Genre: Comedy
Director: Sunny Chan
Cast: Dayo Wong, Stephy Tang, Louis Cheung Kai Chung, Ivana Wong, Lin Min Chen, Chan Charm Man Peter, Fish Liew
Runtime: 1 hr 56 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Sexual References)
Released By: Golden Village 
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 8 September 2022

Synopsis: It is often said that food and meals bring families together, but in TABLE FOR SIX it’s clear that not all family gatherings are a cause for celebration. In this melodramatic comedy, three brothers reside in a home that they inherited from their late parents. The eldest brother Steve (Dayo Wong), theoretically is the man of the house, but he constantly is getting dissed by his two younger brothers Bernard (Louis Cheung Kai Chung) and Lung (Chan Charm Man Peter) for the decisions he makes, the inedible meals that he cooks, and his complicated romantic encounters. To prepare for a family reunion dinner, Steve seeks the help of Lung’s girlfriend and foodie Josephine (Ivana Wong) and in doing so, wins back their hearts for a while, until his old flame and Bernard’s new girlfriend Monica (Stephy Tang) shows up. That’s a recipe for a disaster waiting to explode! The unexpected visit of Steve’s part-time girlfriend Meow (Lin Min-Chen) not only fails to turn down the heat and cool the awkward situation, but stirs up the sibling conflict even further. 

Movie Review:

Had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic, ‘Table for Six’ and ‘Chilli Laugh Story’ would have gone head to head at the box office during the lucrative Chinese New Year period. That both films decided in the end to find separate release windows is a blessing in disguise, for both are worthy and deserving of audience attention. Whereas ‘Chilli’ saw the filmmaking debut of Coba Cheng under the tutelage of producer Sandra Ng, ‘Table’ marks the sophomore film by veteran screenwriter Sunny Chan under producer Bill Kong, and it is to the credit of both producers that each of these films are warm, wise and funny in their own ways.

Unfolding largely within the confines of their father’s former barbeque pork kitchen which three brothers have since converted into a spacious apartment, ‘Table’ weaves a coming-of-age story for the siblings Steve (Dayo Wong), Bernard (Louis Cheung) and Lung (Peter Chan). The eldest Steve is a professional photographer, who has converted part of the space in the apartment into his own studio; more importantly though, he has taken it upon himself to head the household following the death of their parents. Lung has quit his day job in the hopes of making it big as a professional e-sports player, much to the chagrin of his longtime girlfriend Josephine (Ivana Wong). Among the three, Bernard seems to be the most well-adjusted, though it is also him who throws all their lives into disarray.

The first of several reunion dinners that are the equivalent of the movie’s set-pieces sees Bernard bringing home his new girlfriend Monica (Stephy Tang), who was Steve’s ex-girlfriend until their break-up three years ago that he still hasn’t gotten over. Despite his own feelings, Steve generously welcomes Monica to join the family, inviting her to move in with them than remain in her subdivided flat he is all too familiar with. Steve further over-compensates by asking popular internet model Meow (Lin Min Chen) to move in as well to show how he has gotten over Monica, the latter an online celebrity who happens to be his biggest fan. Together with Josephine, whom Steve and Bernard had earlier invited to move in to be their resident chef, it is as crowded and as complicated as it gets.

Eschewing the ‘mo lei tau’ style of comedy of the typical CNY comedy, Chan adopts a dialogue-heavy, character-driven approach to his storytelling. A subsequent dinner conversation lays bare how Bernard had been interested in Monica even when she was Steve’s girlfriend three years ago, and had deliberately engineered their meet-cute six months ago over a project which Monica’s advertising company had tendered for. A heart-to-heart talk between Steve and Meow reveals how the latter is a lot more astute and perceptive than her cutesy image suggests, and what Steve has been suppressing all these years in order not to be a cause of worry to his brothers. And just when you think the only thing that could go right would save the family from being torn apart, Lung and Josephine’s relationship unravels in unexpected ways.

That none of the characters ends up being superfluous is credit to Chan’s scripting, which takes time to sculpt each character’s anxieties, insecurities and motivations. It is no surprise the family will come apart before coming back together again, but the process of doing so feels authentic, heartfelt and utterly relatable. It is also to Chan’s credit that the film never loses its cinematic quality despite being largely a chamber piece, with Meteor Cheung’s dexterous camera work ensuring that the movie feels intimate yet expansive at the same time. And then there is the ensemble cast, whose chemistry enlivens the material and makes it a lot more than the sum of its parts; in particular, (Dayo) Wong and Tang shine as ex-lovers who have to decide how to move forward not just for their sakes but also for the sake of those they care about.

