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JEEP X JURASSICPosted on 02 Jun 2022 |
Genre: CG Animation
Director: Ben Stassen, Benjamin Mousquet
Cast: Jordan Tartakow, Joe Ochman, Danny Fehsenfeld, Mark Irons, Donte Paris
Runtime: 1 hr 31 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Muse Communication & Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 2 June 2022
Synopsis: Set in a lush fantasy world, the film follows the adventures of Chickenhare, a young hero born half chicken and half hare, who was adopted by King Peter, a famous hare adventurer. Eager to fit in and feel loved in spite of his differences, Chickenhare is obsessed with adventuring...no matter how clumsy he is. When the Kingdom's greatest villain - his very own uncle - escapes from jail and threatens to overthrow his father, Chickenhare embarks on an epic race against time along with Abe, sarcastic turtle, and Med, a reckless female martial arts expert, to stop him.
Movie Review:
From the independent Belgian studio nWave behind such modest feature-length animations as ‘Sammy’s Adventures’, ‘The Son of Bigfoot’ and ‘The Queen’s Corgi’ comes their latest family-friendly adventure about a part-chicken, part-hare character named Chickenhare, who sets off on a quest to stop his nefarious uncle Lapin from acquiring the legendary scepter known as the Hamster of Darkness, after inadvertently setting Lapin free from the prison he has been imprisoned in following a failed attempt to overthrow Chickenhare’s father King Peter.
Those who have seen their earlier films should know that it is easily their best yet, boasting an engaging screenplay by Hollywood writer Dave Collard (who was co-writer on Disney’s ‘The Wild’) as well as crisp direction from nWave veterans Ben Stassen and Benjamin Mousquet. ‘Chickenhare’ is also testament to how far nWave has evolved its technology over the years, with the animation looking as bright, lively and rich as their accomplished Hollywood counterparts, though to their credit, they never let that distract from what is an inspiring story about embracing your differences and turning them into strength.
Drawing from the graphic novel by Chris Grine, ‘Chickenhare’ lets its titular character (voiced by Jordan Tartakow) take centre stage in this coming-of-age adventure. After an opening prologue depicting how Peter (Brad Venable) discovered Chickenhare and adopted him, the story quickly moves to establish Chickenhare as an insecure young teenager unsure of how to fit in, deciding to mask his chicken-like qualities in order to appear more ‘hare’. It is Chickenhare’s eagerness to prove himself to his father King Peter that also leads him to enter the dungeon where Uncle Lapin (Danny Fehsenfeld) has been locked up since a failed coup, and why Chickenhare decides to take it upon himself to stop Lapin from acquiring the magical powers of the scepter that could lead to the destruction of the kingdom.
As with such animations, Chickenhare’s journey is enlivened by a roster of colourful supporting characters. Aiding Chickenhare is his faithful servant Abe (Joey Lotsko), a turtle whose sarcasm adds much dry levity to the proceedings, and an unlikely new friend he meets named Meg (Laila Berzins), a rebellious female skunk whose ultimate martial arts skill of farting will delight the children. On the other hand, Lapin is accompanied by Meg (Dino Andrade), a duck whose self-importance is simply amusing, and Luther (Joseph Carmen), a gorilla who has since left behind his glory days as a criminal to become a stay-at-home father.
To Stassen and Mousquet’s credit, there is never a dull moment throughout the 90-minute film, buoyed as it is by dynamic action sequences sharply choreographed and executed. The standout here is a kooky set-piece involving a confrontation between Chickenhare and his companions and an army of marshmellow pigs that live in a bamboo forest, the latter utterly delightful in their cube-shaped copiousness advancing like a living game of Tetris to capture our heroes as sacrifice for their pagan-styled worship ceremony. Like we said, nWave has come a long way since their earlier ‘Sammy’s Adventures’, and it shows in every frame.
Even though it doesn’t break new ground for the genre, ‘Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness’ is enjoyable in its own right, with a uplifting story, great pacing and strong visuals combining to make it perfectly accessible family entertainment. A special shout-out too to the cast, who demonstrate there are perfectly talented voice actors out there who are not big-name Hollywood stars. Amidst other higher-profile animations like ‘Lightyear’ and ‘Minions: The Rise of Gru’, those looking for something simple but just as sweet for the kids will find ‘Chickenhare’ an unassuming and therefore unexpected delight.
