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BOOK REVIEW #46 WE WERE DREAMERS: AN IMMIGRANT SUPERHERO ORIGIN STORY Book ReviewPosted on 02 Oct 2022 |
SYNOPSIS: When Will’s (Gerard Butler) estranged wife Lisa (Jaimie Alexander) disappears during a stop at a gas station, Will must embark on a frantic undertaking to rescue her while eluding the police who suspect him of foul play.
MOVIE REVIEW:
The prologue of Last Seen Alive shows a cop angrily confronting a man who is likely involved in some kidnapping of sort. At the very least, we know the husband is not faking it or imagining the entire ordeal in his head.
Named Will Spann, the husband in question is played by Gerald Butler and the movie opens with his character in his car with his wife, Lisa (Jamie Alexander). The couple has been going through a rough patch since Lisa has an affair six months ago. And now, Will is driving Lisa to stay with her parents for two weeks.
With his fuel running out, Will has to stop at a nearby gas station while Lisa went for a quick toilet break. Unfortunately, Lisa is nowhere to be found after Will is done refuelling. A certain Detective Paterson (Russell Hornsby) answered Will’s call for assistance but his suspicions of Will frustrated the latter so much that he took matters into his own hands and move on to rural parts of the country to look for the suspect based on the surveillance footage he got from the gas station.
Butler has played all sorts of intense characters in all sorts of intense action thrillers that the character of Will Spann is simply a walk in the park for the Scottish actor. Last Seen Alive is a movie tailored for him and rest assured, Butler is no Bruce Willis, he appears as an unhinged husband desperately looking for his lost wife in nearly every minute of this 95 minutes flick.
Yet Butler’s intensity and enthusiasm is letdown by the frustratingly, generic plotting that contains so little suspense that it end up as a simplistic shoot-em up action thriller with very little regards to the subject matter. With the main suspect nicknamed Knuckles (Ethan Embry) being revealed in the beginning, there’s no real villains waiting to be uncovered except a meth lab in the middle of the forest. Even the actual motive and setup in the finale sounds half-baked. This is basically Taken set in rural America with Gerald Butler in the Liam Neeson’s role.
Don’t get us wrong though, Last Seen Alive is enjoyable if you love an adrenalin-filled action adventure. There’s enough silly violence and gunplay to keep the boys hooked. The best part however goes to the interrogative scene between Will and Detective Paterson which at least generates some sizzling acting and amusingly, Butler’s on-and-off Scottish accent.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Daniel Stamm
Cast: Virginia Madsen, Jacqueline Byers, Nicholas Ralph, Colin Salmon, Ben Cross, Christian Navarro
Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins
Rating: NC16 (Horror)
Released By: Encore Films
Official Website:
Opening Day: 27 October 2022
Synopsis: Once you know the devil, the devil knows you… Sister Ann (Jacqueline Byers) believes she is answering a calling to be the first female exorcist… but who, or what, called her? In response to a global rise in demonic possessions, Ann seeks out a place at an exorcism school reopened by the Catholic Church. Until now these schools have only trained priests in the Rite of Exorcism – but a professor (Colin Salmon) recognizes Sister Ann’s gifts and agrees to train her. Thrust onto the spiritual frontline with fellow student Father Dante (Christian Navarro), Sister Ann finds herself in a battle for the soul of a young girl, who Sister Ann believes is possessed by the same demon that tormented her own mother years ago. Determined to root out the evil, Ann soon realizes the Devil has her right where he wants her.
Movie Review:
“It wanted me. Because I was one of God's chosen soldiers...” – Sister Ann (Jacqueline Byers)
The compendium of horror masterpieces that has pledged allegiance to exorcist theme is known to be extensive and October's spooky season translates to a hatful of horror movie treats.
Initially titled as The Devil’s Light, this motion picture was later renamed as Prey for the Devil, with a unique homophonic ring to the title and its theatrical poster is rather candid and forthright with no gimmicky oversell of the plot.
The narrative opens up with a little girl fervently praying in her room when her schizophrenic mom (Koyna Ruseva) bangs on the door, almost tearing it down. And this is ensued by a hair-raising scream. Fast forward to present day’s St Michael School of Exorcism in Boston, Sister Ann (Jacqueline Byers) recounts her mom's depressive condition to be something that was beyond a mere medical diagnosis.
