Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Brando Lee
Cast: Harris Dickinson, Fiona Dourif, Malin Crépin, Jordan Belfi, Randy Wayne, William Miller, Phan Thao Nhu, Konglar Kanchanahoti
Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence and Horror)
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 6 October 2022

Synopsis: A team of paranormal investigators head for the highlands of Fraser's Hill, Malaysia, to probe a series of alleged disturbances at a house with a dark past.

Movie Review:

The concept of paranormal investigation or ghost hunting is once again explored by Malaysian writer-producer-director, Brando Lee, with an American cast list.

Billed as a blend of The Conjuring and an entire slew of movies dedicated to ghost hunts, Don’t Look At The Demon adheres to the tried and tested formula of paranormal teams trying to contact the other side with a pinch of scepticism, only to be caught in the crosshairs of the resident evil.

The film begins with a superimposed word-based definition of kuman thong against a dark screen before transitioning to the American suburbs where two young girls are huddled over a chalk-drawn summoning circle in a cosy bedroom. Ensuing a bloodcurdling scream, the scene cuts to a Buddhist temple where a tormented girl clad in sarong gets the traditional sak yant tattoo on the back by a local monk. The camera shadows the crew that scouts for supernatural encounters around globe and this time in Asia with Jules (Fiona Dourif) heading the entire investigation. And what’s more, the brooding mood painted by Lee positively contributes to the chilly setup as the crew of five crusades up the Fraser’s Hill to the looming slant of the house. As soon as the Skeleton Crew sets foot in the premise with an alleged dark past, the skeletons in the closet come tumbling out and the rest is seen through the demon's eye…

While Don’t Look At The Demon is neither a plot nor a character-centric film, it certainly isn’t frail when it comes to the narrative. The storyline grounds the characters in the ominous locality before catapulting the entire crew and distressed houseowners into the unknown that is governed by a supernatural force to be reckoned with.

Structurally-speaking, the subplot that isn’t puzzlingly entangled (thankfully) keeps the horror elements flowing without any hold-ups in the middle. Although the audience get to delve a bit deeper when it comes to each character since the plot demands them to ‘look the demon in the eye’, what Ben's (Harris Dickinson) mom did to him when he was a child remains nebulous. If only each of the Skeleton Crew member’s past was briefly unravelled, more depth and substance would have been promised to this first-ever Malaysian film that is slated to be screened in the United Sates.  

Cast-wise, an intense performance is indisputably delivered. Members of the audience will certainly get to appreciate Dickinson in a completely different role than what was seen of Chase Andrews in Where the Crawdads Sing.

It isn’t just viewers with an affinity for Asian Horror that will have plenty to enjoy in this unfiltered, uncensored, uncompromising horror number that offers solid supernatural action. Any ardent horror fan will relish the peculiarly titled film that took an admirable care in explaining the realities of the unholy worship as it zeroes in on a proscribed religious ritual that is still in existence behind closed doors.

Movie Rating:

(An energetic charge is maintained throughout the entire span of 93 minutes with a screenplay that offers an even distribution of jump scares and a convincing cast ensemble paired with requisite bloodshed, demon possession, exorcism, sacrificial ritual and foetal cannibalism)

Review by Asha Gizelle Mariadas

SYNOPSIS: Twin brothers arrive at their Mother’s country home to discover her face covered in bandages—the result, she explains, of recent cosmetic surgery. As her behavior grows increasingly erratic and unusual, however, a horrifying thought takes root in the boys’ minds: the sinking suspicion that the woman beneath the gauze isn’t their mother at all. 

MOVIE REVIEW:

We heard that the original Austrian version from 2014 is much more ambiguous and shockingly violent compared to this remake. Although we can’t exactly tell you more since we never catch the original by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, we can only conclude the English language remake is purely a plain serviceable suspense thriller.

From The Impossible to Shut In to the recent The Desperate Hour, Australian actress Naomi Watts no stranger to playing a mother with unconditional love again plays a mother to twins Elias and Lucas (Cameron and Nicholas Crovetti). The mother who is never given a name first appears with her face in bandages, post-surgery as the twins are dropped at the mother’s farm house by their father. In the beginning, the mother attempts to win the twins over but as the days go, the twins suspect that something is off with their mother given her outbursts and sometimes bizarre behaviour and probably the person under the bandages might not be their mother after all.

Is she or isn’t she? This is the biggest mystery of Goodnight Mommy as we follow Elias and Lucas in their creepy adventure to seek the truth.

There’s genuinely little here that audiences will find thrilling or frightening despite through cinematographer Alexander Dynan’s lensing, there’s an ongoing decent amount of dread and tension. The flick is set in one singular location and for sure, it takes a far superior script and directorial skill to amp up the stake rather than throwing in two cops late into the movie without much development except asking the mother for a photo op as she is an actress of sort.

