Genre: Comedy/Drama
Director: Han Han
Cast: Liu Hao-Ran, Shen Teng, Liu Hao-Cun, Andrew Yin Zheng, Zhou Qi, Qiao Shan, Feng Shao Feng, Wang Yan Lin, Zhang You Hao, Zack Gao, Huang Xiao Ming, Jordan Chan, Alex Man, Estelle Wu
Runtime: 2 hrs 9 mins
Rating: PG (Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Encore Films
Official Website:
Opening Day: 1 February 2022
Synopsis: Wu Renyao, a young motorcyclist performing stunts on a dock, with his clumsy father, Wu Renteng, who's barely visited him over the years; Zhou Huansong, a restaurant waitress dreaming of living in a big city, with her dramatic but earnest brother, Zhou Huange... Such are some of the characters caught up in the nexus of fate. Both wanting to become the opposite of their closest family member, Yao and Huansong try to support each other while remaining independent, but miscommunications haunt their relationship. Driven by the changes in their lives, Yao and Huansong leaves their hometown to tour the big big world on a journey of unpredictability, filled with love and departures, amusement and sadness.
Movie Review:
The multi-talented Han Han returns with his fourth self-penned, self-directed feature film starring his regular collaborators Shen Teng, Yin Zheng but with upcoming actors Liu Haoran (From the Detective Chinatown franchise) and Liu Haochun (Cliff Walkers) as the movie’s main leads.
While the China movie industry in recent years is banking on big budgeted movie spectacles be it propaganda war movies, CG heavy period flicks and sci-fi disaster blockbusters, Han Han continues to tell his own stories that are honestly not constraint by market trends and demands. His unique voice has once again unfolded. Only Fools Rush In is another wondrous story from the multihyphenate. Just don’t rush into the cinemas expecting a typical Lunar New Year feel-good comedy because let’s face it, it’s not.
Wu Renyao (Liu Haoran) is a young man residing at a seaside village who earns a living doing motorcycle stunts. Since young, Renyao has been living with his now demented grandmother with his estranged father, Wu Renteng (Shen Teng) paying them a visit once a long while. As a self-proclaimed young man with little to no friends, Renyao is smitten with Huansong (Liu Haochun), a waitress working at the local roadside restaurant. Before he plucks up the courage to approach Huansong, her brother Huange (Yin Zheng) appears in the picture introducing Renyao to his makeshift motorcycle team who races with a rival racing gang for money.
Han Han actually packs a lot into Only Fools Rush In. Instead of a routine movie about romance, underdog racing and dreams, things worked a bit differently right here. There’s definitely no triad entanglement liked A Moment of Romance or a racer evaluating his love life in Full Throttle. And definitely no Andy Lau to be seen here. What we have is a tragic case of life goes wrong. With the accidental death of Huange, Huansong is left with mountains of debt due to his brother involvement in opening up a dance club and running a motorcycle team. Seeing that his beloved Huansong is in trouble, Renyao is bent on helping her in repaying the debts. The only way to raise the exorbitant amount of money is to partake in illegal racing which Huansong is dead against.
Usually, Han Han has the tendency to sneak in some zany humour into his features, Duckweed and Pegasus has no lack of his madcap antics and punchlines. However, Han seems to scale back on the comedy this time. With the exception of Wu Renteng who dazzles with his amusing bantering (watch out for his explanation of his watch and a subsequent English translation job went wrong) with his son in the first half, the rest of the movie is far more subdued and melancholic.
As Renyao and Huansong moved into big city Guangzhou in search of better job opportunities, Han cleverly sneaks in a social commentary about youngsters moving from the countryside to the cities only to find out that the pastures there are obviously not as green as they thought. Big names liked Feng Shaofeng cameos as a traffic policeman, Huang Xiaoming as a made good countryman, Showta and Jordan Chan appears as Renyao’s competitor whose character speaks in his native tongue. All three genuinely elicits some laughs except for HK veteran actor Alex Man who for no reasons cameo as a driver. He is dubbed in mandarin by the way. Another comedian Qiao Shan appears in the second half of the movie as an amusement operator who gave a big assignment to Renyao.
