Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Gerard Johnstone
Cast: Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ronny Chieng, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Jen Van Epps, Lori Dungey, Stephane Garneau-Monten 
Runtime: 1 hr 42 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 5 January 2023

Synopsis: M3GAN is a marvel of artificial intelligence, a life-like doll programmed to be a child’s greatest companion and a parent’s greatest ally. Designed by brilliant toy - company roboticist Gemma (Get Out ’s Allison Williams), M3GAN can listen and watch and learn as she becomes friend and teacher, playmate and protector, for the child she is bonded to. When Gemma suddenly becomes the caretaker of her orphaned 8-year-old niece, Cady (Violet McGraw, The Hau nting of Hill House) , Gemma’s u nsure and unprepared to be a parent . Under intense pressure at work, Gemma decides to pair her M3GAN prototype with Cady in an attempt to re solve both problems — a decision that will have unimaginable consequences.

Movie Review:

Blumhouse Productions has given us yet another worthy horror number with a story by James Wan who flaunts a track record of giving us quality jump scares and memorable titles of the genre for close to two decades.

Will Chucky and other predecessors dethrone this dolly that comes with a superstar personality in terms of horror elements? Or is it a cult classic featuring the incredibly advanced and life-like killer doll, promising a worthwhile watch?

Violet McGraw, the young alum of The Haunting of Hill House plays Cady, whose aunt (Allison Williams) works at a toy company that specialises in robotics, simulation and analytics and is awarded temporary custody of the nine-year-old. While still in beta stage, Aunt Gemma intuits that M3gan, the Model 3 generation Android will be instrumental in getting Cady cope with the unexpected loss of her parents. With funny bits here and there, it does get serious to a point when the robotic doll that retails for 10 grand decides to be a little too overprotective.

This killing machine certainly exalts the scary doll genre sans the bloodiness with some killer dance moves (quite literally). With an unhurried build-up of the plot, this surprisingly funny film retains the darkness throughout the runtime and can’t quite be defined as a straight horror.

Screaming of a cautionary tale where kids need to use AI with absolute care while not manifesting any creepy ordeals, we all have low-keyed wished for an existence like M3gan at least once in our entire existence and here’s why. Unlike all other forerunners, M3gan is far from being just a vessel of pure evil. She merely goes the extra mile when it comes to protecting the little girl and that includes claiming some problematic lives that fairly give reasons to kill (doggo not included).

The delightfully-choreographed yet random dance sequence that endorses hilarity is unquestionably a highlight of the 102-minute upgrade of scary doll genre. One may also expect sassy one-liner comebacks with M3gan sounding like GlaDos here and there.

And if you had watched Raven’s Home and Chicken Girls, you would recall Jenna Davis who makes an impressive debut as the voice of M3gan. Alleviating the creepiness by manifold, M3gan’s official trailer features the hauntingly befitting number, “It’s nice to have a friend” by Taylor Swift.

Hailing as a melange of Orphan, The Bad Seed, Child’s Play and Dolly Dearest, a sequence to M3gan is decidedly hoped for. But it’s best to wait it out. In the meanwhile, get ready to experience the uncanny valley phenomenon with the slice of technology wrapped up in silicone, that comes with an eerie element of fun offering one many reasons to enjoy the behest of kills, chills and laughs.

Movie Rating:

(She sings, she fights and she kills for you. Relish this audience-pleasing futuristic horror that features a 4-foot tall Barbie in steroids)

Review by Asha Gizelle Mariadas

Genre: Action/Adventure
Director: Steven Caple Jr.
Cast: Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Tobe Nwigwe, Peter Cullen, Ron Perlman Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Liza Koshy, John DiMaggio, David Sobolov, Michaela Jae Rodriguez, Pete Davidson, Cristo Fernández
Runtime: 2 hr 7 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 8 June 2023

Synopsis: Returning to the action and spectacle that have captured moviegoers around the world, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on a '90s globetrotting adventure with the Autobots and introduce a whole new breed of Transformer - the Maximals - to the existing battle on earth between Autobots and Decepticons.

Movie Review:

Bring back the Bay-hem! As blasphemous as that may sound, that was the first thought which crossed our minds after sitting through two hours of thrill-less metal-versus-metal action.

Say what you will about the Michael Bay quadrology (we’re leaving out his very last ‘The Last Knight’, because that movie unfortunately was as bad as it gets), but the set-pieces were spectacular to say the least, with scale, scope and stakes to stimulate a genuine sense of peril and awe.