Of course, Hollywood being Hollywood tends to drop in too much clues for its own good. The biggest spoilerish thing that we can reveal is that if you watched enough American horror tropes or something along the line of M. Night Shyalaman’s greatest hit, you already figured out half the riddle or the final revelation.

To the movie’s credit, it did manage to snag Naomie Watts as the main lead and producer, always a reliable and charming performer even the script needs finetuning. Cameron and Nicholas Crovetti are fine as the twins although they need to be more creepier than mere freaked out.

Does a remake of Goodnight Mommy need to coexist alongside the original? Is it worthy to catch it on the small screen? We can only give credit to Hollywood for its uncanny ability to turn a supposedly arthouse horror piece for the masses. That’s kind of terrifying if you think about it.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Comedy/Sports
Director: Ying Chi-wen
Cast: Ekin Cheng, Catherine Chau, Gladys Li, Chin Kar Lok, Isabella Chan
Runtime: -
Rating: TBA
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 6 October 2022

Synopsis: When her “midnight gymnasium” program for wayward teens is under the threat of being defunded, social worker Yanki puts together a dodgeball team to save it. With the help of an unemployed, has-been star jock as the coach, the motley crew of teen girls learn that dodging from their problems can work temporarily, but they must learn to eventually stand back up and overcome their challenges.

Movie Review:

As far as underdog sports comedies go, ‘Life Must Go On’ is as formulaic as it gets.

Leading the charge is Ekin Cheng’s has-been star jock Jones Lau, who is mistaken by his former secondary school classmate turned social worker Yanki (Catherine Chau) for a successful sporting coach.

To save her ailing ‘Midnight Gymnasium’ programme for wayward teens from being shut down by her penny-pinching superiors, Yanki had lied to them that she is training the girls to participate in the national dodgeball competition. In her desperation to find someone to train them, Yanki turns to Jones after running into him at their secondary school get-together, although it is not clear how much help Jones can be to the girls.

Indeed, to no one’s surprise, Jones is in need of help himself. Not only has the former athlete been unemployed for some time now, Jones has been living off his brother and wife (Joyce Cheng), both of whom have gotten increasingly fed up with having to put him up on the couch of their small apartment.

In addition to picking himself up, Jones now has the responsibility of looking after seven teenage girls who have been betrayed, lost hope, or feel abandoned by society at large. Their problems range from having to take care of a diabetic mother, to an abusive parent, and to being wrongfully accused of beating up a fellow schoolmate who happens to be a school board member’s son.

Than reinvent formula, writer-director Ying Chi-wen sticks close to tried-and-tested tropes for his filmmaking debut. Expect therefore that the girls will eventually learn not to dodge but to stand up for themselves and for each other, whether on the court or in life. Expect too that Jones will redeem himself not only as their coach but also as their mentor, with some help from former arch rival turned fellow dodgeball coach Tony (Chin Kar-lok). And last but not least, expect as well that Yanki will prove her naysayers wrong about believing in her clients and her programme.

To his credit, Ying keeps the proceedings light and breezy from start to finish. Avoiding the obvious melodramatic tendencies especially when navigating the girls’ backstories, Ying instead lets their quiet determination, grit and resilience shine through without too much artifice. That said, Ying could do with the same restraint in the humour department; as if afraid that he may lose his audience, Ying overdoses on the slapstick especially in the first third of the film, and while some moments are amusing, there are plenty of others which simply fall flat.

For all his shortcomings, Ying has veteran actor Cheng to thank for holding most of the film together. Those who grew up with the once prolific actor’s movies in the 1990s and early 2000s will recognise his natural charisma instantly, which despite his age, has not dimmed one bit. Yes, there is no denying that the former heartthrob probably looks older than most of his fans will remember him to be, but Cheng is just as effortlessly charming and disarming as he was back in the day.

Thanks to Cheng, ‘Life Must Go On’ is, while entirely predictable, still eminently watchable. One wished that Ying could have been more adventurous with formula, but despite playing it safe, there is no faulting its intention of being an inspirational youth drama. So if it’s a little cheer you’re looking for, you could do absolutely much worse than this underdog sports comedy.