With rampant male clergies in the exorcism trade, nuns are expected to adhere to fulfilling the softer, feminine aspect of faith which is to simply act with mercy and pray for the affected parties. And any attempts of deliverance or exorcism of the possessed outside of the religious doctrine is labelled as unauthorised and unorthodox.
Perhaps writer Robert Zappia (Halloween H2O:20 Years Later) has decided to offer a completely fresh look on exorcism after growing immune to male saviours. Prey for the Devil has definitely broken the age-old, tiresome cycle of women being the possessed and male counterparts running to their aid. While the roles have not completely reversed, it certainly hits different like that hopeful ray of light at the end of a dark tunnel, given the gripping dialogues.
Directed by German film director and screenwriter, Daniel Stamm, who is known for his directorial ventures, The Last Exorcism and 13 Sins, the clever choice of exciting cast makes the horror-thriller even stimulating.
The plot follows Byers, the Canadian actress best known for her roles in Bad Samaritan, Salvation and Roadies, taking on a protagonist role as a junior exorcist, while breaking some hellbent rules and bones along the way. Even with the blurring of lines between the holy and unholy, Sister Ann sees past the demon and connects with the person's soul, hence being exalted as a one of a kind priestess.
With the School of Exorcism approved outside of the Vatican for the first time, Father Quinn, makes it an exception to risk it all for Sister Ann to be trained along with other priests. This pivotal role is played by Colin Salmon whom you may recall from Tomorrow Never Dies and Die Another Day. Joined by Christian Navarro as Father Dante, who will mostly be recognised for his appearance in 13 Reasons Why, the plot is propelled deeper into the throes of the demonic possession. Prey for the Devil is also a posthumous release for Ben Cross (Cardinal Matthews) who is well-known for his roles in Chariots of Fire and the West End musical production, Chicago.
Although the trailer is a tad bit too long, summing up the entire plot and giving away most part of the narrative, the befittingly cool theme adopted by Lionsgate in the opening title sequence is undeniably dope and hard to miss.
Other classics that were dedicated to possession and exorcism such as The Exorcist and Amityville franchise, weigh in on the power of the vicar and a sacrifice that goes by a singular perspective of how nuns, priests and reverends are predominantly perceived. But Prey for the Devil that comes with layers upon layers, chose a different stance where the possessed too needs to do their part to overcome the lower vibrational emotions in order to defeat the demon within, thus creating a barrier for otherworldly entities to be attached to them. And this touch of freshness, shines enough light on a completely different side to these esteemed individuals. It reminds all that humans are humans, after all. It sure was a pleasure getting to know them outside of the sacred doctrine, beyond the cassock and veil.
With a somewhat unceremonious climax, the unpredictable 93-minute supernatural number explores the duality of priesthood with masculine and feminine, light and dark energies coming together to defeat the evil that feeds on shame and guilt. And a prequel or sequel is highly sensed with a dénouement that is likely to keep the audience at the edge of their seats.
Packed with terrifying elements and the perfect number of jump scares, Prey for the Devil gets us all geared up for an epic horror fest this year. Don’t forget to sleep with your night lights on.
Movie Rating:
(Expect a hairpin detour from the usual exorcism classics that we watched through our fingers in yesteryears. Slanting slightly more to being an intriguing thriller rather than just a paranormal genre, Prey for the Devil makes the perfect addition to the list of Halloween releases)
Review by Asha Gizelle Mariadas
Genre: Comics/Superhero
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Noah Centineo, Sarah Shahi, Marwan Kenzari, Quintessa Swindell, Mo Amer, Bodhi Sabongui, Pierce Brosnan
Runtime: 2 hrs 5 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Warner Bros
Official Website:
Opening Day: 20 October 2022
Synopsis: From New Line Cinema, Dwayne Johnson stars in the action adventure "Black Adam." The first-ever feature film to explore the story of the DC Super Hero comes to the big screen under the direction of Jaume Collet-Serra. In ancient Kahndaq, Teth Adam was bestowed the almighty powers of the gods. After using these powers for vengeance, he was imprisoned, becoming Black Adam. Nearly 5,000 years have passed and Black Adam has gone from man, to myth, to legend. Now released, his unique form of justice, born out of rage, is challenged by modern day heroes who form the Justice Society: Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Atom Smasher and Cyclone.