We’d even go so far as to say that ‘Table’ is one of the best family dramas we’ve seen in a while, and with ‘Chilli’, even more reason to have faith once again in Hong Kong cinema. Kudos to Chan for not falling back on genre tropes for a Chinese New Year movie, choosing instead to pen quite possibly one of his best films to deliver an amusing, affecting and absorbing portrait of what it means to stay together as family. So even though it is now repackaged as a Mid-Autumn Festival release, ‘Table’ loses none of its joys or poignancy, and amidst a resurgence of Hong Kong cinema, may very well be the best of a very good lot.

Movie Rating:

(Lively, funny and heartfelt, 'Table for Six' assembles an excellent ensemble cast for a dialogue-heavy, character-driven family drama that is one of the best Hong Kong films of the year)

Review by Gabriel Chong

SYNOPSIS: With his family away, a devoted stay-at-home dad enjoys his first me time in years by joining his hard-partying old friend on a wild birthday adventure.

MOVIE REVIEW:

The fact that Kevin Hart headlined two unfunny Netflix comedies in a row is alarming consider that the comedian’s career is on a high. We wouldn’t want a burn out Hart but he is potentially running out of laughs as seen in his latest comedy Me Time.

The movie written and directed by John Hamburg (Along Came Polly, I Love You Man) has Hart playing a househusband, Sonny whose daily chores include taking care of his children needs and being the President of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA). He turns jealous when his wife, Maya (a wasted Regina Hall) gets too close with an eco-tycoon, Armando (Luis Gerardo Mendez). Maya knows that Sonny might be stressed out from the upcoming school talent show and recommends he takes some time off.

Trouble ensues when Sonny decides to join his buddy/childhood friend, Huck (Mark Wahlberg), a seemingly carefree rich bachelor who is currently partying hard celebrating his 44th birthday. Apparently, Huck is no help to Sonny’s mental health or whatsoever as he himself is in some sort of debt due to his frivolous spending. Is this the right time for the two buddies to reconnect? We highly doubt so.

Clearly, Me Time harbours a good intention of showcasing fatherhood, friendship and also a tribute to all sad middle-aged men out there. However, none of the happenings onscreen has anything remotely interesting to convey. If you want to uncover some hidden gems inside the numerous meaningless wacky gags, you for sure won’t find it there.

For a start, what’s so funny about two grown-ups meddling with a gigantic tortoise? That gag took long enough and it’s unfunny as hell. Hamburg even recycled a gag from Horrible Bosses only this time it’s Hart and a spatula instead of Charlie Day and a toothbrush. The only rib-tickling gag is watching Sonny being chased by a ferocious mama mountain lion in the desert. That’s probably the only joke worth catching.

As for Mark Wahlberg, the other big name in this comedy, he is basically just playing a variant of his character in Ted, immature, crass and ridiculous. And he is not even in the movie that much to make an impression. Then there is Jimmy O. Yang playing a loud loanshark equipped with a female Israeli bodyguard. Strangely, his character reminds us of Mr. Chow from The Hangover, only more subdued.

We don’t even have the heart to continually telling you how bad Me Time is. Even that long speech Sonny gave at the end of the movie is not that heartening to salvage the entire mishap. Perhaps Hart should stick to dramas liked Fatherhood or The Upside to sustain his acting career and not a haphazard comedy about poop, vomit and masturbation.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

SYNOPSIS: Thirteen-year-old Sam Cleary (Javon "Wanna" Walton) suspects that his mysterious and reclusive neighbor Mr. Smith (Sylvester Stallone) is actually a legend hiding in plain sight. Twenty years ago, Granite City's super-powered vigilante, Samaritan, was reported dead after a fiery warehouse battle with his rival, Nemesis. Most believe Samaritan perished in the fire, but some in the city, like Sam, have hope that he is still alive. With crime on the rise and the city on the brink of chaos, Sam makes it his mission to coax his neighbor out of hiding to save the city from ruin.

MOVIE REVIEW:

In the apparent last leg of his career, Sylvester Stallone returns to playing the superhero after the disastrous Judge Dredd and voicing King Shark in last year, The Suicide Squad.

Samaritan is written by Bragi F. Schut who also adapts the material into a series of graphic novels prior to the movie release. The core of the story is straight out simple. In a way, it’s far more easier to follow than the average Marvel and DC flick for non-superhero movie fans. Heck, it even has lesser CGI carnage than the last Thor outing which might turned out to be a good thing after all.

Anyway, the opening tells us that 25 years ago, a superhero named Samaritan and his baddie brother, Nemesis disappear from the world after a sibling rivalry at a power plant turned horribly wrong. In short, Samaritan was the good guy who fights crimes and saved lives. Nemesis on the other hand a villain who hates the world and forged a sledgehammer to fight against his brother.