Movie Rating:

(Playing it absolutely safe by formula, this underdog sports comedy gets by with the sheer charisma of its lead star Ekin Cheng)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Comedy/Mystery
Director: Tom George
Cast: Sam Rockwell, Saoirse Ronan, Adrien Brody, Ruth Wilson, Reece Shearsmith, Harris Dickinson, Charlie Cooper, Shirley Henderson, Lucian Msamati, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Pearl Chanda, Paul Chahidi, Sian Clifford, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Tim Key, Ania Marson, David Oyelowo  
Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Walt Disney
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 29 September 2022

Synopsis: In the West End of 1950s London, plans for a movie version of a smash-hit play come to an abrupt halt after the film’s Hollywood director is murdered. When world-weary Inspector Stoppard (Sam Rockwell) and eager rookie Constable Stalker (Saoirse Ronan) take on the case, the two find themselves thrown into a puzzling whodunit within the glamorously sordid theater underground, investigating the mysterious homicide at their own peril.

Movie Review:

Who doesn’t like to solve a good old mystery?

See How They Run is about a popular theatre play coming to a halt after a key member of the crew, who were involved in creating a movie version of the play, was murdered and how 2 very unlikely souls, a jaded inspector and an enthusiastic rookie, got together to solve the mystery of the murder in their own ways.

There is something about this film (probably just based on the collaterals) that gives it a rather subdued vibe; one that is rather untouched and low-key in a way. And true enough, watching the entire film makes me feel that way. See How They Run does not play on bombastic Hollywood-like theatrics to enhance the film experience and the nature of the film itself, and there is beauty and pain in such ‘simplicity’ at times.

The cinematography is interesting and the director’s play on colours, lighting and tones enhances the film’s genre and plot development. Although rather subtle, some of these elements are used to elevate the storytelling and probably try to evoke certain emotions in each scene. However, the subtlety might fall flat on oblivious members of the audience and those who were more focussed on the plot itself.

Despite a rather suitable and inclusive casting, it feels like character development was non- existent and the audience is left not having the slightest idea. Given that they are many characters that played a key role in the plot, it might be challenging to give much attention to each and every character, however the lack of such development makes it challenging to relate to the character and to form an opinion, especially when the film involves trying to get the audience to somewhat be involved in trying to ‘solve a mystery’.

Even then, Saoirse Ronan as the excitable and overly eager Constable Stalker, paired with Sam Rockwell as the rather nonchalant and seasoned Inspector Stoppard, makes it an unlikely yet lovable and interesting pair, adding on to the collective humour of the film, which is actually rather dry but still laughable, although more could have been done to elevate the feeling and prolong the excitement.

Surprisingly, the film is much shorter than expected, running at slightly over 90 minutes. However, some parts of the film had rather tediously slow scenes, dragging the film a little. The slight irregular pacing made the film itself slightly choppy in terms of delivery. The music made up for such irregularities and was enjoyable.

All in all, See How They Run seem to want to offer more to the audience. Yet, it failed to do so for some reason. It felt like it was restraining and holding back its full potential and could have been a little more adventurous with its storytelling. But perhaps it being subdued and casually easy is meant to give the audience a more authentic and unadulterated feel of what a mystery case should be.

Perhaps, See How They Run wants to remain a mystery on its own. Not everything has to be obvious, I guess. Or should it?

Movie Rating:

(One of those casual easy-going films that remains pleasantly fun and rather humorous, but yet slightly forgettable. Might be better to save it for a weekday screening)

Review by Ron Tan

Genre: Drama
Director: He Shuming
Cast: Hong Hui Fang, Jung Dong-hwan, Kang Hyung-suk, Yeo Jin-goo, Shane Pow
Runtime: 1 hr 30 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Mature References)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 27 October 2022

Synopsis: Auntie (Hong Huifang), is a middle-aged Singaporean woman who has dedicated the best years of her life to caring for her family. Now widowed with her grown up son, Sam (Shane Pow) who is about to fly the roost, Auntie is left to contend with a whole new identity beyond her roles of daughter, wife, and mother. A solo trip to Korea becomes a wild adventure for Auntie where she embarks on an unexpected roller coaster ride where hearts flutter and unlikely bonds are formed. 

Movie Review:

Ajoomma arrives under a wave of expectation, including as the first co-production between Singapore and the Republic of Korea, as a production by Singapore’s award-winning filmmaker Anthony Chen, as the recipient of four Golden Horse Award nominations, and as Singapore’s official submission to the best international feature category at next year’s Academy Awards. And yet this debut from short filmmaker He Shuming would probably do better with less expectation than more, because as assured as it may be, it is at best a heartwarming trifle whose intermittent pleasures are slight and fleeting.

At its core, Ajoomma is a story of a middle-aged widow’s journey of self-discovery through a combination of choice and circumstance. It is the titular Auntie’s choice to travel to South Korea alone, after her twenty-something son Sam (Shane Pow) decides to fly to the United States for a job interview instead of following through on the tour they have been planning for some time. It is however circumstance that will cause her to be separated from her tour group on her first night in South Korea, whereupon she meets the elderly security guard Jung Su (Jung Dong-hwan) and develops an unexpected bond with the widower.