Movie Review:
15 years after it was first announced that Dwayne Johnson would play ‘Black Adam’, the DC character with the powers of Superman but none of his kindness finally makes his debut in the DC Extended Universe. For those who are counting, this is the 11th film in the DCEU, though it was not until 2017 when Johnson became a global star in his own right was it decided that Black Adam would get his own movie instead of just being a nemesis to the wizard Shazam in the latter’s feature film.
It isn’t hard to see why Johnson was drawn to the character in the first place – as Black Adam, or known for most part of this origin story as Teth Adam, tells the superhero Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) from the Justice Society sent to contain him, he has absolutely no qualms being judge, jury and executioner. Indeed, his amorality lies at the heart of ‘Black Adam’.
It is why we get a complicated backstory through an extended prologue and multiple flashbacks of how a heroic teenager named Hurut found the courage to defy the oppressive reign of King Anh-Kot in the magnificent ancient kingdom of Kahndaq back in 2,600 B.C., and for his nobleness, was gifted by the wizards to wield the powers of Shazam, which led not only to the destruction of the king but the entire kingdom after a rage-fuelled confrontation.
It is also how we are introduced to the Justice Society, comprising Hawkman, Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) and Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), who are sent to present-day Kahn-daq to stop Adam after he is awakened from a 5,000-year slumber. Whilst trying to preach why extrajudicial killings are wrong, these four superheroes, in particular Hawkman, will come to confront their hypocrisy in the eyes of the citizens of Kahndaq.
It also defines ‘Black Adam’ from the rest of the DC superhero films which have come before, not counting the decidedly ultra-violent ‘Suicide Squad’ movies and ‘Birds of Prey’. Between the lightness of ‘Shazam!’ or ‘Wonder Woman’ and the grimness of ‘Batman v Superman’, ‘Black Adam’ finds an inspired balance that harks back to both sets of predecessors while defining its own tone that even allows Adam to indulge in some tongue-in-cheek gallows humour.
To director Jaume Collet-Serra’s credit, ‘Black Adam’ succeeds in building out an entirely fictional world to tell a story of how its titular protagonist went from antagonist to antihero. Especially notable about the land of Kahn-daq is its political relevance, not just how its fate has parallels with that of the Iraqis and Palestinians, but also of how it questions the very notion of what it means to be a hero to such people living under the constant yoke of oppression, taking a dig at Western nations in the process.
As he demonstrated in ‘Jungle Cruise’, Collet-Serra knows his way around a four-quadrant summer blockbuster, and ‘Black Adam’ reinforces his credibility as a savvy and confident helmer. Whilst avoiding the gloominess of Synderverse, Collet-Serra embraces its slo-mo aesthetic and deploys it judiciously against a backdrop of dusty vistas bathed in low-lying sun. Lest there be any doubt therefore, the action is always comprehensible, largely coherent, and sometimes rather awesome.
That awe also rests on the giant shoulders of Johnson, who has made no attempt to conceal the fact that ‘Black Adam’ is a passion project. Challenging himself to play slightly against type, Johnson emerges, though stoic, still just as magnetic as you would expect him to be. There is no question that he looks the part, but beyond the physique, Johnson invests himself emotionally into the role to bring both grit and gravitas; that said, Johnson shows how good a deadpan comedian he has become over the years, relishing the few opportunities in the movie to wisecrack with both his co-stars Hodge and Brosnan.
Though this is unquestionably Johnson’s movie, there is more than sufficient space for the supporting actors to shine. Most memorable is Brosnan, who is clearly having fun playing a Doctor Strange-like character with both a fatalistic sense of the future and a lightness of touch. Hodge is suitably gruff, but is one-note next to Sarah Shahi and Bodhi Sabongui, playing a rebel leader Adrianna and her pre-teen son Amon respectively whose fates become intricately tied to that to Adam. A surprising scene-stealer is Mohamed Amer, who as Adrianna’s brother gets some of the nice pockets of humour, including a recurring bit with the 70s’ hit ‘Baby Come Back’.