While it’s spoilerish to go on to talk about the fate of Renyao and Huansong, Only Fools Rush In marks Han Han’s most serious and most mature work to date. The narrative is surprisingly poetic and even though Han traded in his love for rally racing to motor racing, this is not a movie that is determined by the presence of it. In the end, Only Fools Rush In comes highly recommended. As a gentle reminder in case you forgot, this is not your typical Lunar New Year comedy.
Movie Rating:
(Han’s most mature work to date, a worthwhile drama about love and life)
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: The 4th installment of the franchise, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania dives into the relationship between Dracula and his goofy, human son-in-law Johnny (Samberg). As Dracula plans to retire and gift his beloved Hotel Transylvania to his daughter Mavis (Gomez), he changes his mind at the last minute -worried that Johnny will ruin what he has built. Disappointed that Dracula still doesn’t embrace Johnny as a member of his family, Johnny seeks help from Van Helsing (from third film) and successfully turns himself into a monster. In the wake of transforming himself, however, Johnny changes Dracula and his band of monster side-kicks –Blobby, Frankenstein, Mummy, Wayne, and the Invisible Man – into humans. Dracula and Johnny set out together to find a secret crystal that will help turn them back accordingly, while learning to rely on and appreciate each other along the way.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Three prominent names are missing in this so called last entry in the Hotel Transylvania series. First is Adam Sandler who voices Dracula, second being Kevin James who voices Frankenstein. Last being series’ director Genny Tartakovsky who only retained a story credit here.
Although frankly speaking, you won’t be able to tell a difference if you put all four side by side. Hotel Transylvania: Transformania is as silly as its predecessors and a good enough flick to keep the young ones occupied for a slim 88 minutes.
On the 125th anniversary celebration of Hotel Transylvania, Dracula (Youtuber turns voiceover artiste Brian Hull) is planning to announce his retirement, leaving the hotel to his daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez) and human hubby, Jonathan (Andy Samberg). However, the ever perfectionist Dracula is worried that Jonathan might ruined the running of hotel that he came up with a lie that non-monsters are not allowed to inherit the hotel. Jonathan feeling disappointed approached Van Helsing (Jim Gaffigan) to turn him into a monster by using a crystal ray gun.
In the tradition of monster misfit, Jonathan is turned into a green dragon while Dracula and his buddies are turned into humans! The only solution it seems is to travel to South America in search of a mysterious crystal to revert them to their original selves or risk Jonathan being mutated into a mindless beast.
The screenplay by Amos Vernon, Nunzio Randazoo and Genny Tartakovsky stays pretty close to the repetitive theme of an overprotective father trying to deal with the future of his precious daughter, only this time it’s more about his overly enthusiastic son-in-law. The animation indeed takes a while to warm up before setting up the disastrous experiment which goes wrong with the obvious funniest gag involving Frankenstein being turned into a selfie-loving macho man and the invisible man (David Spade) turning visible.
Most evidently, majority of the flick focused on the relationship between Dracula and Jonathan as they trek arduously all over the South American rainforest. Of course, there are a few laugh-out-loud gags splattered all over and a nice meaningful message hidden in a burnt marshmallow of all things. The rest of the monsters kind of take a back seat as usual with the occasional silly laughs courtesy of Frankenstein and Blobby as they joined Mavis and Erika (Kathryn Hahn) in their quest to find Dracula and Jonathan.