Told largely through the eyes of Auntie (Hong Huifang), the film works best portraying the loneliness of middle-aged women like her, as exemplified in a strong first act. Through daily routines such as morning exercise classes, binge-watching Korean TV dramas in the afternoons, and preparing dinner for her son but having to eat alone because he often works OT, He illustrates Auntie’s sense of loneliness with heartfelt empathy. A later scene when Auntie describes how she gave up her job as a cashier to look after her husband and mother who both fell ill and have since passed away is tender and even heartbreaking, as it reinforces just how she has tried her best to cope with what life had dealt her with.

Not quite so well-defined are the supporting characters whom Auntie will encounter while on vacation. Local tour guide Kwon Woo (Kang Hyung-suk) regrets his estrangement from his wife and daughter due to his loan shark problems, but neither is given sufficient treatment for us to fully relate to his anxieties. It isn’t so clear too whether Auntie truly cares about Kwon Woo’s troubles – on one hand, she leaps into the driver’s seat at a petrol kiosk after seeing him being held against his will by the loan sharks at the back of their car; on the other, she doesn’t feel compelled to intervene when Kwon Woo’s boss fires him for accidentally leaving her behind at the residential apartment complex where he had made an unplanned stop to visit his wife and daughter for the New Year.

The same can be said of Jung Su – whilst it seems he is at a similar stage in his life, having also lost his spouse and seeing his children flying the roost, Jung Su appears to be much more well-adjusted with a job, a pet for company and a hobby of wood carving. It isn’t clear therefore if the reason why Jung Su goes out of his way to take care of Auntie is that he sees her as a kindred spirit or if he is simply being a good Samaritan. Though there is beauty in ambiguity, especially given the warm chemistry between Hong and Jung, we are ultimately left hanging when Jung Su changes his mind about accompanying Auntie the rest of her tour and decides to leave that very evening after seeing her rejoin the group.

Despite these shortcomings, Ajoomma gets by on its low-key charms. A dinner conversation between Auntie and two Mainland Chinese travellers in the same tour group is engaging and often amusing, especially when Auntie starts opening up after a few glasses of soju. The halting conversation between Auntie and a fellow security guard who claims to know how to speak Chinese is unexpectedly hilarious, especially when the latter tries to tell her to follow Jung Su home. And last but not least, the road trip that Auntie, Kwon Woo and Jung Su embark on through the countryside to get to Gangwon is ethereally beautiful, not only because it allows each of them to come to terms with their regrets and losses but also to share however briefly in one another’s unassuming company.

Like we said, it is probably better not to approach Ajoomma with too much expectation, in order not to be disappointed by what is ultimately no more than a simple and unpretentious coming-of-age story. There is no grand drama here, no grand set-up, and certainly no life-changing resolution; this is, after all, a humble story about a middle-aged woman who finds herself after getting lost in a foreign land. Those hoping for a stronger reel and real connection will probably be disappointed – except for a sequence where Hong imagines herself as the birth mother whom Korean star Yeo Jin-goo’s character is reunited with, there is little more which connects Auntie’s love for Korean dramas with her actual trip in Korea. It is not likely we will get into the Oscar nominations with this film, but those who do not mind a modest dramedy with a good dose of uplift will find Ajoomma good, if not warm, company.

Movie Rating:

(Blessed with a generous, heartfelt performance by Hong Huifang, this unassuming coming-of-age story gets by its tad too simple story with its own modest, low-key charms)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Romance/Comedy
Director: Ol Parker
Cast: George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Kaitlyn Dever, Billie Lourd, Maxime Bouttier, Lucas Bravo
Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 6 October 2022

Synopsis: Academy Award ® winners G EORGE CLOONEY and JULIA ROBERTS reunite on the big screen as exes David and Georgia who find themselves on a shared mission to stop their lovestruck daughter from making the same mistake they once made. 

Movie Review:

How long has it been since we have had a romantic comedy grace the big screen? Too long, it seems, according to this beautiful reminder from megawatt stars George Clooney and Julia Roberts.

Lest we forget how the genre became a Hollywood staple, their latest big-screen reunion is a throwback not just to the screwball delights of the classic rom-com but also to the winsome pleasures of watching a couple you are sure will end up together struggle through their doubts and uncertainties before proving that your intuition was right all along.

The couple in question is David (Clooney) and Georgia (Roberts), who were married 25 years ago, had a lovely daughter named Lily (Kaitlyn Dever), and then split up after five years of marriage. As we learn from their separate phone conversations with Lily on the occasion of her college graduation, neither David nor Georgia can stand being in each other’s presence, which explains why they cannot resist bickering openly while their daughter’s ceremony is still ongoing.