Fast forward to present day Granite City, a 13 year old boy named Sam (Javon ‘Wanna’ Walton) is a super big fan of Samaritan who believes he is still alive. Living from hand to mouth with a single parent, Sam in an attempt to earn some extra cash ends up in the wrong company of men, one that is led by Cryrus (Pilou Asbæk) who for no reason wants to be the next Nemesis and watch the world burn even though Granite City is already in shambles with high unemployment rates and poverty.

Coincidentally, Sam found out that the garbage man named Joe Smith that lives opposite his block might be Samaritan after Joe saved Sam from a couple of thugs. And the rest of the movie is entirely predictable although there is a small twist in the end.

At the age of 76, Sylvester Stallone remains a highly believable onscreen hero. In the role of the reclusive superhero, he plays it like another grizzled John Rambo and Rocky Balboa, only this time he is invincible except in high temperature environment. We have no issue with Stallone except for the all too mundane storyline. You see, playing a mentor/father figure to a young boy isn’t that interesting compared to a plotting that involves two superhero brothers that don’t see eye to eye.

Add to all the blandness is a poorly defined antagonist. If you think the bad guys in Marvel movies are one dimensional, wait till you see Cyrus. An angry white guy waiting to watch the world burn? We got the Joker in The Dark Knight and he is one hell of a character.

Without relying too much on CGI, Australian director Julius Avery (Overlord) knows how to setup a couple of intense fight sequences although most of the action ends up being too repetitive and owing to the mild rating, less graphical than expected.

To be fair, Samaritan works fine as a non-licensed character from Marvel and DC. It generally feels more grounded and while it raises a lot of questions about good vs evil and the political climate, it never fully addresses all the issues before Joe walks away. Will there be a sequel? We are honestly hoping for one. Stallone definitely still has some mileage left.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Thriller
Director: Parker Finn
Cast: Sosie Bacon, Jessie T. Usher, Kyle Gallner, Robin Weigert, Caitlin Stasey, Kal Penn, Rob Morgan  
Runtime: 1 hr 56 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence and Horror)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 29 September 2022

Synopsis: After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can't explain. As an overwhelming terror begins taking over her life, Rose must confront her troubling pa st in order to survive and escape her horrifying new reality. 

Movie Review:

Subverting a place, object, role or symbol is always a good way to surprise and terrify. With Smile, director Parker Finn takes on the universal action of smiling into a more sinister realm with his feature debut.

Sosie Bacon is Dr. Rose Cotter, a workaholic therapist that can’t seem to pry herself away from helping her patients. And as all movie script enthusiasts will know, this usually is symptomatic of some troubled past.

When a young patient (Caitlin Stasey) arrives claiming to be stalked by an entity, Rose assumes the protocol and reassures her with standard therapist talk. Unfortunately, this time it didn’t work. After she reacts to an outburst from the patient, she turns to see the patient smile broadly as she kills herself, with the expression lingering even in death.

This no doubt is unsettling but Rose is about to realise this isn’t just a spectator sport. She begins to see people around her smiling in that eerie way, and begins to question her own sanity.

Truth be told, the main structure of Smile is nothing revolutionary. Protagonist has trauma, she uncovers paranormal event, slowly begins to believe it, people around her don’t, and paranormal event climaxes to teach her something about her trauma - and possibly the audience as well. And although having a tried formula isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it is when it is further bogged down by trite writing.

My issue with Smile is just how the build-up is engineered. Rose bounces between motivations and her actions are often unexplained or fathomable - a series of unconnected events interspersed by flashbacks to remind us that she’s acting from trauma.

It doesn’t help that the Finn, who’s also screenwriter, keeps leveraging on the ask-a- question-leave-it-unanswered trope. Her husband, her ex, her sister, her colleagues… they all do the same: Ask Rose what’s going on or what she meant, and she’ll leave on a mission. It’s frustrating.

The acting here is uneven, with some coming across more television tham cinematic (such as Kyle Gallner as Rose’s ex who’s a cop) while those that did perform (Stasey, who’s also featured on the poster) being snuffed out early.

But perhaps most distracting of all is Bacon herself. From initial impressions, her delivery is good, tethered in a deeper delivery. Acting goes past the face and a good actor uses their bodies and movements to suggest messages. After all, it is said that 55% of communication is body language. However, for Bacon, she leverages a bit too much on them, making her performance feel staged at times. There’s the awkward countertop slapping to ground herself when her husband asks if she’s alright; the abrupt and cliched nail-biting; and more than enough twitches to make for a livestream to remind us that she is a nervous wreck.