Sadly, that visceral pleasure is sorely missing in this latest entry, whose action is curiously uninvolving. Be it a car chase on the Williamsburg Bridge, or a foot chase within and outside the New York Musuem of Archaeology, or even the final showdown at the ruins of Machu Picchu that looks ripped from ‘Avengers: Endgame’, the way the action is shot keeps you at its periphery. Contrast that to Bay’s films, where the camera moves with the action to bring you right into the heart of it, and the mix of close-ups and long shots convey both intimacy and spectacle.

At the risk of sounding shallow, the reason why we place so much emphasis on the action is that it is the very raison d’etre of any ‘Transformers’ movie – and in the case of ‘Rise of the Beasts’, it is to see the Autobots and the Maximals team up against the Terrorcons. Indeed, as the sub-title suggests, the main attraction here is the robot beasts drawn from the syndicated animated series in the late 1990s, which features such robots as Optimus Primal (Ron Perlman), a gorilla; Airazor (Michelle Yeoh), a peregrine falcon; Rhinox (David Sobolov), which you can guess; and Cheetor (Tongayi Chirisa), ditto.

These Maximals have fled their home to take refuge on Earth following its destruction by the planet-devouring Unicron (Colman Domingo), and after centuries of peace, find that sanctuary broken by a young historian Elena (Dominique Fishback), who unleashes a signal into deep space when she uses a pair of lasers on a recently discovered ancient artifact resembling the Maltese falcon. Within that artifact is one half of the Transwarp key that Unicron is after, and the same signal that summons Unicron’s henchman Scourge (Peter Dinklage) also awakens the Autobots, whose leader Cybertron (Peter Cullen) wants to use the same key to return to his homeland.

The search for the other half of the Transwarp key brings the Autobots and Terrorcons to Peru, where the Autobots will team up with the Maximals to stop Unicron from acquiring the key and therefore the ability to traverse across universes to destroy Earth and other planets. Though five screenwriters are credited, the plot is utterly straightforward, with both story and character meant only to connect the dots between the set-pieces; most egregiously, there is no real sense of danger to the good guys whether robot or human, not even when Bumblebee is impaled and drained of his life force in the Autobots’ first encounter with Scourge.

To be fair, this is director Steven Caple Jr.’s most massive film to date, and the director best known for ‘Creed II’ does a impressive step-up from that boxing drama to a summer blockbuster of this scale. Alas, ‘Rise of the Beasts’ pales in comparison to what Bay had accomplished even with his first ‘Transformers’, and it is difficult to ignore how uninspiring the proceedings are. What Caple does do well is in capturing the mid-90s vibe of the era in which the movie is set, with pop-culture references to the Mario Bros. video games and hip-hop classics from A Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang Clan, Diggable Planets, The Notorious B.I.G. and more.

While ‘Bumblebee’ was a fun spinoff, this latest entry to the main ‘Transformers’ franchise fails to convey the same sense of excitement, spectacle and thrill as most of its predecessors. Sure, Bay’s quadrology was hardly perfect, and suffered from many of his gratuitous excesses, but there was never any question that the size of Bay’s canvass was enormous from the visuals that he placed onscreen. On the other hand, ‘Rise of the Beasts’ lacks the same ambition, and ends up being underwhelming whether in terms of scale, scope or stakes. It ain’t bad by any measure, and even with an ending that promises a cross-over with another iconic Hasbro franchise, it sure pales in comparison to what we’ve seen in this live-action series.

Movie Rating:

(Whether in terms of scale, scope and stakes, this latest 'Transformers' pales in comparison to Bay's quadrology, and therefore lacks the same sense of excitement, spectacle and thrill)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Drama
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Cast: Samuel Labarthe, Jean-Paul Bordes, Mikael Chirinian, Jérémie Laheurte, Chloé Jouannet, Pierre Lottin
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Rating: PG13 (Brief Coarse Language)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 8 December 2022

Synopsis: NOTRE-DAME ON FIRE offers a blow-by-blow recreation of the gripping events that took place on April 15, 2019, when the cathedral suffered the biggest blaze in its history. The film retraces how heroic men and women put their lives on the line to accomplish an awe-inspiring rescue.