Unluckily for them, both parents are forced to put aside their differences just six weeks later in order to stop Lily from making the same bad life choice that they did by marrying each other. Their quest brings them to the island of Bali, where Lily had met and fallen in love with a handsome native seaweed farmer named Gede (Maxime Bouttier).

Even as they are in cahoots trying to sabotage Lily’s whirlwind romance, there is no stopping David and Georgia from sniping at each other. And why not really? Both Clooney and Roberts clearly relish the opportunity to go at one another, and it is great fun watching them trade barbs, some of it scripted and the rest of it obviously but shrewdly improvised.  

Both pros are also equally game for the film’s goofy set-pieces, such as a mission to steal the loved-in couple’s wedding rings, a wild night out filled with beer pong games and embarrassing dance floor moments (especially to C+C Music Factory’s ’90s floor-filler ‘Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now’), and encounters with the local wildlife including an aggressive dolphin and a venomous snake. It is to their credit that the zany shenanigans never come off as cringe-worthy, not least given their age or that of their characters.

To be fair, director Ol Parker – who co-wrote the movie with Daniel Pipski – balances the antics with a good dose of character drama, affording the space for David and Georgia to ruminate just how their love crashed and burned all those years ago. In fact, we dare say our favourite moments of the film are its quieter, more introspective scenes, where Clooney and Roberts dig into their characters’ regrets and insecurities and ultimately come to terms with what is best for themselves as well as for Lily.

As much as the film belongs to Clooney and Roberts, Parker does give space for some of the supporting players to have their moments. Genevieve Lemon is a hoot as a passenger seated between David and Georgia on their Bali-bound flight. Billie Lourd makes droll work of her role as Lily’s best friend. And last but not least, Lucas Bravo is both gently amusing and unexpectedly affecting as Georgia’s younger boyfriend, whose heart will inadvertently be broken by the end of the movie.

Like we said, there is comfort in knowing exactly where ‘Ticket to Paradise’ is going, and like the best of its genre, this rom-com makes the journey there worth the while. It is also utterly befitting that Roberts should be the one to remind us of what Hollywood studio rom-coms were made of, and even more delightful watching her and Clooney show us the very definition of big-screen chemistry. As familiar as its pleasures may be, this is well worth the ticket.

Movie Rating:

(With warmth, wit and perfect chemistry between its megawatt stars, 'Ticket to Paradise' is the quintessential Hollywood rom-com)

Review by Gabriel Chong 

Genre: Drama
Director: Lee Sang-il
Cast: Suzu Hirose, Tori Matsuzaka, Ryusei Yokohama, Mikako TabeLok
Runtime: 2 hrs 30 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scenes and Some Nudity)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 6 October 2022

Synopsis: In a park on a rainy evening, a 19-year-old university student, Fumi, offers an umbrella to a soaking wet 10-year-old girl, Sarasa. Realizing her reluctance to go home, Fumi lets her stay in his place, where she spends the next two months in peace. They take each other's hands and seem to have finally found their place in the world until Fumi is arrested for kidnapping. Fifteen years later, the lonely two are reunited both still suffering from the stigma as the victim and perpetrator of "a pedophile case". Will the society give a place to their unshakable bond they have formed.

Movie Review:

“Fumi, can I stay here for good?” – Little Sarasa (Tamaki Shiratori)

Wandering opens in a park on a rainy afternoon with Little Sarasa (Tamaki Shiratori) huddled over her book.

While in a relationship with her salaryman beau (Ryusei Yokohama) who has a thing for vulnerable women that simply have nowhere to run, Sarasa (Suzu Hirose) finds a place called home in Fumi (Tori Matsuzaka), after a serendipitous meeting and over a decade of haunting flashbacks. Can the world actually help define what true love is or will they diss it as another unconventional relationship on the social margin?

Directed by Lee Sang-il and based on the best-selling novel by Yuu Nagira that has sold over 800,000 copies, the impeccable choice of cast and crew makes the author’s deft story-making and characterisation a pleasure to behold in big screens. The two and a half hour novel adaptation oscillates between the frivolous two months that the duo shared 15 years ago and the restraining present that they both wish to elude.

And celebrated cinematographer, Hong Kyung-Pyo has once again given the cinematic world an expertly composed piece with natural lightings that capture a medley of melancholy and merriment that foxtrots its way back into the star-crossed beings’ lives. With the visuals of the small town’s lake and moonlight cosily knitted to the characters’ emotions, Wandering’s cinematography is positively contrasting to Hong’s touch in Parasite. The latter had textured camerawork to depict a class divide, while Wandering lays claim to a fable-like dreamy sequence that raises a question as to who the real perpetrator and victim is.