At this point, you should know that the Hotel Transylvania franchise is definitely not in the league of the average Pixar and Disney animations. Transformania retains the trademark slapstick and crude gags that Sandler and his Happy Madison gang normally concocted despite the very fact that the renowned comedian is missing here.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Drama
Director: Pablo Larraín
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall, Jack Farthing, Sean Harris, Sally Hawkins
Runtime: 1 hr 57 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 10 February 2022
Synopsis: The marriage of Princess Diana (Kristen Stewart) and Prince Charles (Jack Farthing) has long since grown cold. Though rumours of affairs and a divorce abound, peace is ordained for the Christmas festivities at the Queen’s Sandringham Estate. There's eating and drinking, shooting and hunting. Diana knows the game. But this year, things will be a whole lot different. SPENCER is an imagining of what might have happened during those few fateful days.
Movie Review:
The Royal Family is not without the scrutiny of the public eye and the admiration of others, even liken to a status higher than that of Gods.
But what if we are able to imagine what it would be like to see through the facade and into the minds of the Royals?
“Spencer” takes us on a journey with Princess Diana, in which she spends Christmas with the Royal Family at the Queen’s Sandringham Estate, amidst her shaky marriage and the intrusive media. She needs to get through the Christmas holidays, fighting her inner thoughts and pressure to keep up to a certain image.
It is with no doubt that Princess Diana is an icon around the world and well known for her elegance and contributions to society, be it charity work related to AIDS, cancer or other illnesses. And so, anticipation and expectation is definitely high when it comes to any depiction of her.
“Spencer” did deliver in many ways.
The pacing of the film was even and smooth despite it seemingly to be one of a slightly darker and heavier tone. One would be able to sit through the film and feel the intensity and emotions without feel tired or bored, as the dialogue, music and storyline that carried through the film was consistent and palatable.
The effort placed in as much accuracy in the costumes, makeup and location filming is commendable, with even the smallest details not spared to ensure that the set is realistic enough.
What surprised me the most about this film is how Kristen Stewart delivered such an amazing interpretation of Princess Diana herself. If it is not the appearance, clothes and hair that made it so realistic, it was her stunning performance that seem natural and unforced. Although it might seem a little questionable at the start of the film, it was quickly made up with the delivery of her script and immaculate portrayal. The performance was so convincing that one would think that Kristen Stewart is Princess Diana herself!
It did feel that the film seem to be giving a lot of attention to the protagonist with little to no interaction with other characters apart from Prince Charles, her sons and staff around her, which made watching it feel a little ‘distanced’ and ‘one-sided’. It is uncertain if the focus was made intentional, which of course made sense since the film is about Princess Diana, but it might have been great if there was more character building and interactions between more prominent members of the Royal Family itself.
Still, the direction to make Diana rather vulnerable and ‘trapped’ made the film thought- provoking and insightful, with insertions of Diana’s thought process contributing to the story line and intensifying the mood, invoking emotions from the viewers.
The frequent referencing to Anne Boleyn, former Queen of England, also made it easier for one to be able to comprehend and relate to the emotions of Princess Diana. In a way, it helps viewers (especially the younger ones), who do not know much about Princess Diana, to relate to her on a more human level and the [not so] subtle addressing of the importance of mental health is also evident throughout the film.
We also cannot forget the rest of the cast, whom although may not have been very prominent, did contribute to the storytelling and to the development of the story. With each bringing their own flair, it is also pleasant to see how they are able to realistically portray their character with conviction, developing them as the film goes on.
Overall, this imagining of Princess Diana’s life is a lovely way of piecing together a possibility behind the closed guarded grounds of Sandringham Estate and through the mind of Diana, whom led a public life that inspired many around the world, but yet a private one that felt strangled and breathless.
And even though she is no longer with us, the film gently reminds us that Princess Diana is one with grace, compassion and love and that we are eventually all human in our ways, regardless of what our status is.