Truth be told, we’re relieved that ‘Black Adam’ is as good as it is, given the spotty track record of the DCEU thus far. Johnson has waited more than a decade to make his superhero debut, and it is (rock) solid, with the actor juggling the complexity, superiority and strength of his character beautifully. And though there is plenty of CGI, Collet-Serra never forgets the scale and scope of the action scenes, delivering a suitably bombastic blockbuster in an intriguing make-believe land with real-world similarities. The plotting and character work could be stronger, but otherwise, ‘Black Adam’ is a compelling entry for this antihero, topped off as the rumours go with a doozy mid-credits scene that will leave you cheering.
Movie Rating:
(As thrilling a start for this antihero as we had hoped for, Dwayne Johnson's superhero debut as and in 'Black Adam' is a crowd-pleasing blockbuster with emotion, humour, politics and sheer spectacle)
Review by Gabriel Chong
SYNOPSIS: It’s been 29 years since someone lit the Black Flame Candle and resurrected the 17th-century sisters, and they are looking for revenge. Now it is up to three high-school students to stop the ravenous witches from wreaking a new kind of havoc on Salem before dawn on All Hallow’s Eve.
MOVIE REVIEW:
The Sanderson sisters are back to haunt Salem after an absence of 29 years. With Halloween closing, you will for sure enjoy the company of returning cast members, Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy in this follow up which is directed by Anne Fletcher (The Proposal).
After a brief prologue detailing their banishment from Salem in 1653 by Reverend Traske (Tony Hale), the three witches are resurrected in the modern day by best friends, Becca (Whitney Peak) and Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) after they are given the black flame candle by the local magic shop owner, Gilbert (Sam Richardson).
The sisters are back to take revenge on the Mayor of Salem (Tony Hale again), the descendent of the Reverend and has the whole town bewitched to find him. Forced to come up with the ingredients for the Magicae Maxima spell to eliminate Traske and Salem for the sisters, Gilbert has to seek the help of a zombie, Billy Butcherson (Doug Jones), the former lover of Winnifred (Midler).
And now, it’s up to Becca, Izzy and their estranged buddy, Cassie (Lilia Buckingham) to stop the witches and save Salem.
With all the constant tired remakes, reboot and sequels of past IP, there’s not much of a track record to talk about for Disney+ lately. Fortunately, Hocus Pocus 2 manages to repeat the same old magic tricks without tarnishing its predecessor. Sure, the musical numbers sound dated and forced probably due to the fact that choreographer/director Kenny Ortega is absent here. The entire premise by far and large is liked a rehash of the original and the modern day teenagers doesn’t really have much to do.
Still, the fun and silly setups mostly got away due to mainly nostalgia. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy continues to ham things up as the wacky trio of child-eating witches. Mostly, they are far more amusing than frightening. Just check out the hilarious scene in Walgreens. Doug Jones and Sam Richardson’s characters feel like the movie’s much needed comic sidekicks. And to add on, the sisters’ backstory delivers a nice intro how they turned into witches.
Without the need to seek out the original Hocus Pocus to enjoy, this sequel is a pleasing treat for the upcoming Halloween. Definitely not a worthy piece to be seen on the big screen, there’s however enough magic dust and spells to keep you glued to the screen at home. Just make sure to top up the candies and popcorns by your side.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
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RYAN GOSLING IS TRAVELLING WITH GUCCIPosted on 05 Oct 2022 |
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Director: David O. Russell
Cast: Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Andrea Riseborough, Alessandro Nivola, Chris Rock, Anya Taylor-Joy, Zoe Saldana, Rami Malek, Matthias Schoenaerts, Michael Shannon, Mike Myers, Timothy Olyphant, Taylor Swift, Robert De Niro
Runtime: 2 hrs 14 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Drug Use & Disturbing Scenes)
Released By: Walt Disney
Official Website:
Opening Day: 6 October 2022
Synopsis: Three close friends find themselves at the center of one of the most secret plots in American history.