Suzu Hirose has delivered an eerily stunning performance by breathing life into the character of the subservient Sarasa Kanai. Hirose aces the part in some scenes with just her poignant expressions alone sans any dialogue. With Tori Matsuzaka’s (Fumi) gripping performance (watch till the end to find out why it takes helluva guts to play that part), the entire cast members conjure up a sense of familiarity that almost convinces us that we know them on a personal level but there are still so much more for us to unravel. To say the least, there isn’t much superlatives to pit this film against to sum up the performance of the amazingly brilliant cast.

Wandering has an insanely comfortable plot that has dual dimensions in place of the regular perpetrator-victim dynamic and this definitely allows audience to connect to the other side of the coin. There aren’t any palpable plot twists planted in the compelling drama to make enough sense. Nevertheless, the questionable subject matter is handled with such impressive delicateness by Lee, Hong and all other cast and crew members.

Lee has kept the trailer to a bare minimal with the scenes all over in a mish mash perhaps just to gatekeep the plot for those who haven’t devoured the pages of the award-winning novel, for it doesn't do enough justice to the calmly settling yet spooky tranquil of the entire runtime. One can never make out the narrative merely through the trailer and the theatrical poster is no different. It may insinuate a modern love story but it is far-flung from the just- another-love-story notion.

As much as it is easier to muster up a lie on most occasions than to speak the truth with a trembling voice, the collective’s impractical expectations corner the provoked into adding layers to their true identity. With many movies that inch on unconventional relationships, this film that magically captures the essence of unconditional love hovers high above the rest by also shedding light onto a particular human condition that many choose to keep locked in the closet.

The intensely eye-opening film nudges us to be wistful and turns around to question us if we would ever make a bold move (even if it means going against the societal grain) just to recapture the glow of happier times we once had in a place called the past…

Get ready for Wandering to take you on an emotionally intimate and languid journey through Japan’s evening skyline, paired with the serenity of the street bustle and not forgetting the quaint little cafe that endorses a mood of its own.

Movie Rating:

(An emotionally intelligent book-to-silver screen rendition exploring not just the Japanese cinematic landscape but does a poetic take on societal norms that cookie-cuts individuals into something that they aren’t in their waking life)

Review by Asha Gizelle Mariadas

SYNOPSIS: A storm rages. A young girl is kidnapped. Her mother (Jurnee Smollett) teams up with the mysterious woman next door (Allison Janney) to pursue the kidnapper – a journey that tests their limits and exposes shocking secrets from their pasts.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Oscar winner Allison Janney (I, Tonya) is the latest veteran actor to pick up the action mantle after Liam Neeson and Bob Odenkirk did more than a respectable job disposing off onscreen villains and baddies in their sixties.

In this J.J. Abrams produced action thriller, Janney stars as Lou Adell, a loner who spend her days with her dog, Jax and hunting down deer for their meat. Shortly, she is shown in the prologue withdrawing all her money and about to embark on killing herself. That is until Lou’s renter, Hannah (Jurnee Smollett) barged into Lou’s cabin saying her daughter has been kidnapped by her supposedly dead ex-husband, Philip (Logan Marshall-Green).

Without much hesitation, Lou offers to track down ex-special force agent Philip and bring back her daughter, Vee (Ridley Asha Bateman) to Hannah. But Hannah insists to tag along despite the torrential weather and a potential deadly confrontation.

As expected, Lou is no ordinary senior citizen living in a small secluded seaside town. She is or at least a CIA spy armed with a special set of skills once. As a trashy actioner, Lou succeeds with one solid scene with Janney’s character dispatching off two of Philip’s henchmen in a cabin with a can food lid. The action is sharply choreographed and carefully edited to make sure there’s little loopholes and Janney’s face remains in-camera for most of the time anyway.

After a hair-raising walk across a crumbling rope bridge comes the big reveal or twist in the second half which basically bogged down the entire affair. Lou fails to generate much excitement and memorable moments although the script by Maggie Cohn and Jack Stanley attempts to add some character and redemption factors into it.

Alas, the entire result is comically bad as much of the story culminates in a broken lighthouse and stormy sea waves. Even a talky scene set in a cave prior doesn’t create much surprises. The whole storyline about a US secret mission that went awry in Iran is more of an odd choice than a worthy plot point. And we all should feel bad for Logan Marshall-Green for playing a third-rate, two dimensional abusive and psychotic spouse.