Though Smile’s ending was surprisingly good in its imagery and message, I still wonder if it was enough to sit through the earlier bits. But if you love your jump scares, there’s plenty here to satisfy.

Movie Rating:

(Great idea but mediocre execution. Smile suffers from an uneven performance that makes for a distracting watch)

Review by Morgan Awyong

SYNOPSIS: Academy Award® winner Robert Zemeckis directs this live action retelling of the beloved tale of a wooden puppet who embarks on a thrilling adventure to become a real boy. 

MOVIE REVIEW:

As far as this reviewer can recall, the two scariest Disney villains of all time have to be the headless horseman and Monstro. Both mean, wrathful and vengeful, these two definitely give young kids the creeps which precisely why it made Pinocchio so memorable to me till this day.

Monstro returns to haunt me in this live remake of Pinocchio although I must clarify that I have battle enough demons to be afraid of an onscreen gigantic sea creature. Robert Zemeckis once again collaborates with his The Polar Express leading man, Tom Hanks for this remake of the 1940 animated film of the same name.

For those too young to remember the story of Pinocchio, Hanks plays an elderly woodcarver, Geppetto who makes a wish on a star to turn his marionette alive. And of course, his wish came true and the marionette whom he named as Pinocchio comes alive with the help of the Blue Fairy. But in order to become a real boy, Pinocchio must learn how to be brave, truthful and selfless and a wisecracking cricket, Jiminy Cricket (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is appointed as Pinocchio’s conscience to teach him between what’s wrong and what’s right.

Expectedly, Pinocchio runs into all sorts of troubles from a conman named Honest John (Keegan Michael-Key) to Stromboli (Giuseppe Battiston), a cruel puppet master to the mysterious charming Coachman (Luke Evans), who kidnaps and lures kids to Pleasure Island and turned them into donkeys.

The latest adaptation by Zemeckis and Chris Weitz (American Pie, The Golden Compass) retains the story of the 1940 original animated feature with very minor tweaks. In a weird attempt to attract the young crowd, references to modern-day pop cultures are included such as the term “influencer” and “Chris Pine”. And in order to pad up the running time to 111 minutes, there’s a draggy moment where the topic of fame is discussed. And instead of referring to the source material for more inspiration, we are introduced to Fabiana (Kyanne Lamaya) who works for Stromboli’s traveling puppet show and Pinocchio’s only human friend. Not that Fabiana is a bad character but she’s not given a whole of opportunity to bring the story forward.

Zemeckis who is known for his visual effects heavy movies and his failed motion capture animated flicks delivers a movie that is mixed with both good and bad CG effects. The first half genuinely features some dazzling visuals while the other half especially the finale which has Monstro chasing after Pinocchio and gang in the ocean looks embarrassingly amateur even on a small screen. Even Pinocchio’s closeups look incredibly flat.

Strangely, there’s nothing that stood out from this live-action remake despite the numerous star-studded talents involved. The story is familiar to the point that it is bland. Tom Hanks and Joseph Gordon-Levitt sounds totally out of place and worst of all, the visuals look cheap and lazy. Disney’s strategy of constantly remaking classics into live-action is going nowhere by the look of it. With the exception of a few (The Lion King, The Beauty and the Beast), the rest are mostly mere fillers for Disney+.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Action/Comedy
Director: Lee Seok-hoon
Cast:  Hyun Bin, Yoo Hai Jin, Lim Yoon A, Daniel Henney, Jin Sun Kyu
Runtime: 2 hrs 8 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Coarse Language & Violence)
Released By: Golden Village 
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 15 September 2022

Synopsis: Confidential Assignment is back! This time, 3 countries are joining forces! In order to bring down an international criminal organization that is hiding in South Korea, elite North Korean detective Lim Cheol ryung (HYUN Bin) is dispatched to the South , while South Korean detective Kang Jin tae (YOO Hai Jin) is sent to Cyber Crimes unit when an undercover operation goes South. He’s desperate to return to his old team when he’s given a special detail with Cheol ryung once more. As Min-young’s heart is reignited to see Cheol ryung once more, he and Jin tae proceed to work together despite being suspicious of each other’s motives. Just as they’re about to raid the criminal organization’s leader, JANG Myung jun (JIN Sun Kyu)’s hideout, FBI agent Jack (Daniel HENNEY) bursts in!

Movie Review:

"We're the Avengers. Thanos is on the brink of erasing half of  mankind. We can't have Iron Man and Captain America fighting each other, can we?" - Inspector Kang Jin-tae (Yoo Hae- jin)

The film unfolds in New York against the dazzling night skyline with gunshots heard in the distance, ensued by an emotional and explosive prelude to the 135-minute action blockbuster. 