Movie Rating:
(A great watch that does not disappoint (except maybe the Royal Family) and maybe even inspire. Might be best to go with a clear mind)
Review by Ron Tan
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Tom Bateman, Annette Bening, Russell Brand, Ali Fazal, Dawn French, Gal Gadot, Armie Hammer, Rose Leslie, Emma Mackey, Sophie Okonedo, Jennifer Saunders, Letitia Wright
Runtime: 2 hrs 7 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Mature Content & Sexual References)
Released By: Walt Disney
Official Website:
Opening Day: 10 February 2022
Synopsis: Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot’s Egyptian vacation aboard a glamorous river steamer turns into a terrifying search for a murderer when a picture-perfect couple’s idyllic honeymoon is tragically cut short. Set against an epic landscape of sweeping desert vistas and the majestic Giza pyramids, this tale of unbridled passion and incapacitating jealousy features a cosmopolitan group of impeccably dressed travelers, and enough wicked twists and turns to leave audiences guessing until the final, shocking denouement.
Movie Review:
Cinema goers who adore detective games will love this whodunit movie directed by Kenneth Branagh. The sequel to 2017’s Murder on the Orient Express brings together a star studded ensemble cast brings you on a 127 minute (cruise) ride and you’ll be wondering which character is the mastermind behind a cold blooded murder. Or is there more than one person involved? And after a good two hours of eliminating and guessing, viewers will be treated to the big reveal and a detailed explanation of how the murder was carried out, and the motivations behind the killing.
Sounds like an old fashioned flick where you are systematically introduced to a myriad of characters, told about why they have every reason to kill someone, confused by numerous red herrings, before the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle is put together and you go “ah!”?
For those who enjoy the thrill of solving the mystery by flipping pages, they’d argue that the 1937 novel of the same name by Agatha Christie is superior to the film adaptation (there was also a 1978 version starring Peter Ustinov, Mia Farrow and Maggie Smith). For those who would rather be seeing the story unfold on the big screen, this movie works just fine. Also, thanks to Haris Zambarloukos’ cinematography, you’d be brought on a sightseeing tour. Yes, we know the magnificent river and the gleaming pyramids are created digitally, but during this period when travels are restricted, this is still a worthy treat.
Without giving away too much, a large part of the story takes place on the cruise ship S S Karnak, where guests are treated to a luxurious trip by the rich Linnet Ridgeway (Gal Gadot) and her husband Simon Doyle (Armie Hammer). Someone is shot, and the murderer can be anyone. Is it Linnet’s former fiancé (Russell Brand exuding a serious front), her old classmate who is taking the trip with her jazz singer aunt (the charismatic Letitia Wright and Sophie Okonedo), her socialite godmother who is on board with her nurse (Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French), her stoic cousin and lawyer (Ali Fazal), her obedient maid (Rose Leslie), or the mother and son pair who run a hotel business (Tom Bateman and Annette Bening)? Then there is Simon’s former lover (Emma Mackey) who is lurking around to spoil the couple’s honeymoon.
The actors deliver commendable performances as their respective characters, and Hercule Poirot (Branagh reprising his role, complete with the stern moustache) questions them one by one after the murder takes place. Each sequence gives you reason to believe that the culprit is the one being interrogated, and then you realise the crime wouldn’t be solved until the last 10 minutes or so. And that’s when you decide to go along for the ride to see whether your initial guess is correct.
The movie was delayed a few times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and now that it’s finally released, something that will be discussed is definitely Hammer’s involvement in the film. Claims of sexual abuse and cannibalistic fetishism were made against the actor in 2021, and viewers are bound to notice scenes of him dry humping his female co stars in certain scenes. While there has been no closure to the episode, Hammer’s screen presence is bound to gain attention – which might not be a bad thing to boost the movie’s box office takings.
