the spirit who was supposedly defeated by the Ghostbusters during the famous Manhattan Crossrip of 1984) is resurrected.

Since this is for the fans, the original Ghostbusters have to make an appearance (imagine the wrath incurred if they didn’t). Billy Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson appear as Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz and Winston Zeddemore. Ramis appears posthumously through archival footage and photos from the two films, and of course, some special effects magic. It doesn’t stop there. Expect Sigourney Weaver’s Dana Barrett and Annie Potts’ Janine Melnitz to make cameos in the movie as well. This is a gathering will make fans very happy.

The fan service doesn’t stop at human characters. The 124 minute movie is stuffed with references and callbacks. Easter eggs are aplenty, from obscure items in Egon’s secret underground lab to in your face objects that fans will remember from the 1984 movie. Classic lines are referenced (no one would have the audacity to miss out the classic line “Who you gonna call?”), and the original Stay Puft Marshmallow Man is now in the form of adorable normal sized marshmallows wrecking havoc.

While the original movie was silly comedy, this sequel seems to take itself a little too seriously. The best bits are taken care of by Kim, a cute child actor which may come across as irritating if you did not have a nice day and all you want is some peace. Rudd does a fine job, but he does not have a lot to work with. The core family is dealing with contemporary problems (single parenthood, nerdy kid trying to fit in), and this does weigh down the tone of the movie. Then there is the part about resurrecting Gozer, which also comes across a little heavy handed.

But that’s really the fan of the first wacky movie in this writer speaking. If this is a standalone movie, it is a decent Hollywoodflick with the right amount of drama, comedy, supernatural elements, and nicely executed special effects. However, we know that Jason, son of original director Ivan Reitman, made this film as a tribute to his own family, to Ramis’ family, and most importantly, the fans of the franchise. And yup, the filmmakers strategically ignored the events of the much hated 2016 reboot directed by Paul Feig featuring female Ghostbusters.

Movie Rating:

(Clearly made for fans of the franchise, this sequel is essentially about spotting Easter eggs and waiting for the original Ghostbusters to appear on screen)

Review by John Li