Movie Rating:
(An engaging coming-of-age story, great pacing and strong visuals combine to make this familiar but fun animation an unassuming delight)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Hong Won-ki
Cast: AleXa Arin, Bong Jae-hyun, EXY, Ju Hak-nyeon, Jung Won-chang, Kim Do-yoon, Lee Ho-won, Lee Min Hyuk, Lee Soo-min, Lee Yul-eum, Oh Ryoong, Rie Young-zin, Seo Ji-soo, SEOLA, SHOWNU
Runtime: 2 hrs 3 mins
Rating: NC16 (Horror And Violence)
Released By: Encore Films & Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 16 June 2022
Synopsis: 10 different urban tales featuring popular K-pop stars and K-movie stars will take you into the realm of darkness where myth and reality become blurred.
Movie Review:
There’s no getting away from folklore even in a contemporary setting. No matter which continent we might be on, each urban environment - crowded with people and traffic - will always birth stories that people whisper about or discover online. Given how pervasive urban myths are, it’s funny how they are not recognised as a cultural piece of their own in the countries they are in.
For now, they are best recognised through forum threads and webtoons, as well as the occasional film like Urban Myths. Director Hong Won-ki presents 10 separate rumoured tales to the audience in this newest anthology from Korea, and the ambitious effect is as mixed as they come.
Unlike its many predecessors, Urban Myths bit off a bit more than it could chew on. Even with a relatively generous runtime of two hours, quite a few chapters don’t get a chance to even warm up before they end. As you can imagine, this can be quite dissatisfying.
Wildly successful titles like V/H/S, Three… Extremes, or even 4bia had a few things in common: Unpredictable plots, visceral settings, rich context, and strong running themes. Though some of these are present in Urban Myths, they’re not present enough. The film is ultimately serving up a diluted experience of shocks.
This is a pity because some of the topics here are noteworthy. There’s online jealousy, bullying, even implied same-sex relationships gone awry - all subjects worthy of exploring. But besides throwing cautionary tales forward, the one-note presentations didn’t do justice to such nuanced themes.
What the film does well is eking out visual horror from some of the myths. Tooth worms is exactly as uncomfortable and terrifying as it sounds, and Mannequin places us in the front seat of meeting with those life-sized dolls that creep almost everyone out. There’s also a cupboard episode that will have you rethinking trading on marketplaces like Carousell.
Urban myths work because they are placed in some of our most everyday circumstances, but injecting our subconscious fears into these settings. A man moving into an apartment to start a conversation with a coy neighbour by knocking on the wall, or over-confidant teens thinking they can breeze through every escape game in town - these are scenarios we can easily see happening.
Unfortunately, Urban Myth’s snappy endings of these stories are a bit too much to swallow. It occasionally feels like that joked-about “and I woke up from my dream” ending we are so advised against for our compositions in school - that’s how ludicrous it can be.
The makers here have gathered young idols and even actors that have made their mark in this genre to bolster the showings. It helps somewhat, having an attractive cast with decent acting to propel the stories, but because the episodes are all much too short and completely disconnected, the final effect for Urban Myths is lacklustre.
Movie Rating:
(Ambitious concept with episodes with potential to terrify, but limited in impact by its lack of length)
Review by Morgan Awyong
SYNOPSIS: Meet the world's last defense. One Army captain must use her years of tactical training and military expertise when a simultaneous coordinated attack threatens the remote missile interceptor station she is in command of.
MOVIE REVIEW:
As ironic as it sounds, it takes an almost Australian cast and crew to pull off a project liked Interceptor which involves a heroic American Army captain taking on rogue American soldiers and nuclear missiles.
To elaborate our point further, Interceptor stars Spanish actress Elsa Pataky in the lead role. But hold your horses, isn’t this supposedly an Australian production? Well to the uninitiated, Pataky is the wife of Chris Hemsworth who happens to be her personal trainer and also serves as one of the executive producers. The movie also marks the directorial debut of Australian novelist Matthew Reilly who also co-wrote the story with Stuart Beattie, a renowned Australian screenwriter behind the original Pirates of the Caribbean and Collateral.
Whether it’s Australia or American made, it doesn’t matter in the end. The flick is sort of a throwback to 80’s and early 90’s action thrillers liked Die Hard and Under Siege. The story is minimal and there’s enough crazy action to keep things going at a brief 99 minutes. In fact, there’s almost to nothing except some brief notes about interceptor bases before we see the villain strolled in shortly after the credits rolled and start mouthing some bad-ass dialogue about bombing America to pieces.