Movie Rating:
(A glitzy old-fashioned whodunit that will have you guessing till the last minute)
Review by John Li
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HAVE A "TIGERRIFIC" NEW YEAR!Posted on 29 Jan 2022 |
Genre: War/Drama
Director: Tsui Hark, Chen Kaige, Dante Lam
Cast: Wu Jing, Jackson Yee, Duan Yihong, Zhu Yawen, Li Chen, Elvis Han
Runtime: 2 hrs 29 mins
Rating: NC16 (Violence)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 10 February 2022
Synopsis: During the second battle of the war to resist U.S. Aggression and aid Korea, the 9th Corps Command issues an order for the 7th Infantry Company to attack the Sumun Bridge. The 7th Company suffers a tough march to the Sumun Bridge. The soldiers are near their limits, every step forward in the midst of the harsh weather only means another great challenge to the body and mind... When they inch close to the Sumun Bridge, the 7th Company perseveres with sheer and steel-like willpower. They bomb and destroy every attempt the US Army makes to repair the Bridge. Three grueling clashes and the 7th Company finally manage to block the US Army’s retreat to Xingnan Port.
Movie Review:
What better time to release the sequel to China’s war blockbuster than the Spring Festival holiday. It is a movie made to stir the patriotism of the Republic’s people, and during this period when families get together to celebrate the festivities, it is the perfect movie to catch on the big screen, and everyone can step out of the cinema feeling proud of what their forefathers’ achievements and appreciative of all the sacrifices made.
Following the events of the first movie, the soldiers of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army's 7th Company continue their quest to fight for their country. They are now at the titular WatergateBridgewhich guards a strategic point on the enemy Americans’ retreat route. You can expect 149 minutes of non stop war action with massive tank battles, sniper shootings and arm to arm combats. Of course, this is the guys’ battleground, where the men are sweaty, muddy bloody and fully committed in deterring the enemy troops.
Like the first film, the sequel boasts countless explosive action sequences. Those who are not interested in this genre of movies may find the scenes repetitive (the characters are all donned in army uniform, so everyone looks similar after a while), and some may even argue that the storytelling is extremely one sided (read: the Chinese are the good guys, and the Americans are the bad guys). But if you see the movie as a piece of work to celebrate the patriotism of the men who gave their lives to the cause, the concerns become invalid.
Wu Jing, Jackson Yee, Duan Yihong, Zhu Yawen and Li Chen reprise their roles from the first movie, and this concluding to the two parter will reveal the fate of the characters. There are some truly intense scenes that may make you squirm in your seats, but it is also a reminder that a real war is probably many times more brutal than what you see on screen.
The movie showcases extensive special effects, and it is evident that expenses are not spared to make the war scenes as realistic as possible. The film rarely slows down to distract viewers from unnecessary side plots. There is a flashback sequence about a character’s farewell with his wife, and that’s much appreciated and memorable because it is a moment in the movie that features an actress and a scenic countryside backdrop – it’s a nice breather from the testosterone filled war scenes.
You may have heard that the first movie is the highest grossing title of all time at China’s box office. It is also the second highest grossing movie of 2021 after Spider Man: No Way Home. While it Is too early to know whether the sequel will earn more, it is expected that the title is a winner amongst the
If you are a fan of war movies and can see beyond the fact that the production was led by the film office of the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party, you may even want to give a shot and watching the two films back to back for maximum impact.
Movie Rating:
(Get a glimpse of how the Chinese People's Volunteer Army gave their all to bring down the enemy in this gripping war movie)
Review by John Li
SYNOPSIS: Two years after a Super Bowl win when NFL head coach Sean Payton is suspended, he goes back to his hometown and finds himself reconnecting with his 12 year old son by coaching his Pop Warner football team.
MOVIE REVIEW:
At this point in time, any production that bears the Happy Madison banner will not receive much street cred let alone a decent rating from the critics. The latest effort from producers Adam Sandler and Kevin James is a prime example and frankly, it’s actually a more than decent effort than say, Grown Ups.
Supposedly based on a true story, James also the leading man here plays Sean Peyton, a legendary NFL coach who is suspended for a year because of a scandal. While he awaits for the outcome of his appeal, he went back to his Texas hometown hoping to reconnect with his estranged teenage son, Connor. It turned out Connor is on one of the worst high school football team in history. At the encouragement of Connor’s football coach, Troy (Taylor Lautner), Sean decides to co-coach the team for the season. And of course, you know how sports movies go.