Hyun Bin plays Kim Chul-ryung, a North Korean cop deployed from Pyeongyang who then makes his way to South Korea (for the second time) in pursuit of Jang Myung Jun (Jin Seon Kyu), the head of a global crime ring that disappears with 100-million dollars in his Swiss bank. And the head hunt officially begins.

Fast forward to South Korea, you would recall a warm-hearted and funny Inspector Kang Jin- tae (Yoo Hae-jin) who is a legend in Seoul's major crime division from the previous instalment where he almost lost his family. Inspector Kang makes a hilariously powerful character that helps bind the growling big boys with guns and eventually succeeds in bringing them together in search of a common enemy. And representing the face of FBI, Jack (Daniel Henney) is sent to South Korea in pursuit of the same crime ring leader following a beef with Chul-ryung (Hyun Bin).

Contrastingly, Im Yoon-ah plays the lovestruck, aspiring YouTuber who is obsessed with Chul-ryung (Hyun Bin). As the plot deepens, Min-young (Yoon-ah) is spoilt for choice as soon as Jack (Henney) enters the picture. The SNSD band member takes humour to the next level with plenty of tricks up her sleeve.

Hyun Bin has once again lost his boyishly handsome cliched persona for the second time in five years. Chul-ryung displays a slightly vibrant personality this time round in comparison to his darker character in the previous instalment, that had him set on avenging his wife's demise. The ‘My Name is Kim Sam Soon’ fame spots a tanned, suave, serious look with a cool cut hairdo and facial hair that will definitely have a chokehold on many. Henney undoubtedly gives his part much personality with the same appeal that he is known to possess since his Hawaii Five-O and Criminal Minds days while lending a touch of Hollywood to this second instalment of the 2017 action film. 

This action entertainer contains a few humorous moments that offer a stark contrast to the rest of the parts that are heavily punctuated with gunshots and bloody punches. The constant bangs and booms will definitely have the audience engaged, except for a teeny-weeny bit of slump in the plot somewhere in the middle. One may experience déjà vu upon seeing some James Bond-inspired fight scenes and the main men do their stylish synchronised strut (and that too) in slow-mo.

**A Little Spoiler Alert**

The only commonness among these crème de la crème agents are sadly far from the usual representation of the loyal ride or die brotherhood. The reason being? They've pledged allegiance to superiors with questionable motives and are following orders like a horse with blinkers in pursuit of a stereotypical villain (Jang) who had lost his family in a political- inspired feud.

With drug cartel, diplomatic feuds and feisty fights between men in suits as its main theme, this sequel that hinges on a three-way operation certainly has the comedic and action elements upgraded. Excellent choice of cast, with their original roles reprised and expanded to a global scale. The fight scenes that literally pack a punch with the audio efx are fire! The film’s energy certainly matches the hype of the theatrical poster and official trailer. Is it vastly different from other action dramas? Nah! But the fact that this entertainer is part of a multi-instalment franchise makes it fondly memorable.

Movie Rating:

(A positively enjoyable action flick to catch on any given day. A worthwhile watch. An even-paced, absolute audience-pleaser, for both the young and young-at-heart)

Review by Asha Gizelle Mariadas

Genre: Action
Director: Jiang Cong
Cast: Max Zhang, Aarif Rahman, Jiang Luxia
Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Violence)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 22 September 2022

Synopsis: In the 21st century, China is at a critical juncture of transforming into a world superpower. In every corner of the world, a group of little-known Chinese diaspora quietly shoulders the heavy burden of defending the interests of China…. 

Movie Review:

Lest anyone need a reminder of how the PRC has expanded both its economic and military presence in tandem over the past decade, ‘Wolf Pack’ reinforces that message with a loud, bombastic military adventure set in the mountainous Central Asia region. Unhappy over the Government’s cooperation with the PRC on a mega natural gas project, the boss of a wealthy oil conglomerate has enlisted the services of a local terrorist organisation to destroy the pipeline, first by replacing the pipeline’s pressure regulators with fake ones and when that fails, to place an explosive device directly within a section of the pipeline.

It will come down to a team of seasoned mercenaries to foil the attacks. Diao (Max Zhang) is their leader, a fearless warrior whose code of honour inspires both respect and obedience; he also happens to be one of the co-founders of the private military company his team is employed under. Joining Diao are five other brothers-in-arms who go by such fearsome names as Fly (Liu Ye), Monstrosity (Jiang Luxia), Bombshell (Tang Kuo-chung), Fireball (Mark Luu) and Saiyan (Zhang Yi), each with his or her specific set of skills that he or she brings to the field.