Movie Review:
‘A lot of this actually happened’, says the opening title card of David O’ Russell’s ‘Amsterdam’. For his first film since 2015’s ‘Joy’, Russell draws on the real-life events of the so-called Business Plot of the 1930s, which saw a cabal of wealthy business executives instigate a veterans-led coup against the government of Franklin D. Roosevelt by aiming to install retired General Smedley Butler as a fascist dictator in the mold of Mussolini and Hitler. The similarities with ‘American Hustle’ are unmistakable, but whereas that Academy Award-nominated film cleverly mixed period whimsy with history lesson, ‘Amsterdam’ feels more like a shaggy dog tale whose pleasures are ultimately intermittent.
In timeline shuffling fashion, we begin in the early 1930s with two former war buddies reunited following the death of an Army general Bill Meekins (Ed Begley Jr.), who commanded their regiment during World War I. Whereas Burt Berendsen (Christian Bale) is a physician who has dedicated his practice to easing the suffering of WWI veterans like himself, his best friend Harold Woodman (John David Washington) is a qualified lawyer. It is Harold who approaches Burt to carry out an autopsy on Bill, after the latter’s daughter Liz (Taylor Swift) alleges foul play. Liz’s none-too-accidental death soon after confirms the duo’s suspicions that something is amiss.
But before Burt and Harold can get down to uncovering the dastardly conspiracy, we are treated to a generous backstory of how they had met back in the war. In particular, it was his since estranged wife Beatrice’s (Andrea Riseborough) family who had urged Burt to enlist, in the hopes that his military service would help him overcome his half-Jewish, half-Catholic working-class background; and it was during his tour of duty as a medic for a Black regiment that Burt had met Harold and his post-war legal associate Milton (Chris Rock). While recuperating in a Belgian hospital, Burt and Harold would further meet volunteer nurse Valerie Voze (Margot Robbie), whose hobby was removing the shrapnel from soldiers wounded in combat and turning them into art.
It is in the titular European city that Burt, Harold and Valerie would enjoy some blissful days of revelry, whereupon they would also make the acquaintance of avid ornithologists Paul Canterbury (Mike Myers) and Henry Norcross (Michael Shannon), both of whom would play key supporting roles in good time. Alas, their slice of bohemia in the Dutch capital would come to an end with Burt returning to Beatrice and the mutually smitten Harold and Valerie going their separate ways. Only with the death of General Meekins would the trio find their way back together.
Even so, things get plenty complicated with a whole host of players with their own agendas; these include Valerie’s philanthropist brother Tom (Rami Malek) and his wife Libby (Anya Taylor-Joy), a pair of detectives (Matthias Schoenaerts and Alessandro Nivola) investigating Liz’s untimely death, and last but not least the distinguished General Gil Dillenbeck (Robert DeNiro) whose testimony is apparently key to exonerating Burt and Harold. It is a mighty crowded ensemble all right, but Russell regular DeNiro is undoubtedly the anchor to the scattershot proceedings, not only because of the gravitas that the veteran actor brings to the role but also how his character is the undeniable moral centre of its otherwise ambiguous otherworldliness.
That Russell has chosen to retell this particular moment in US history, tied intimately to the rise of fascism in Italy and Germany, is certainly no coincidence; indeed, the parallels with the current dysfunction witnessed in American politics is sobering and even scary, not least because of similar issues of race, class, social mobility and power. And yet, it is a pity that ‘Amsterdam’ never quite achieves the resonance it should, because Russell is too distracted playing around with genres (from screwball comedy, to crime thriller, to even romance) and devices (from plot fake-outs, to timelines, to shifting narrations) to find sufficient and necessary focus.
To be fair, ‘Amsterdam’ operates in the same mode of controlled chaos as Russell’s earlier films, including ‘The Silver Linings Playbook’ and ‘American Hustle’; but unlike these movies, all that freneticism comes off excessive and overindulgent, so much so that the storytelling loses itself in its own manic and leaves its audience feeling messy and exhausted. There is much period detail to be savoured though, thanks to production designer Judy Becker’s immaculate recreations of ‘30s New York and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki’s gorgeous, fluid, sepia-tinged images, and therefore easy to savour for its physical craftsmanship.