Being a Happy Madison production means you can forget about delving deep into the details of the scandal. We heard it’s a pretty big thing back in 2011. Even though there’re some serious allegations about injuring opposing footballers but Home Team is not the movie about it. Nor is it a movie as complex as Moneyball which focused on a strategized way of recruiting players. In other words, Home Team is a family friendly sports drama in the vein of The Mighty Ducks.
With a troubled protagonist looking to redeem himself and a bunch of ragtag misfits looking to win the championship, the story banks most of its laughs and comic-relief on the movie’s supporting players liked Paulie (Maxwell Simkins) who loves to order pizza at the wrong time and Harlan (Manny Magus) who can’t do a proper kick because he is smitten with a girl he loves. And there is Rob Schneider who returns to the screen after a long hiatus as Connor’s vegan stepfather and Sandler’s nephew Jared acting as an unfunny incompetent hotel clerk/handyman.
At least Kevin James didn’t fumble his way through thankfully not in a Paul Blart kind of way. As Sean Peyton, James at least plays an earnest believable guy who is out to reconnect with his son. There’s a recurring gag about a problematic jacuzzi but it’s not as irritable as the antics carried out by Assistant Coach Mitch played by James’ real-life brother, Gary. There are some confusing football terms and technicality littered around and messages about conflict resolution, this is a formulaic sports comedy after all.
Home Team is kind of a mixed bag in the end. As a sports movie featuring a bunch of robust kids, it’s pretty serviceable. For a movie that is based on a true real-life character, it’s sort of goes nowhere in particular. At least Happy Madison tries to steer away from bad jokes and haphazard storytelling this round, just give Sandler and his friends a chance.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Martial-Arts
Director: Wong Jing, Keung Kwok Man
Cast: Raymond Lam, Janice Man, Yun Qianqian, Sabrina Qiu, Xu Jinjiang, Alex Fong, Raymond Wong, Lok Ying Kwan, Jade Leung, Tin Kai Man, Lam Tze Chung, Derek Kwok, Yu Kang, Wilfred Lau, Xing Yu
Runtime: 1 hr 53 mins
Rating: PG (Some Violence)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 12 February 2022
Synopsis: The masters of the Six Major Sects were trapped in Wan On Temple, each of whom was hit with the Ten Scents Poisonous Powder, and lost all martial power. Zhang Wuji (Raymond Lam) led the Ming Sect masters and stormed into Dadu to rescue the victims of the Six Major Sects. However, Master No-mercy refused Wuji’s goodwill of saving her, and chose to end her life with Xuanming Duo. King Ruyang saw that Zhao Min (Janice Man) never struck a deadly blow on Wuji, he was convinced she had a crush on Wuji, so he took away her authority, and handed it over to Cheng Kun, who sought refuge in the Imperial Court. Min ran away in anger. As Wuji had promised Min to do three things for her, Min requested to take a look at the Dragon Saber, and was willing to travel with Wuji to Ice Fire Island thousands of miles away, with the company of Xiao Zhao (Yun Qianqian) and Zhiruo (Sabrina Qiu)…
Movie Review:
We mentioned in our review of ‘New Kung Fu Cult Master 1’ that we were pleasantly surprised at how engrossing and exciting it turned out to be, given how wildly the quality of Wong Jing’s works over the years has been; and indeed, this concluding chapter simply reinforces why we need to approach each of Wong Jing’s films with equal parts hope and trepidation. Whilst watchable, ‘New Kung Fu Cult Master 2’ is a notable step-down in almost every respect from its predecessor, so consider that fair warning to those who, like us, were enamoured with the initial setup.