The wild card on this latest mission is Ke Tong (Aarif Rahman), a young medic whom Monstrosity kidnaps on Diao’s orders to assist them in their mission. Though initially reluctant, Ke Tong’s curiosity is piqued when he discovers that Diao might be connected to his late father, and stays on with the team to find out more. As coincidence would have it, Ke Tong will find himself putting his own self-taught skills to good use, engaging in fierce shootouts and hostage rescues to hold his surprising own alongside his far more experienced counterparts.

There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that action is the operative word here, not least when ‘Wolf Pack’ moves at such a feverish pace that it barely slows down throughout its 105-minute duration to let you catch your breath. In that department, director Michael Chiang has veteran stunt choreographer Tung Wai to thank for the mostly exhilarating stunts, whether is it a foot or vehicular chase or a more elaborate sequence like an ambush on the terrorists’ village stronghold. Together with cinematographer Wong Wing-hung, another Hong Kong veteran, Tung brings us right into the heart of the pulse-pounding action, with none of that shaky-cam or excessive close-ups to distract us from the realism of the execution.

It certainly helps that each one of the actors here were chosen less for their dramatic skills than for their athleticism. Zhang is swift and lethal, especially in a mano-a-mano knife fight with fellow martial artist Diego Dati’s terrorist leader. Rahman proves he is much more than a pretty face, doing his own stunts whether clinging onto a speeding truck or chasing a baddie on top of a shophouse roof. Jiang shows she’s lost none of that military training from Dante Lam’s ‘Operation Red Sea’ four years ago, and the rest of the supporting cast likewise carry off their respective parts with nimble poise.

Yet its single-minded focus on chasing the next action scene immediately after the last means that there is barely room for any plot or character development. The relationship between Diao and Ke Tong barely registers half an hour into the film; ditto the supposed camaraderie between Monstrosity and Fireball, which fizzles out all too quickly. On the other hand, the last third tries to stuff too much while building up to its climax, resulting in an overcomplicated finale with plenty of technical mumbo-jumbo. That it stays firmly in B-movie territory is entirely of its own volition, but also why ‘Wolf Pack’ never rises above the sort of jingoistic fare Hollywood used to do in the 1980s.

On a purely visceral level though, ‘Wolf Pack’ does fulfil its mission of being an adrenaline-pumping military thriller. The action is balls-to-the-wall intense, brutal and even relentless, for better as well as for worse. Its titular similarity with ‘Wolf Warrior’ and ‘Wolf Warrior 2’ is no coincidence; this is producer Lv Jianmin’s idea of creating yet another ultra-nationalistic action franchise, though not quite with the same level of box-office success. Still, as long as you’re prepared to put politics aside, ‘Wolf Pack’ is still a worthy, hard-boiled military action thriller full of brawn, bullets and bombast.

Movie Rating:

(The very definition of action-packed, this intense, brutal and relentless military thriller gets the adrenaline-pumping job done)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Sci-Fi/Comedy
Director: Zhang Chi Yu
Cast: Shen Teng, Ma Li
Runtime: 2 hrs 3 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Encore Films
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 15 September 2022

Synopsis: A team of astronauts are deployed to the moon to prevent an asteroid impact on earth. However, the asteroid comes early and the whole crew has to evacuate. Due to an accident, maintenance worker Yue misses the evacuation notice from the leader Xing and left alone on the moon. When the plan fails, Yue becomes the "last human in the universe" and began his life on the moon as a self-indulgent man.

Movie Review:

Have you ever imagine what it would be like to live on the moon?

Based on Korean illustrator Cho Seok’s comic series called “Moon You”, “Moon Man” is about a team of astronauts who end up leaving the moon with the entire crew earlier than usual due to an oncoming asteroid, only to accidentally leave behind one of their crew member, who ends up living on the moon and tries to survive, while finding a way to contact Earth and seek his other crew members to get him, the last man on the Moon, back to Earth.

The film, which runs at slightly more than 2 hours, is packed with surprises and has so much to offer. While it does look somewhat promising and exciting, it is also rather questionable and dubious in some ways.

“Moon Man” generally feels like a work of art from a very repressed individual whose set of ideas have been caged for so long, that any first opportunity to release them out to the world is seized tightly. And this hunger and desire to express through various aspects carves out the direction of the film.

For a start, it is very apparent that humour forms the basis of the film’s core. And humour of all sorts (but mainly slapstick) is not lacking. From eccentric visuals to wordplay to slo-mo frames, every opportunity is used to push the audience to laugh their heads off. While the film does well in entertaining the viewer, it does feel overwhelming and overly exerted, to the point of it being forced. Perhaps the direction was to capture the attention of every member of the audience and to ensure that every single person is entertained and satisfied.