Movie Review:

From a site of worship to a tourist hotspot, the Notre Dame cathedral in France is well- regarded as a valuable destination in anyone’s itinerary when visiting the city of Paris. With its French Gothic architecture and strategic position on the Seine, the religious monument has inspired books, music and paintings, amongst artists and worshippers alike.

Ever since its construction was completed in 1345, the cathedral has been seen in many ways, but nothing prepared one for what happened on the evening of 15 April 2019. When the world saw the great cathedral emitting plumes of smoke and then erupting in flames, the first reaction was: Is this real?

The fiery disaster was witnessed by the world and was eventually put out the next morning, but not before it took out the roof and spire of the cathedral. Thankfully, most of the main building remained intact, and many of the precious artefacts within the church archives were saved.

Though it only happened three years ago, seeing it unfold through Jean-Jacques Annaud’s film made the event feel vividly real once again - and the effect is surprisingly tense. While the cause of the fire was never isolated, the director focuses instead on different arcs of the people reacting to the fire, from ordinary citizens to church personnel and firefighters alike. One of the biggest criticisms the authorities faced was the seemingly inadequate effort they mustered to save the international icon. This film shows us why.

The delivery here is incredibly intimate, with the film handing us from person to person in a daisy chain as the unfortunate series of events unfolded. From misread alarms to the complications of navigating its narrow structures, one begins to better understand that no one in particular should be blamed - and Annaud’s crafting here is as gently sympathetic as it gets. He distributes these small incidents of delay and challenges throughout the film, putting us in the front seat of the tragedy to see the domino effect, and puts into visuals what even the best press release couldn’t explain.

Most impressive is how he managed to reconstruct the event, physically guiding us through the wooden eaves, narrow stairwells, and stoic gargoyles before revisiting how they - the very things that make Notre Dame beautiful - are also what led to the difficult rescue. From archaic door systems that trapped firefighters to the 460 tonnes of lead tiles that poured through the statues’ mouths, the villain here is really the building itself, accounting for why it took over 12 hours to put out the fire.

Thankfully this isn’t just a purely technical affair. Even in the short spurts of visitation from the many characters, we get a sense of their personality and relationship, often dished out in typical Parisian manner - a mix of dark humour and disdain. While some of the moments are a bit of a caricature, the majority of the figures add splendidly to the storyline and make for good viewing.

Mixed with actual footage from archives and witnesses alike, the film abandons traditional framing and styles for a menagerie of presentations, which is surprisingly engaging. Even with their wildly different resolutions, it adds a multi-perspective feel to the unfolding, letting the audience choose from their preferred vantage.

Most importantly, the film highlights how much was saved as opposed to how much was destroyed - largely because of the actions of firefighters who saved the belfry where the heavy bells could have caused more utter collapse of the building and facade. This, the film did brilliantly.

Today the cathedral still stands closed as workers repair the damage. While the re-opening date for the site is still uncertain, Notre Dame on Fire helps to fill a gap in revisiting this monument, albeit in a heartbreaking but beautifully heroic way at the same time.  

Movie Rating:

(A surprisingly engaging dramatisation that works, even when it splits its time between a wide ensemble. Riveting and a fitting tribute to the firefighters who saved the day)

Review by Morgan Awyong

Genre: Action/Adventure
Director: Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley
Cast: Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Chloe Coleman, Daisy Head, Hugh Grant
Runtime: 2 hrs 14 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 30 March 2023

Synopsis: A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure.

Movie Review:

This writer does not play Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), so he must have missed out countless cool references to the fantasy tabletop role playing game the movie is based on. But he did have a good time sitting through the movie, and credit goes to the directors Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, as well as the very charming ensemble cast led by Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez. And one can only imagine how much more D&D players would enjoy this action adventure movie.

The premise is simple: a motley crew gathers to retrieve a valuable item from a filthy rich bad guy. Fans of the game would identify the playable characters the roles are based on. Pine's Edgin Darvis is a bard who use artistic talents to induce magic, Rodriguez's Holga Kilgore is a barbarian who is capable of causing maximum damage in combat, Justice Smith's Simon Aumar is a sorcerer who is weak in combat but an expert in magic, Sophia Lillis' Doric is a druid who uses nature to her advantage, while Read-Jean Page's Xenk Yendar is a paladin who crusades and fights injustice as a holy knight. The antagonists come in the form of Hugh Grant's Forge Fitzwilliam, a rogue who is sneaky and suspicious, and Daisy Head's Red Wizard who uses necromancy to do bad things.