It seems liked our dear antagonist Alexander Kessel (Luke Bracey from the Point Break remake) has made a deal with the Russians and 16 nuclear missiles are directed at America unless the interceptor base which Captain JJ Collins (Pataky) are stationed at are able to intercept the missiles on time before they hit the mainland. And now it’s up to JJ and a deskbound clerk, Corporal Shah (Mayne Mehta) to save the world from psychotic villain Kessel.
You might have known Pataky from Fast Five and it’s sequels but you certainly never see her in such a kick-ass, meaty role. Patak displays enough slick combat moves and charisma to keep viewers rooting for her despite an unnecessary backstory about sexual harassment by a five-star general. Even if it’s well-intended, most viewers are not here for some political-correct lectures for sure.
On the other hand, Luke Bracey is somewhat overshadowed by his cheesy henchman, Beaver and while his character has some deep “Daddy” issues, it doesn’t really uphold the fact that he needs to resort betraying his country for the money. Chris Hemsworth actually cameos in a couple of brief scenes dressing up as Fat Thor and playing a goofy salesman.
Interceptor to sum up is a mediocre, low-budget action movie that entertains whenever JJ is sparring and exchanging blows with Kessel’s bunch of colourful henchmen. If you are in the mood for some no-brainer 80’s action flicks then this one fits the bill even though it’s released in the year 2022.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: When young loner Anna is hired as the gestational surrogate for Matt, a single man in his 40s who wants a child, the two strangers come to realize this unexpected relationship will quickly challenge their perceptions of connection, boundaries and the particulars of love.
MOVIE REVIEW:
The provision of surrogate services is currently illegal in Singapore which explains why the subject for better or worse is little or practically unheard of here. Together Together is an indie drama about surrogacy and how two worldly different people get together as they navigate their tricky relationship.
Matt (Ed Helms from The Hangover trilogy), a single successful apps developer in his 40’s is keen to start a family so he engaged the services of a 26-year-old Anna (Patti Harrison) to be his surrogate. Matt gets a bit overprotective as the day goes as he tries to micromanage what Anna eats, constantly bringing her pregnancy tea and stopping her from having sex.
Despite their disagreements, the two lonely souls hang out together most of their free time watching “Friends” or simply, picking a colour for the nursery, going for their therapy sessions, hospital checkups and crib shopping. If you think where this movie is heading to then perhaps you might be wrong.
Together Together is not so much a romantic romcom but somewhat a subdued look at a platonic relationship. Matt is the typical nerdy nice guy who somehow fails in the romance department. Anna is more complicated in a way. She needs the money to continue her university studies and she is estranged from her own family for having a child when she was much younger.
Writer-director Nikole Beckwith touches on several interesting themes and topics including friendship, social expectations and privilege although she is merely scratching the surface through mild jokes and tension. We hardly know the real reason behind Matt’s intention to have a kid or Anna’s view on love. Even a baby shower scene seems kind of forced. Fortunately, she has Helms and Harrison to keep the flawed drama from being overly bored and pretentious.
Helms is excellent as the middle-age, awkward (likely sad as well) man who is still trying to find his place in our society as a soon-to-be single father. He seems destined to be playing the fumbling character and of course, he is the perfect Matt opposite the scene-stealing Patti Harrison whom to the uninitiated is a transgender actress portraying a cisgender character. Maybe it’s time we judge people based solely on their talents.
Other than that amusing conversation about Woody Allen films, Together Together is comfortable being a modest dramedy about parenthood and love. There’s nothing ground-breaking given the subject matter and the only consolation is the chemistry between Helms and Pattinson.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: Messy and mischievous Marmaduke has a big heart but can't stay out of trouble! Does he have what it takes to shine in the swanky dog show world?
MOVIE REVIEW:
Not to be confused with the other famous Great Dane Scooby-Doo, Marmaduke actually started from a comic strip back in 1954 by the late Brad Anderson. While certainly not as well-known as the amateur detective, Marmaduke did received a live-action makeover in 2010 to generally unfavourable reviews. I guess history repeat itself 12 years later in this computer animated feature.