The film’s effects are visually entertaining and arresting. Like the humour in the film, every opportunity is taken to capture the audience. Bright visuals, contemporary comic-like illustrations, bombastic sound effects; they are just a few of many different types used in enhancing the film’s eccentricity and vibrance. But it feels like the team behind the visuals, animations and editing has multiple ideas and planted them all into the film without realising that the audience is ‘attacked’ by various conflicting styles that clashes erratically.

The plot almost seem slightly ridiculous and chaotic with slight lapses in continuity. Yet, it is creative and imaginative at its best, capturing the audience’s heart through its talented cast, whom made the film more enduring and bearable, alongside good makeup and costume designs.

What is also applaudable is the character development in the film. Despite the ‘noise’ from the overloaded sensory of humour, effects and visuals, each and every main and significant character in the film is given time to fully develop himself or herself smoothly, making each and every character relatable and believable.

Overall, “Moon Man” is promising and possibly heartwarming. But with its complex nature filled with uncertainty, the film struggles to carve a name for itself, juggling between wanting to be like a classic Hong Kong slapstick comedy or a Hollywood action film.

But in the end, perhaps our rather suppressed hearts could do with a little humour, however gaudy it might be. And perhaps that glimmer of hope is what we really need for us to heal and recover from the trauma of 2 years of pandemic, consisting of lockdowns and scares, making the categorisation of the film much less important.

And maybe it is no wonder that an outrageously outlandish film like “Moon Man” can make waves in the box office, because what the world [possibly] needs now is to be able to laugh out at the absurdity of things, and yet reflect upon the possibility of a brighter future.

Movie Rating:

(Fun and entertaining, but probably only if you been really stuck at home for too long and have not been to the cinema for a while. Possibly a good mindless film for those who needs to let go)

Review by Ron Tan

Genre: Mystery
Director: Olivia Wilde
Cast: Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine, Gemma Chan, Nick Kroll, Olivia Wilde  
Runtime: 2 hrs 2 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scenes)
Released By: Warner Bros
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 22 September 2022

Synopsis: A 1950's housewife living with her husband in a utopian experimental community begins to worry that his glamorous company may be hiding disturbing secrets. An audacious, twisted and visually stunning psychological thriller, "Don't Worry Darling" is a powerhouse feature from director Olivia Wilde that boasts intoxicating performances from Florence Pugh and Harry Styles, surrounded by an impressive and pitch-perfect cast that includes Chris Pine and Gemma Chan.

Movie Review:

Admit it, you want to watch this movie because of the off screen drama. Thanks to the Internet, you have read how director Olivia Wilde embarked on a romantic relationship with the movie’s leading man Harry Styles, who just happens to be one of the most popular pop singers around. Then there’s the tale of Shia LeBeouf, who was the original male lead in the movie, but was let go by Wilde – according to her. That prompted the troubled celebrity to announce that it was his own decision to leave the production.

Things get better (or worse, if you’re on the movie’s marketing team). Female lead Florence Pugh makes her absence felt during the publicity tours of the movie – is anyone surprised there is reported tension between her and Wilde on set? At the Venice Film Festival where the movie made its premiere, Pugh didn’t attend the press conference but showed up (stylishly, of course) at the red carpet event. The Internet made things even juicier with memes of supporting male star Chris Pine zoning out during the press conference. And the tabloid world was sent into a frenzy with a slow motion video of Styles supposedly spitting on Pine during the movie’s screening (Pine’s rep clarified that the rumour is not true).

With all the bad press (some believe that any form of publicity is better off than having no publicity at all), does anyone still care that the movie does have an intriguing plot that is supposedly a stinging statement about female subjugation and empowerment?

Pugh plays Alice, a 1950s housewife who lives in a perfect looking community known as Victory. Together with her husband Jack (Styles trying his best to take on a serious acting role), they live the picture perfect life. The men in town go off to work in the morning, while the women do chores (happily!) at home. In the evening, people gather to have fun parties and everyone looks gorgeous.

It doesn’t take a fool to know that something is wrong here. As Alice begins having scary hallucinations and a fellow housewife commits suicide after some very bizarre events, things begin unraveling and it seems that there is a darker force driving Victory. There is Frank (Pine), the sinister boss of the company where the men worked, his cold but oh so pretty wife (Gemma Chan), the supposedly caring neighbour (Wilde) and her husband (Nick Kroll) – who exactly are these people and what evil plans are they hatching?