So even though it doesn’t reach the heights of Russell’s creative zenith, ‘Amsterdam’ is still fitfully entertaining. For one, the stacked cast is a joy to watch. For another, its exuberance is still infectious, especially in its celebration of love, humanity and kindness amidst the tapestry of life. We’d wished it were a lot more compelling, not least given its topical relevance, but Russell spins too many threads here that he cannot convincingly pull together into a coherent whole. Still, there is no denying the ambition, craft and zeal on display here, and for those reasons, worth this bumpy trip down bohemia.
Movie Rating:
(Chaotic, messy and unfocused, yet brimming with ambition, craft and zeal, 'Amsterdam' is a star-studded period caper with intermittent but undeniable pleasures)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Action
Director: Tommy Wirkola
Cast: David Harbour, John Leguizamo, Edi Patterson, Cam Gigandet, Alex Hassell, Alexis Louder, Beverly D'Angelo
Runtime: 1 hr 52 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence & Coarse Language)
Released By: UIP
Official Website:
Opening Day: 1 December 2022
Synopsis: To hell with "all is calm." From 87North, the bare-knuckle producers of Nobody, John Wick, Atomic Blonde, Deadpool 2 and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw comes a coal-dark holiday thriller that says you should always bet on red. When a team of mercenaries breaks into a wealthy family compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone inside hostage, the team isn't prepared for a surprise combatant: Santa Claus (David Harbour, Black Widow, Stranger Things series) is on the grounds, and he's about to show why this Nick is no saint.
Movie Review:
Comparing Violent Night with Nobody is inevitable consider that both features over-the-top violence and action set pieces. And coincidentally enough, both stories start from a break-in.
The story is relatively fuss-free and simple. On Christmas eve, a group of mercenaries led by “Mr Scrooge” (John Leguizamo) barged into the home of a wealthy family in order to rob their money which is locked in a hi-tech vault. The family involves a young girl, Trudy (Leah Brady) and her estranged parents and extended family members including their matriarch, Gertrude (Beverly D’Angelo). Apparently, their riches derived from siphoning government money but this is not a movie about it.
In comes Saint Nick (David Harbour), yes that generous uncle we all known as Santa Claus except that this version of Santa is disillusioned in life, alcoholic and happened to be in the wrong place. And apparently he is about to save our dear wealthy family from the villains. So the movie’s highlight is not merely the wicked action but an added touch of whimsical fantasy and outrageous humour courtesy of the writers from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise.
As expected, the most compelling character here is Santa and Harbour nails down the role perfectly. His comic timing is flawless often driven by the character’s sarcasm and naughty one-liners. In fact, it reminds one of Red Guardian, the fumbling Soviet superhero Harbour plays in Black Widow only this time he has no Scarlett Johansson or Florence Pugh to compete for his screentime.
There’s also occasional flashbacks that showcases Santa’s past life as a Viking warrior of sort and mention of a certain Mrs Claus though these interesting inserts weren’t touch upon perhaps for obvious reasons, the filmmakers are reserving them for a prequel or sequel.
The rest of the characters unfortunately are given paper-thin characterization. Mr Scrooge is not exactly a scenery-chewing villain we love to hate even though Leguizamo as usual puts in a lavish performance as a Christmas-hating terrorist who talks more than he shoots. Despite the movie having a Die Hard vibe all over, Leguizamo’s character simply lacks the charm of Hans and Simon Gruber to win us over.
No Christmas movie should be without a kid and Trudy Lightstone is here to spread some holiday messages and as you guessed it, Trudy is a good kid all year round and that’s why Santa is going all out to save her and her questionable family members who actually has more questionable morals in life than the average person. That leads us to one question, why did Santa has to go through so much trouble to save them from the ruthless home invaders?