Still, Allison Janney is a solid action heroine and Lou proves the lady can play anything from a single mother to a kick-ass CIA agent. It will be much easier to watch a simple actioner where Lou gets to outwit and outplay her opponents in a muddy, wet terrain than one that has a clumsy subplot that derails a near perfect setup and a compelling cabin fight.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Suspense/Thriller
Director: Hiroshi Nishitani
Cast: Masaharu Fukuyama, Ko Shibasaki, Kazuki Kitamura, Kazuki Iio, Naho Toda, Asuka Kawatoko, Natsuki Deguchi, Hiromasa Taguchi, Jun Murakami
Runtime: 2 hrs 10 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Encore Films and Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 6 October 2022

Synopsis: Detective Galileo returns to the big screen! The popular mystery series by Keigo Higashino features Masaharu Fukuyama as Professor Manabu Yukawa, a brilliant physicist who helps the police crack unsolved cold cases using his scientific theories and unique methods of deduction. A high school girl that has been missing for several years is discovered -- as a corpse. Detective Utsumi of the Police Investigation Unit identifies the primary suspect as a man previously acquitted of murdering a young girl in a case led by Professor Yukawa's best friend, senior detective Kusanagi. Once again, the suspect maintains his silence and is released due to insufficient evidence. To exacerbate matters, he returns to the high school girl's hometown, creating an air of unease among its residents. And on the day of the summer festival parade, another incident occurs, presenting yet another challenging case for Yukawa, Utsumi and Kusanagi!

Movie Review:

To what extent does a person do to protect their love one? Does it involve murdering or revenge to soften the hurt or hide the wound? This perhaps is the recurring theme of Keigo Higashino’s accomplished works and also the third cinematic adaptation of his Detective Galileo’s novels.

Silent Parade reunites heartthrob Masaharu Fukuyama in the leading role with Ko Shibasaki and Kazuki Kitamura who plays detectives Utsumi and Kusanagi respectively. Hiroshi Nishitani who helmed the first two in the franchise, Suspect X and Midsummer’s Equation also returns to the directing chair.

Expectedly, Yukawa aka Detective Galileo is sought by Utsumi to look into a bizarre case which involved the disappearance and death of a young girl, Saori Namiki. Apparently, the victim has mysteriously disappear from her neighbourhood three years ago and only recently, her remains were found among the ruins of a house fire situated miles away from her home.

The house owner, Hasunuma (Jun Murakami) is subsequently arrested and questioned by Kusanagi. As it turned out, he is the same man who was arrested for a child murder case 15 years ago but was released due to a lack of evidence. Hasunuma once again choses to remain silent which ultimately leads to his release again. With that, the creepy Hasunuma went on to torment the family of Saori who runs a small restaurant in the neighbourhood with his presence until he is mysteriously found dead one day in the small storeroom he rents from his fellow co-worker.

Even without Hercule Poirot’s glorious moustache or Sherlock’s trademark pipe, Yukawa remains a charismatic presence in the series although this time he is mainly dressed in a shirt and a vest. Perhaps the movie is set in the heaty summer of Japan or is it because the case on hand is a mind-blogging affair. Not to worry, Masaharu Fukuyama continues to nail the socially awkward, eccentric physicist to a tee. Slipping comfortably into the role after an absence of nine years, Fukuyama banters passionately with his co-star, Ko Shibasaki although honestly speaking, we need more of their bonkers interaction since Yukawa’s crime solving comes readily equipped with plenty of scientific explanations that instantly drive Utsumi nuts. That’s always the fun part of the series.

Despite playing a promoted detective, Kazuki Kitamura is given a far more emotional role this time round. Kusanagi is a man that struggles to face the family of the deceased after the current police procedural and the judicial system fails to prove the accused’s wrongdoings. Yet, he still believes a proper system is the only option instead of simply taking the law into your hands which brings us to the crux of the movie.

With Yukawa’s somewhat unorthodox experiments, he came to deduce Hasunuma’s death might be linked to several close-knit friends of the Namiki family to no one surprise. That group of people gathering at the restaurant can’t be there simply for the cuisine right? Using the annual Kikuno Story Parade as a disguise, the crime is committed in broad daylight. As to who is the one who meticulously planned the whole charade and whom exactly is the last piece of puzzle? Writer Yasushi Fukuda’s adaptation of Keigo Higashino’s work is serviceable enough to keep the whodunit compelling to the audiences with its seemingly never-ending twist and mystery.

Under Hiroshi Nishitani’s firm directing hands, the story and investigations unfold flawlessly though with little or no fanfare. Questions piled on top of more questions and Silent Parade takes its time to answer every of them. There’s no grandeur in the staging only quiet, subtle chats between the characters with occasional flashbacks insert. With increased scrutiny, much of Yukawa’s interference in this case which to be frank can be replaced by clever forensic findings in reality but let’s not go off the rails here.