Pugh gives it her all (or she may be just one of those actresses who excels in every role she is given), and her performance gives a contemporary touch to the chilling performances we’ve seen in The Stepford Wives (2004). She is fearless and makes audiences believe that she is a woman who wants to break free of whatever trouble she has gotten into. The 26 year old English actress has a bright future in showbiz.

Wilde said that the story by Carey Van Dyke, Shane Van Dyke and Katie Silberman is inspired by great films like Inception (2010), The Matrix (1999), and The Truman Show (1998). The way we see it, Wilde’s second work after the critically acclaimed Booksmart (2019) is a superficial approach of incorporating the sophisticated storytelling from the abovementioned titles.

The cinematography by Matthew Libatique is lavishly striking (Libatique is known for working on many of Darren Aronofsky’s films, and there are sequences that remind us of the terrifying Black Swan), and every shot is lovely to see on the big screen. But that does bit help with the half baked storytelling that leaves viewers unsatisfied. And that is such a waste, darling.

Movie Rating:

(The movie is beautiful to look at, but it's barely a superficial message about female subjugation and empowerment. But everyone loves the off-screen drama, darling!)

Review by John Li

Genre: Drama
Director: Damien Chazelle
Cast: Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, P.J. Byrne, Lukas Haas, Olivia Hamilton, Tobey Maguire, Max Minghella, Rory Scovel, Katherine Waterston, Flea, Jeff Garlin, Eric Roberts, Ethan Suplee, Samara Weaving, Olivia Wilde
Runtime: 3 hrs 9 mins
Rating: R21 (Sexual Scenes)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 19 January 2023

Synopsis: From Damien Chazelle, BABYLON is an original epic set in 1920s Los Angeles led by Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Diego Calva, with an ensemble cast including Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li and Jean Smart. A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood.

Movie Review:

This film is a mess, and what a beautiful mess it is. But that’s probably how things were like in 1920s Hollywood. Some may say that it’s probably how things are now as well.

At the 89th Academy Awards held in 2017, Damien Chazelle became the youngest person to win Best Director at age 32. The film that made it possible was La La Land, a romantic musical about a struggling jazz pianist and an aspiring actress. It seemed like nothing could go with for Chazelle, who shook viewers up with Whiplash (2014) and inspired audiences with First Man (2018).

Then this movie about charting Hollywood's transition from silent to sound films in the late 1920s came along. Using several characters to tell his story, Chazelle chronicles their rise and fall, and more importantly, clearly shows his love for cinema. Running at 189 minutes, it is an ambitious project that everyone had their eyes on.

The characters are larger than life, and probably based on personalities that exist. There is the handsome leading man Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt sporting a suave moustache), a heartthrob with on and off romances with different women, an actor who is constantly trying to keep up with the fast paced showbiz. Then there is the hungry young star Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie giving it her all), who goes all out to make herself seen by those who matter in the world of movie making. She also happens to be the love interest of Manny Torres (a very earnest Diego Calva), an idealistic Mexican immigrant who dreams of working on a movie set.

Elsewhere, there are other supporting characters like the humble black jazz trumpet player played by Jovan Adepo, the titillating Chinese American cabaret singer portrayed by Li Jun Li, and a gossip journalist personified by Jean Smart. You may also spot other familiar faces in the ensemble cast, like Katherine Waterson, Max Minghella, Tobey Maguire, Samara Weaving, Olivia Wilde, Spike Jonze and Flea from Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

It’s a star studded affair alright, and it seems like everyone’s here to party. The first half hour of the movie is epic. It is wild and intense. There are numerous impressive tracking shots to show the intoxicated massiveness. There are chickens, an elephant which felt the need to empty its bowels. There is booze, drugs and nudity. You almost watch in horror as the craziness unfold on screen.

After seeing how insane things can get during that era, the story written by Chazelle shows us the struggles each character goes through to survive during the evolving times. What follows is a mix of emotions, ranging from hilarity and heartwarming sweetness, to melancholy and downright depressing. If there’s one thing that’s absent in this movie, it’s subtlety. Everything is in excess, there’s indulgence in the filmmaking approach and you feel like it’s Chazelle’s intention to make you feel this way.

Given the number of characters in this sprawling movie, some of them feel underwritten. Who you’d feel for are definitely Jack Conrad and Nellie LaRoy. For three hours, you see them happy, succeed, fail, sad, break down and eventually come face to face with an inevitable demise. It is a reminder that behind the glitz and glamour in showbiz, there is probably a heavy price to be paid.

Movie Rating:

(Damie Chazelle's homage to 1920s Hollywood is loud, brash and indulgent. But it's also beautiful and a reminder of the lingering sadness behind the glitz and glamour.)

Review by John Li