Violent Night does have its slower moments, mostly just touching exposition between Claus and Trudy. Otherwise, it’s just building up to the next fight scene which gets more and more atrocious when more of Mr Scrooge’s henchmen turned up. The choreography here is less fluid, proficient or sharp than say Nobody and John Wick because Santa is not a trained spy or agent, he is basically a former Norse warrior armed with his “skull crusher”. Santa gets roughed up easily from the process but that doesn’t stop him from utilising some cool Christmas décor as weapons for example, a Christmas tree star should come in handy. There’s also a gruesome, laugh-out-loud scene inspired by none other than Home Alone which involves some nails and a ladder.
Harbour’s versatility is obvious right here and he sure served up some need be festive cheer and together with director Tommy Wirkola (Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters) their very own version of ultra-violent Christmas magic. Die Hard finally has a competitor in the Christmas Action Movie category and we hate to choose only one.
Movie Rating:
(Violent Night is definitely on our nice list)
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Drama
Director: Anthony Fabian
Cast: Lesley Manville, Isabelle Huppert, Lambert Wilson, Alba Baptista, Lucas Bravo, Ellen Thomas, Rose Williams, Jason Isaacs
Runtime: 1 hr 56 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: UIP
Official Website:
Opening Day: 20 October 2022
Synopsis: MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS is the enchanting tale of a seemingly ordinary British housekeeper whose dream to own a couture Christian Dior gown takes her on an extraordinary adventure to Paris.
Movie Review:
It’s been a while since we walked out of the cinema feeling good about life. Thanks to Mrs Harris, the protagonist of this historical comedy drama, we were positive that as long as we followed our dreams, anything is possible and there is a happy ending for each and everyone of us.
Based on the Paul Gallico’s 1958 novel Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris, the movie takes place in London during the 1950s. Mrs. Ada Harris is a widowed cleaning lady and she is the cheeriest and most helpful person you’d ever met. There isn’t one glimpse of grumpiness in her, and she’s always ready to greet you with a chirpy hello. One day, she comes across a client’s haute couture Dior dress. For most of us who are not into high end fashion, this piece of clothing is custom fitted and made by hand, which means it is a unique piece of clothing that no other person has.
Enchanted by its beauty, Mrs Harris finds herself travelling to Paris, hoping to purchase a Dior dress with the war widow pension she received unexpectedly. There, she meets a charming gentleman, a good natured Dior accountant, a kind Dior model and a snobbish Dior sales director. A series of events lead to a strike by Dior workers, a Dior dress going up in flames, and most importantly, the realisation that being beautiful inside is as important as the elegance and sophistication of a Dior dress.
The 116 minute movie is a breeze to sit through. From start to finish, you’ll cheer Mrs Harris on as she finds her way to into a showing of Dior's 10th anniversary collection. She will watch in awe and amazement as the models walk into the room in their exquisite outfits, and so will you. It’s noteworthy to know that the current team at Dior had helped with the production design of this memorable scene, developing plans for the salon, providing props and garments, and most importantly, granting access to their archives. It’s a gesture of endorsement which filmmakers are happy to receive.
English actress Lesley Manville glows as she takes on the role of the good hearted Mrs Harris, while the legendary Isabelle Huppert effortlessly portrays the snooty sales director. Supporting characters are played by Lambert Wilson (the French gentleman who set Mrs Harris’s heart aflutter), Alba Baptisa and Lucas Bravo (the other Dior staff who warmly welcome Mrs Harris), as well as Jason Isaacs (the man who eventually wins Mrs Harris’s heart).
The movie directed by Anthony Fabian is the third film adaptation of the novel, and it is unabashedly heartwarming. It is a wholesome picture that is pleasant from start to end, with a few chuckle worthy moments. Many of us have not treated ourselves to such a crowd pleaser at the cinemas for a while, so why not catch this delightful period drama with an open heart and take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. If Mrs Harris can celebrate life by following her dreams, it’s a timely reminder that we can do the same as well.