Given the premise, the movie could have been a dreary affair with two hours of serious dialogues and competent but uninspiring CGI sequences. Dragons? You'd definitely get a few scenes where they spew fire in the sky, but in this age, such visuals are unlikely to make you sit up and watch. Monsters? Audiences nowadays have been spoilt by so many strange creatures, it will take a lot of effort for a fantastical beast to wow us. Fans of the game would be interested to see how some of the monsters from the game come alive on the big screen though.

So kudos to the filmmakers for deciding to take a different approach to making this movie, and making us laugh at its hilarious setups and amusing one liners. The chemistry between the characters feels larger than life on screen, and seeing Edgin trying to impress the gang with his planning skills, Simon trying to impress Doric with his confidence, Xenk keeping a serious straight face despite the situation, and Forge making snide remarks (Grant’s dry British humour is on full display here) keeps the energy going throughout the movie.

The movie knows better than to take itself too seriously (there was a film trilogy consisting of a box office flop, a made for TV movie and a direct to DVD release between 2000 and 2012), and it seems like everyone is here for a good time. Watch out for a sequence where the heroes dig up corpses and question the dead in a creepy graveyard – whoever thought of treating this sequence like a comedy skit is a genius.

While the storyline takes some detours here and there (probably to fill the 134 minute runtime), you won’t complain because it is fun hanging out with the charming thieves who are embarking on quest after quest to reach their ultimate goal. And we can all be sure that this is the start of a new franchise.

Movie Rating:

(It doesn't matter whether you're familiar with the popular tabletop role-playing game, this fantasy adventure is fun, hilarious and truly charming) 

Review by John Li 

Genre: Thriller
Director: Russell Crowe
Cast: Russell Crowe, Liam Hemsworth, RZA, Elsa Pataky, Aden Young, Steve Bastoni, Daniel MacPherson, Brooke Satchwell, Molly Grace, Paul Tasson, Jack Thompson
Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins
Rating: NC16 (Coarse Language)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 29 December 2022

Synopsis: Set in the world of high stakes poker, Crowe stars as tech billionaire and gambler Jake Foley who gives his best friends a night they'll never forget, a chance to win more money than they've ever dreamed of. But to play, they'll have to give up the one thing they spend their lives trying to keep…their secrets.

Movie Review:

Its poster may want you to think that it is a poker movie or a heist thriller, but ‘Poker Face’ is neither. It is however probably one of Russell Crowe’s most personal films to date, and by that we’re not just referring to the one other he’s directed (that is, the 2014 historical drama ‘The Water Diviner’) but also the ones he’s starred in.

That isn’t surprising if you’ve heard of how Crowe came by the project, boarding the shoot just five weeks before and rewriting the script to change the setting from Miami to Sydney in consideration of the COVID-19 lockdowns back in 2020. Crowe’s own father had also passed away 10 days before the shoot, which is probably why he had given the story such a strong ruminative slant.

The synopsis mentions how Crowe plays a tech billionaire named Jake Foley who gathers his best friends for a high-stakes game that would require them to give up their secrets for a chance to win more money than they had ever dreamed of; what it fails to say is how Foley is dying, and has set up the night as a means of teaching his friends to face up to reality, just as he has been forced to.

Lest you think we’ve let out a spoiler, you should know the first act makes clear Jake is grappling with his mortality, what with scenes of him sitting in an art gallery and getting lost in the paintings, recalling the tragic death of his first wife and reflecting on how much he loves his daughter, and visiting a shamanic retreat where he discerns that the end of his life is like a force of nature he cannot control. It is at the retreat that Jake also receives from the shaman (Jack Thompson) a truth serum, which he intends to use on his friends in order to ferret out their lies.

Each one of them is flawed in his own way. Micky (Liam Hemsworth) is a suicidal addict. Alex (Aden Young) is a liar on too-intimate terms with Jake’s wife. And Paul (Steve Basconi) is a corrupt, compromised politician; worse, thinking that the invitation would be for Jake’s penthouse suite overlooking the Sydney Opera House, he has set his brother to steal the art collection at Jake’s country house. Even after telling his brother that they will be at the country house instead, Paul fails to convince the band of armed thieves (Paul Tassone, Matt Nable, Benedict Hardie) to abort the theft.