American comedian Pete Davidson lends his voice to Marmaduke, the big mischievous Great Dane who is always hungry and playful. After creating a chaotic mess at a party organised by his owners, the Wilson family, a famous dog whisperer, Guy Hilton (Brian Hull) offers to take Marmaduke under his wings and plans to enter him in a dog competition after his rigorous training. But when a sinister rival, Zeus (J.K. Simmons) pulls a trick on Marmaduke which resulted him being embarrassingly removed from the competition, Marmaduke feels he has letdown the Wilsons. Will Marmaduke make a comeback and bring glory to his family? Of course he will.
Running at a slim 90 minutes and much dismay to this reviewer, there’s hardly any interesting plot development and funny gags in Marmaduke to sustain the feature long movie. Writer Byron Kavanagh has to resort to pulling off a couple of flatulence jokes and another prolonged (boring) dog competition to pad out the entire runtime.
The humans are generally side-lined even though they are the main characters in the original comic strip and Marmaduke for one don’t even talk. In this animated version, Marmaduke is mostly surrounded by the wise household Siamese cat, King Tut and an array of colourful stereotypical animal characters liked a mystical pup from China, a taco-loving Chihuahua and a fashionable Poodle from expectedly France. It sounds like a blast on paper but it’s just plain excruciating.
And adding on to the nightmare, the visuals are atrociously bland and unappealing for an animation that is this recent. The animation looks incredibly awkward and 2D despite being 3D. This is not looking good for Louis Koo especially when the animation mainly comes from his production outfit, One Cool Animation. Definitely not cool.
The less is said about Marmaduke the better it is. Given the massive competition on the big screen and streaming platforms, we seriously don’t see the appeal of it. This is such a bad animation title that even little kids will reject. They probably want a rerun of The Secret Life of Pets or any other Disney titles.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Crime/Action
Director: Mak Ho Pong
Cast: Patrick Tam, Ron Ng, Kenny Wong, Justin Cheung, Adam Pak, Moses Chan
Runtime: 1 hr 27 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 30 June 2022
Synopsis: Ex-warden Tang (Kenny Wong) is sent to prison because of corruption whereas Jun (Ron Ng) is sent back for a jail sentence due to the failure of a breakout. Jun then enticed Tang to help with another breakout as he was familiar with the structure of the prison. They schemed to make Big Roller (Patrick Tam) the fall guy in order for their plan to be successful. However, Jun found out that Tang played a trick on him so he is forced to turn his coat to Big Roller, Mak (Adam Pak) and the new Warden Ma (Moses Chan) to disclose Tang’s conspiracy for their safety.
Movie Review:
Barely six months after a sequel which no one asked for, the team behind the middling prison drama ‘Breakout Brothers’ is back with the concluding chapter of the unlikeliest trilogy in recent Hong Kong cinema.
Those who had seen the last movie will remember that it ended on a cliffhanger with the wicked prison warden Tang (Kenny Wong) being convicted of bribery and sentenced to 10 years in prison behind the same bars that he used to run as his own kingdom.
As we learn from the start, Tang has been kept in solitary confinement by the new warden Ma (Moses Chan) for his own good, given how the other prisoners would naturally have their grudges to bear against his tyrannical rule previously.
Not surprisingly, Tang is the mastermind behind the obligatory breakout in this instalment, plotting with the previous movie’s antagonist Ho Chun (Ron Ng) to set up those likely to stand in their way, especially Big Roller (Patrick Tam) and Scar (Justin Cheung).
To say more would probably ruin the plot for those keen to learn how it all ends, not least since Big Roller no longer has the benefit of two of his closest buddies Chan Ho-ching (Louis Cheung) and Mak Kin-tin (Adam Pak) from the earlier movies to watch his back, both of whom have been released from prison after seeing their sentences shortened for good behaviour.
Suffice to say that screenwriter Edmond Wong conjures a more compelling prison break premise here than in the last movie, and that director Mak Ho-pong uses the best of what certainly would be a limited budget, staging a hostage situation in the final act to cap things off. Compared to its predecessor too, this one has a more engaging pace, and at under one-and-a-half hours, does not overstay its welcome.
As with the previous two movies, it is the cast that elevate the material. Tam excudes charisma aplenty as the ‘big brother’ of the prison, now reformed and giving sagely advice to the other prisoners, including the hot-headed Scar. Cheung rewards the time given to flesh out Scar’s backstory with his most poignant performance in the series yet. Wong is utterly convincing as the baddie, while erstwhile TVB stars Ng and Chan bring their trademark panache to their respective supporting acts.