Thanks to a dedicated cast and an intricate plotting which explores the failing judicial system, Silent Parade marks a respectable entry to Japan’s answer to Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. Always bear in mind it’s not important how the crime is committed, it’s more about how it is solved.

Movie Rating:

(Silent Parade is a decent sleuthing affair by everyone’s favourite quirky scientist)

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Adventure/Sci-fi
Director: Kristina Buozyte & Bruno Samper
Cast: Raffiella Chapman, Eddie Marsan, Rosy McEwen, Richard Brake, Melanie Gaydos
Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 6 October 2022

Synopsis: Set after the collapse of the Earth's ecosystem, the film follows Vesper (Raffiella Chapman), a headstrong 13-year-old girl who uses her survival skills to subsist in the remnants of a strange and dangerous world with her ailing father, Darius (Richard Brake). When Vesper finds a mysterious woman, Camellia (Rosy McEwen), alone and disoriented after an aerial crash, she agrees to help find her missing companion in exchange for safe passage to the Citadel - the dark central hub where oligarchs live in comfort thanks to state-of-the-art biotechnology. Vesper soon discovers that her brutal neighbor, Jonas (Eddie Marsan), is searching for Camellia, who is harboring a secret that could change all of their lives forever. Forced into a dangerous adventure, Vesper must rely on her wits and bio-hacking abilities to unlock the key to an alternate future. 

Movie Review:

If you’re looking for a narratively compelling dystopian fantasy, you’ll probably be sorely disappointed by ‘Vesper’. Less social commentary than world-building, this arthouse genre offering is elegantly visualized from start to finish, but is otherwise let down by clunky plotting.

The opening title card describes a bleak future known as ‘The New Dark Ages’, where genetically engineered viruses and organisms intended by humans to stave off environmental collapse have now wiped out our biosphere and supplanted it with new forms of aggressive life. Those who survive either hide in shining enclaves known as Citadels, or eke out hand-to-mouth lives outside the Citadels’ walls; unfortunately for the latter, the only seeds that will grow come from Citadel labs, and are designed to produce sterile crops.

Amidst this backdrop, we find the steely 13-year-old Vesper (impressive up-and-comer Raffiella Chapman) trying to make the best of her circumstances. By day, she scavengers the ruins of the old world, accompanied by a scout drone piloted by her bedridden father Darius (Richard Broke). By night, she tinkers away in a grubby lab, trying to engineer a crop that hasn’t been programmed to die after a single harvest.

Things get complicated when she rescues an elfin woman named Camellia (Rosy McEwen) from the wreckage of a cruiser that crash lands on its way between Citadels. Without giving too much away, let’s just say that Camellia is highly sought after due to the nature of her being, and is hunted by the people whom Vesper’s creepy uncle Jonas (Eddie Marsan) work for.

It should not come as a surprise that Camellia and Vesper will form a mother-daughter bond that will see them look out for each other despite from different worlds, not least because Vesper’s biological mother had abandoned her and her father to join the ranks of the drifting pilgrims to journey towards some promised land. Vesper will also come to protect Camellia from Jonas, who runs a small enclave where he breeds a flock of children to sell their blood in exchange for seeds from the Citadels.

As intriguing as it sounds, this isn’t an action thriller by any measure; instead, directors Kristina Buožytė and Bruno Samper, who are making their first film since 2012’s well-received ‘Vanishing Waves’, take their time to build up an immersive dystopia, whether the hybrid plants that shimmer and shimmy like jellyfish, or the frills and membranes within Darius’ drone, or even the insectoid monstrosities that are meant to be Citadel ships. It is mesmerizing to behold all right, and definitely way more interesting than the story or for that matter the characters within.

Pity indeed that the storytelling is both too simplistic and dense at the same time, failing to fully establish the motivations of its key players (such as Camellia or Jonas)  and rachet up tension or anticipation as it trudges towards the inevitable confrontation with the Citadels from whom Camellia and her father were fleeing. There is much potential in the set-up, and more so in the rich performance by Chapman as our titular protagonist, but neither is fully realised despite a generous two-hour runtime.

So consider this fair warning – though it is visually impressive, chances are ‘Vesper’ will come off dull and tedious for the casual viewer. That it looks this polished in spite of its budget is an achievement no doubt, but one hopes that it could have been a lot more satisfying story-wise. Except for arthouse science-fiction connoisseurs, this will probably be no more than empty spectacle for everyone else.

Movie Rating:

(Visually impressive but narratively bereft, 'Vesper' is good only for arthouse science fiction connoisseurs)

Review by Gabriel Chong