Movie Rating:
(Get ready to smile and have your heart warmed by this delightful movie that celebrates the joy of following your dreams)
Review by John Li
Genre: Drama
Director: Maria Schrader
Cast: Carey Mulligan, Zoe Kazan, Patricia Clarkson, Andre Braugher, Jennifer Ehle, Samantha Morton
Runtime: 2 hrs 9 mins
Rating: NC16 (Mature Content)
Released By: UIP
Official Website:
Opening Day: 24 November 2022
Synopsis: Two-time Academy Award ® nominee Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman, An Education) and Zoe Kazan (The Plot Against America, The Big Sick) star as New York Times reporters Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor, who together broke one of the most important stories in a generation - a story that shattered decades of silence around the subject of sexual assault in Hollywood and altered American culture forever. From the Academy Award ® winning producers of 12 Years a Slave, Moonlight, Minari, Selma and The Big Short and the Oscar ®nominated producer of Zero Dark Thirty and American Hustle, the film is based on the New York Times investigation by Jodi Kantor, Megan Twohey and Rebecca Corbett and the New York Times bestseller, She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey. A testament to the power of investigative journalism, She Said details the journey of reporters and editors engaged in the unrelenting pursuit of the truth and highlights the courage of survivors and witnesses who chose to come forward to stop a serial predator in his tracks. Together, their commitment and fortitude sparked a national conversation, helped propel the #MeToo movement, and fueled a reckoning of the system that had enabled him.
Movie Review:
Based on The New York Times Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation and best-selling book, She Said features the struggle to get victims to go on the record, as the theatrical poster advocates.
This journalistic backstory follows two New York Times reporters conducting investigations on claims of sexual misconduct against a notable producer who reigned as a mogul in the film industry for over three decades (Pulp Fiction, Shakespeare In Love, Malèna, Lord of the Rings).
With crisp cinematography, this intriguing chronicle co-produced by Brad Pitt touches on a system that protects sexually pervasive abusers who are fond of binding women with confidentially clause, out-of-court monetary settlements or awful death threats and blackballing their promising careers.
Besides just whipping out their silencing card, these crooks work extra hard at sweeping their dirty acts under the rug and choose settlements over litigation. While very few women decide to break the silence, countless of them prefer treating it as just a nightmare and forget about it in the fear of getting cancelled and being branded as attention-seeking liars. In order to ride out this wave of legalistic bullying, these two reporters who work behind the scenes need names for the sake of credibility and coax victims to speak up. But will the affected parties be finally willing to go on the record? And will the two reporters’ unparalleled determination ultimately pay off, leading to a published story that would later catapult an epic movement onto everyone’s radar? Or would this be just another failed attempted to bring down the perpetrator?
Director Maria Schrader apparently isn’t a fan of cutting any corners and follows each and every beat of the story. Schrader’s commitment to every minute details of modern reporting manages to strip the usual glamour of Hollywood’s portrayal of journalists that viewers are accustomed to.
Being an Oscar material, Carey Mulligan starring in a role like this after her most recent amazing performance in Promising Young Woman feels elegiac. And pairing with award- winning actress, playwright and screenwriter, Zoe Kazan’s rendition of Jodi Kantor is what redeems this biological drama. Stellar performances by the duo allow enough creative room for She Said to play out like a real life drama, drawing the audiences into the magnitude of the film.
This expertly acted movie that features a background of Donald Trump’s election as American’s president isn’t just about exposing the unsuspecting wolves in sheep’s clothing at workplaces. It successfully highlights the role of journalism by taking viewers behind the tabloid headlines and celebrates women who stop at nothing to get their stories heard. The fact that this film that carries a very important message to convey, doesn’t rule out Weinstein as the sole villain is what sets the movie apart from other films that feature triggering sexual abuse as its focal point.
Also, get ready to be hit by a tidal wave of typical elements of a by women, for women movie. And that includes pregnancy, young children, mastectomy, fuzzy cuddles, emotional support systems, extremely supportive husbands who have compassion for their wives juggling home, careers and a responsibility of getting the story on the decades of allegations out.
Slow burn much? Maybe! The back and forth pace of the deeply troubling yet solidly performed film may be that one little fly in this ointment that prioritises in staying true to the accuracy of the events over entertainment. But let’s be honest for a moment. For some subject matter, television is just a better choice. She Said would have been best suited for the flatscreen in your living room than the big screen at your local cinema.
Movie Rating:
(A competently narrated and empowering chronicle featuring sisterhood and solidarity that sets this “womance” number from the rest)
Review by Asha Gizelle Mariadas
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