Frankly, there are both better and worse ways to spend your time than with ‘Breakout Brothers 3’; and yet, those who still yearn for a good-old Hong Kong film will find some satisfaction with this unassuming entry. The end credits tease prequels for the key characters, and the fact that we’re willing to see one on Big Roller and Scar respectively is a reflection of the modest success that the filmmakers have pulled off. So as long as you’re simply looking for a mild diversion, you’ll enjoy it for what it’s worth.
Movie Rating:
(Unnecessary yet not unwelcome, this concluding chapter to an unlikely trilogy is an entertaining diversion whose best pleasure is its charismatic cast)
Review by Gabriel Chong
SYNOPSIS: From filmmaker Reinaldo Marcus Green (MONSTERS AND MEN; upcoming KING RICHARD), along with the Academy Award-winning writing team behind BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (Diana Ossana & Larry McMurtry) and Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg, JOE BELL tells the intimate and emotional true story of an Oregonian father who pays tribute to his gay teenage son Jadin, embarking on a self-reflective walk across America to speak his heart to heartland citizens about the real and terrifying costs of bullying.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Mark Wahlberg has a successful film career playing tough as nail characters and has dabbled anything from drama to action to comedies. Still, the Academy Award nominee and Boston native has received a lot of flak for his acting. To be specific, he seems to be playing all sorts of different characters the same way.
The same kind of vibe applies to Joe Bell as well. Wahlberg plays a tough, working-class Oregon man name Joe Bell who lost his gay son, Jadin (Reid Miller) to suicide. Shaken by the fact that his son died as a result of intense bullying at school due to his sexuality, Bell embarks on a road journey across the country delivering speeches on tolerance, differences and bullying.
Based on a true story and with very noble intentions, Joe Bell perhaps works better in a documentary format rather than a feature length movie. Despite a lean runtime, the screenplay fails to unravel the true meaning behind this film. Most of the happenings are told in flashbacks and Joe is shown constantly talking to his son (whom we obviously know is not there physically), singing Lady Gaga’s hit tune, “Born This Way” together and dancing with “him” in the rain. Is Joe’s perspective of things reliable? Or is he trying hard to redeem himself through his imaginative conversations with his late son?
Despite the fact that Joe is on his road trip talking about the consequences of bullying, we never see or hear much of his speech or even actions. He walks off after encountering two homophobic at a diner then we see him going to a gay bar to chit chat later on. He displays his anger at his wife and younger son when they come to visit. Joe’s actions certainly raises a lot of questions and Wahlberg’s hamfisted performance doesn’t add much credibility to it because most of the time, he looks like he is far more ready to kill than gives a rousing speech to the masses.
Reid Miller on the other hand gave a heartbreaking portrayal of Jadin especially a noteworthy breaking down scene after his tragic assault in the locker room. The always welcome Gary Sinise turns up late in the movie as Sheriff Westin who lends a listening ear to Joe. Connie Britton and Maxwell Jenkins who plays Joe’s supportive wife and younger son respectively shines in their limited screentime.
Written by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana, the duo responsible for the Oscar winning Brokeback Mountain, Joe Bell unfortunately is more of a miss for both of them. There’s too much predictability and the messages never come across as powerful as it should be. Making it worse is the non-linear style of storytelling which is more stylish than engaging. In short, it’s a wasted opportunity for the subject matter.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Comedy
Director: Jack Neo
Cast: Apple Chan, Glenn Yong, Yang Guang Ke Le, Belle Chua, Xixi Lim, Samantha Tan, Charlene Huang, Shirli Ling, Karyn Wong, Eswari, Veracia Yong, Yong Yu, Farah Farook, Vanessa Tiara, Chloe Goh
Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website:
Opening Day: 16 June 2022
Synopsis: Sergeant Chow’s actions are misconstrued, but in the face of tough challenges, the girls develop a stronger bond and mature together. Lieutenant Roxanne Tan complicates Joey's relationship with her boyfriend. The girls go through gruelling obstacles in their GBMT journey, which eventually lands them in a dangerous situation and their actions will shock the nation.
Movie Review:
As critical as we had been of ‘Ah Girls Go Army’, we stand by every word we had said about that risible movie, which in our opinion, was witless, charmless and pointless. It stands to reason therefore that we would approach the second-parter with trepidation bordering on dread, reinforced by how the producers had avoided screening the movie for media ahead of its general release. Yet ironic though it may be, the rock-bottom expectations established by its predecessor means this sequel is in fact a marked improvement, even if it continues to fall short of the standards of any of the earlier ‘Ah Boys to Men’ instalments.