As promised at the end of the first movie, Wuji (Raymond Lam) journeys to Dadu with his fellow Ming Sect leaders, including Bat King (Raymond Wong) and Left Emissary Yang Xiao (Alex Fong), to free the members of the Six Major Sects whom Princess Zhao Ming (Janice Man) has trapped within the Wan On temple. Right from that very rescue mission, you get the sense the storytelling is off – not only does Wuji seem more interested in engaging the Princess than freeing the imprisoned with immediate urgency, there are too many subplots squeezed within, like how the Princess’ guardian Master Ku (Kwok Jing-hung) is in fact a sworn brother with Left Emissary Yang or how Miejue makes her disciple Zhiruo (Sabrina Qiu) swear that she would never fall in love or marry Wuji.
Unlike the mostly one-on-one battles in the first movie, the first big set-piece here exemplifies the weaknesses in co-director Keung Kwok-man’s action direction. Besides lacking proper build-up, the rescue attempt itself is hectically spliced together without an adequate sense of pacing, and is further marred by cheap CGI, not least when Wuji uses his mastery of the ‘Grand Diversion’ to bring those stuck in the upper floors of the burning temple down to ground safely.
These flaws are unfortunately underlined by the other set-pieces in the film: a confrontation between Wuji and the emissaries Moon, Cloud and Wind of the Ming Sect’s Western headquarters turns out underwhelming despite the presence of not just the Heavenly Sword but the equally famed Sacred Flame Plaques; ditto the climactic battle between Wuji and ultimate baddie Cheng Kun (Shi Yanneng), which will leave you feeling indifferent even as it pits the former’s Sacred Flame Plaques against the latter’s Indestructible Vajra.
It says a lot therefore that the action is nonetheless a comforting distraction from the storytelling, which only goes downhill over the course of the film. Now that he has come to terms with not seeking vengeance for what happened to his father many years ago, Wuji seems to be motivated only by his reluctance to let down any of the three girls he has fawning over him, namely Princess Zhao Min, the newly crowned Emei Sect leader Zhou Zhirou (Sabrina Qiu) and the soon-to-be-crowned Guardian Sectess of the Ming Sect Xiao Zhao (Yun Qianqian).
Than about him as a cult master, this chapter is more preoccupied with him as a love master – whether is it agreeing to Zhao Min’s wish to borrow the Dragon Sabre to study it alongside the Heavenly Sword, or agreeing to save Xiao Zhao’s mother the Purple-clad Dragon King from self-immolation after failing to obtain the manual to the Grand Diversion, or agreeing to release Zhirou’s Ren and Du pulse points so she can increase her internal strength to boost her martial arts skills. Whilst it is true in the classic Louis Cha novel that Wuji’s dalliances precipitate his circumstances, Wong Jing handles the twists and turns with little conviction and even less finesse.
It is indeed a pity, because it is ultimately Wong Jing’s scripting that undermines the entire movie. The writing barely spends any effort trying to let us get to know Wuji better, including why he would allow himself to be dictated by the whims and wishes of the women around him. It also hardly develops the relationship between Wuji and either of his three loves, besides having them take turns to gaze into each other’s eyes over a duet by Lam and Chen Yongtong. Worse, the last act unfolds like whiplash trying to spin betrayal after tragedy arising from Zhirou’s unfortunate obsession with uncovering the secret behind the Heavenly Sword and Dragon Sabre.
So while we were pleasantly surprised by its predecessor, we were left genuinely jaded by ‘New Kung Fu Cult Master 2’, particularly because we thought the point of Wong Jing revisiting this story was so he could get a chance to film the conclusion. Those who have read the book will know that there is more than enough material within for a trilogy, but to try to tell the story over the length of two feature films necessarily means Wong Jing should have had the good sense to trim down the story and make some narrative adjustments. As much as you feel compelled to see how it ends, we urge you to leave it hanging; at least then you’d have done so at a high, than endure a sure but gradual descent to new lows.
Movie Rating:
(If this is the sequel Wong Jing did not get to make back in the 1990s, we'd rather he did not make it after all)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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STUDIO GHIBLI THEME PARK OPENING IN NOVEMBER 2022!Posted on 04 Feb 2022 |
SYNOPSIS: After having to quarantine together during COVID-19, a mother and daughter are forced to confront their personal obstacles and relationship tensions.