Picking up right after the “cliffhanger” that Sergeant Chow (Glenn Yong) might be re-assigned after his ill-advised decision to punish the female recruits with a Defaulters’ Parade, ‘Ah Girls Go Army Again’ gets that unnecessary complication over and done with in just one opening scene. In recognition of the effect it has had on the unity of the section, Sgt Chow is given seven extra duties by his Commanding Officer, but is otherwise allowed to remain as Platoon Sergeant. That said, those enamoured with the dashing PS will be disappointed to learn that, until the climax, he has a smaller role this time round; instead, it is the Platoon Commander Roxanne Tan (Apple Chan) whose character gets the more substantive treatment.
Those who recall how the earlier movie had set up 2LT Roxanne as a love rival to recruit Joey Tay (Belle Chua) will probably not be surprised; indeed, one of the more coherent subplots has both women confronting their triple-timing boyfriend over a surprise birthday dinner, with the other recruits lending moral support and Tosh Zhang popping up in a brief but fun cameo. Another smaller subplot has tattooed recruit Chow Ai Lian (Shirli Ling) hiding from the loansharks she owes money to, resolved all too quickly with fellow recruit Amanda Ong (Kelly Kimberly Cheong) flexing her muscles against Mayiduo’s gangster and Princess See generously paying off the debt.
Otherwise, like ‘Ah Boys to Men II’, this continuation sees the recruits go through the beats of the rest of the Girls Basic Military Training programme – including casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) training, field camp, BMT and SIT tests, and the obligatory Passing Out Parade. The gags are as exaggerated as before, ranging from the absolutely cringe-worthy slo-mo Korean drama parodies during CASEVAC training, to the Foodpanda rider who dons an army uniform to perform deliveries for both the recruits and sergeants at night while outfield, and to the unexpectedly hilarious improvisational methods the recruits devise in response to mrbrown’s SIT instructor’s impromptu mission conditions. Not all of the jokes stick, but we can say the sequence with mrbrown is easily the funniest.
That the staging feels haphazard is due to director Jack Neo’s method, which extends not just to how many of the scenes are shot but also the nature of the plotting with his frequent co-writer Link Sng. A good example is how a random news report of a gang of illegal immigrants committing armed burglaries in Singapore becomes the basis for a curious action-packed finale, where the recruits are suddenly ambushed in the jungle during their SIT test by the gang looking to flee to Malaysia, resulting in some fisticuffs and even a knife fight in which at least one of our heroes in green will get injured. Structurally, the plotting is as episodic as Neo’s previous movies, though there is even less coherence on display here than what you’re probably expecting.
It is even greater credit to the cast therefore that their onscreen camaraderie remains just as visible. Whereas the first movie subjected their characters to farcical conflicts in order to play up their differences, this sequel lets them come together as a team as the cast no doubt did during their 50-day production. For this reason too, the obligatory POP does bring a tangible sense of accomplishment, and perhaps even enough goodwill for a follow-up with better plotting and character work.
So despite our significant reservations over ‘Ah Girls Go Army Again’, we must say we did not walk out of it as annoyed and exasperated as we did from the earlier movie. Whilst expectation or the lack thereof is a key reason for that, it is also true that the laughs are better, the storytelling more engaging and the chemistry stronger. There is a cheeky reference at the end to our current Minister for Defence that is signature Neo, and even if ultimately the ‘Ah Girls Go Army’ series is simply a lazy way of continuing the most successful franchise of his career, it is a reminder why Neo’s brand of humour had struck a chord with Singaporeans over the years, and gives hope that there can still be creative genius from the most commercially successful filmmaker of local cinema.
Movie Rating:
(Far better than its risible predecessor, this second-parter has better laughs, more engaging storytelling and stronger chemistry, even though it still pales in comparison to any of the 'Ah Boys to Men' films)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Drama
Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu
Cast: Song Kang Ho, Gang Dong Won, Doona Bae, Lee Ji Eun, Lee Joo Young
Runtime: 2 hrs 9 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Clover Films
Official Website:
Opening Day: 23 June 2022
Synopsis: Sang-hyun (SONG Kang Ho) runs a laundry shop, but is constantly saddled with debt. Dong-soo (GANG Dong Won), who grew up in an orphanage, works in a baby box facility. One night in the pouring rain, they secretly carry off an infant who was left at the baby box. But on the following day, the mother So-young (LEE Ji Eun) unexpectedly returns for her son Woo-sung. Realizing that her baby has been taken, she is about to call the police when the two men tell her everything. Their claim that they stole the baby in order to find him a good home seems outrageous, but So-young ends up joining Sang-hyun and Dong-soo on a journey to find new parents for Woo-sung. Meanwhile, the police detective Su-jin (Doona BAE) and her younger colleague Detective Lee (LEE Joo Young) are witnessing all of this as it unfolds. They silently tail the group, hoping to catch them in the act at all costs to wrap up their half-year investigation. Brought together by chance through a baby box, the five individuals embark on an unusual and unexpected journey.
Movie Review:
Comparisons with his Palme d’Or winning ‘Shoplifters’ are inevitable, especially given how both revolve around surrogate families, but writer-director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s latest deserves to be appreciated in its own regard.
The film’s title refers to the illegal baby trade, which as we learn along the course of the movie, is a necessary evil for couples who are unable to have their own children and hope to circumvent the bureaucratic and financial challenges of legal adoption.
Engaged in such black market selling is debt-ridden laundromat owner Sang-hyun (Song Kang-ho), who is in cahoots with part-time church worker Dong-soo (Gang Dong Won) to steal infants abandoned at the church’s ‘baby box’ to sell them to eager couples. One such baby is Woo-sung, left behind by a visibly distressed So-young (Lee Ji Eun) one rainy night at the Busan Family Church.
Unbeknownst to both brokers, a pair of female detectives (Bae Doona and Lee Joo-young) are staking out the church, and are soon on their tail. The other complication is So-young, who returns to the church the day after to reclaim her son, forcing Sang-hyun and Dong-soo to bring her into their operation in order to stop her from going to the police.
Instead of walking away with Woo-sung, So-young makes a deal with them to split the money from the sale, a decision that will make perfect sense later on when we learn who she is, how she got pregnant, and why she could not keep Woo-sung. Their road trip to meet potential adoptive parents will include a stopover at an orphanage, where they will meet an adorably mischievous kid named Hae-jin whom they will find as a stowaway at the back of their beat-up van after it is too late to turn back.
It is no secret that the group will become a family over the course of their time together, but Kore-eda cultivates their unlikely bond with empathy, dignity and poignancy. Each one of these characters carries his or her own baggage, whether is it a failed marriage, childhood abandonment, estrangement or even a murder charge; and yet, it is precisely these afflictions that make the moments between them even more precious, meaningful and heartfelt.
Such is the elegance of Kore-eda’s directorial craft that their idiosyncratic trip never comes off contrived – nowhere is this more apparent than in a Ferris wheel ride late into the film, where what could be schmaltz turns into easily the most touching sequence of the whole movie as both Sang-hyun and Dong-soo set aside their disappointment and fears to comfort Hae-jin and So-young respectively. Notwithstanding their own brokenness, the notion of them coming together to help each other make the best of their circumstances is deeply moving to say the very least.
Those familiar with Kore-eda’s works will certainly not be surprised by how deftly he handles tough subject matter with a light touch. Even so, there is no denying the dilemmas at play here. Should a mother give birth to a child if she is not prepared to raise him? Is not giving him a chance to live at all a worse sin? How do we as a society make good with the children who have been abandoned by their parents? Rather than asking them pointedly, Kore-eda teases these issues out of the predicaments of the respective characters; and we might add that it includes the uptight Su-jin (Doona), who comes to terms with her own emptiness over a gorgeous homage to Paul Thomas Anderson with the Aimee Mann song ‘Wise Up’.
So even though it isn’t as brilliant as ‘Shoplifters’, this drama of a different unconventional family has impeccable compassion, delicacy and empathy, even by Kore-eda’s humanist standards. Though again not working in his native language, Kore-eda coaxes some of the best performances from the Korean cast, including standout leads in Song and Gang and a layered supporting act in Lee. Especially for those looking for affirmation in the face of life’s seemingly daunting challenges, ‘Broker’ is a reminder that no life is perfect, and it is ultimately what we make out of the moments we have that truly matter.
Movie Rating:
(Warm, funny, poignant and ultimately uplifting, this latest unconventional family drama from writer-director Hirokazu Kore-eda is one of the year's best feel-good films)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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