MOVIE REVIEW:
It has been two years since the world found itself in the grip of the COVID-19 pandemic, and whilst many filmmakers have chosen to ignore how life had changed over these two years, some like acclaimed director Chung Mung-hong have decided that it is too significant to disregard such a dramatic opportunity. So even though it is probably not a follow-up one would be expecting after the critically acclaimed ‘A Sun’, Chung’s latest is an absolute gem of a drama that is quite easily one of the best pandemic-set movies thus far.
The logline describes it as an unravelling of a mother-daughter relationship when both are forced to home quarantine together during the early days of the pandemic (note: unlike much of the rest of the world, Taiwan still practices a zero-COVID policy, even though less stringently than Mainland China). Yet, as one quickly finds out, that description is true perhaps only of the first 20 minutes of the movie – indeed, than set the entire movie over the course of their home quarantine, Chung uses the quarantine only as catalyst for what happens after.
The mother-daughter in question here is Pin-wen (veteran TV actress Alyssa Chia) and Xiao Jing (Gingle Wang), who over a single morning getting ready for work and school respectively, demonstrate how fraught their relationship is. That same morning, Xiao Jing is told by her school to isolate at home after a classmate she sits next to tests positive for COVID-19. After her mother picks her up from school, Xiao Jing decides to lock herself up in her room, which not only deepens the hostility between them but also precipitates Pin-wen’s mental breakdown.
Pin-wen’s first episode happens just 15 mins into the movie, when she goes out of the house into the pouring rain to search for Xiao Jing… except that it never rained and Xiao Jing was never missing. That in turn sets off a series of encounters that will lead to Xiao Jing discovering the depth of her father’s infidelity (and hence his consequent divorce from Pin-wen), the state of her family’s finances, and how Pin-wen’s psychological state has affected her at work.
Whereas Xiao Jing is the focus in the first half, Pin-wen becomes the centre of emphasis in the next hour, not only to portray her gradual ascent from a psychological abyss but also her reconciliation with Xiao Jing. Besides Xiao Jing, an instrumental supporting figure in Pin-wen’s journey is her gentle and caring work supervisor Mr. Chen (Chen Yi-wen), and as cliched as it may seem for two divorcees to find solace in each other, the affection between the duo is as natural and moving as it gets. Ditto the healing between mother and daughter, culminating in a heart-stopping moment at the end which we won’t spoil here.
Those familiar with Chung’s earlier works should probably already realise that ‘The Falls’ is easily his most intimate one to date, focusing essentially on how the pandemic lays bare the fragile truth behind their current state of life which Xiao Jing and Pin-wen have either tried to hide from or been hitherto blissfully ignorant of, as well as how both of them come to terms with reality both personally and as family. It is also probably his most sensitive movie to date, dealing with the issue of post-pandemic psychological trauma which society has likely just begun to grapple with.
As director, co-writer and cinematographer, Chung exercises a perfectly sublime control over tone, mood and pace; in particular, the state of the family’s luxury apartment building is deployed ingeniously as metaphor throughout the film, not only as symbol of the state of disrepair of the characters as well as their mutual relationship, but also to provide a sense of foreboding as they come to terms with each other’s secrets. Chung’s intuition of Chia and Wang is also spot-on (he had cast both actresses based on just their pictures), and their excellent chemistry carries the film from start to finish.
Like we said, ‘The Falls’ is our pick for the best pandemic-set drama so far. Whilst its depiction of the aftereffects of the pandemic may be uncomfortable to watch for good reason, it is also an honest and thought-provoking piece about the societal impact of the past two years, as well as an affirmation of the strength of the human spirit to survive, prevail and emerge stronger. That it has won the Golden Horse Award last year for Best Feature Film is absolutely no surprise after you’ve seen it, and in fact we’d say it is an accolade well and truly deserved.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Gabriel Chong
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