To make matters more complicated, Jake’s wife Nicole (Brooke Satchwell) and daughter Rebecca (Molly Grace) show up at the house just as it is being invaded, after the latter discover Jake’s medical reports and realise to her horror that her father is dying. Though the pace does pick up, those looking for a thrilling payoff will probably be disappointed – after a quick huddle in Jake’s panic room, the group of friends decide to confront the thieves in order to rescue Jake’s wife and daughter, with the showdown over and done with in less than 15 minutes.

Any expectation of ‘Poker Face’ as a revenge puzzle or captivity thriller will inevitably be left underwhelmed, for though Crowe has elements of both in the second and third acts of his movie respectively, neither is his intention. Only in the concluding minutes does Crowe finally reveal what he had in mind, and that is to reflect on how short life can be as well as therefore the importance of making the best out of the time that we are given to spend. It’s not hard to guess why he had chosen to make this the ultimate point of the movie, not least given where he was in his life when he was making this.

Whether that is reason enough to look past the deficiencies of this personal project is suspect; still, there is at least purpose to the endeavour, and Crowe is as always eminently watchable. Remember: don’t go in expecting a poker movie or a heist thriller; instead, allow this to be the peculiar trifle as it is about friends, fragility and forgiveness. It may not leave you with a smile on your face, but at least it won’t leave you stony-faced.

Movie Rating:

(Probably one of Russell Crowe's most personal movie to date, this mix of poker drama, revenge puzzle and captivity thriller refuses to commit to either and emerges as an unlikely lesson in mortality)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Action
Director: Jean-François Richet
Cast: Gerard Butler, Mike Colter, Yoson An, Daniella Pineda 
Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins
Rating: NC16 (Violence & Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Encore Films
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 19 January 2023

Synopsis: In the white-knuckle action movie PLANE, pilot Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler) saves his passengers from a lightning strike by making a risky landing on a war-torn island - only to find that surviving the landing was just the beginning. When most of the passengers are taken hostage by dangerous rebels, the only person Torrance can count on for help is Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter), an accused murderer who was being transported by the FBI. In order to rescue the passengers, Torrance will need Gaspare’s help, and will learn there’s more to Gaspare than meets the eye.

Movie Review:

To be brutally honest, the poster of this movie looks like a straight to video release. The idea of a gruff white man (we are guessing he’s the lead because of his body posture, and he is the guy in the foreground) teaming up with a grumpy black man to save the day seems all too familiar. And when the white guy is Gerard Butler, it goes on to remind us of how he saved the day (and possibly the world) in the action thriller series Olympus Has Fallen (2013), London Has Fallen (2016) and Angel Has Fallen (2019). If you don’t already know, he will be returning as Secret Service Mike Banning in the upcoming Night Has Fallen.

But as we sat through the movie, we realise it wasn’t as bad as we thought. Maybe familiarity is a good thing after all.

Butler plays commercial pilot Brodie Torrance whom we first see departing Singapore(we don’t think it was actually filmed in our local airport though) on New Year’s Eve. His plan of spending time with his daughter after his flight fails when a bad storm hit in mid air, and he is forced to make an emergency landing on an island located in a remote area of the Philippines. We’re not sure whether the Filipinos are pleased with this, but the movie features a group of anti government militias who are capable of very serious harm.

Brodie, together with the surviving passengers (yes, there will be casualties), have to brave the bad guys with no direct means of communication. Oh, remember the other dude you see on the poster? He is Louis Gaspare (Mike Colter), a convicted murderer who was on Brodie’s flight. And he may just be the person to team up with our hero to save the day.

The 107 minute movie does exactly what it is supposed to do. Director Jean-François Richet brings on the thrills without making you feel bored. It doesn’t spend much time to exploring the emotions of the several characters. There is no time for sentimentality, it seems. While the survivors are trying to stay alive on the island, there is a rescue effort led by a former Special Forces officer (Tony Goldwyn) that is happening in an intense meeting room. There are also supporting characters like the earnest co pilot (Yoson An, whom we last saw in the live action adaptation of Disney’s Mulan), the responsible head flight attendant (Daniella Pineda) and a less than memorable ensemble of passengers.

Butler doesn’t disappoint as an action star, and he displays his manly charisma in this role. He pulls some solid punches, and earns his keep by keeping the bad guys at bay. The Scottish actor gets extra points for convincing us that he is a reliable pilot that has his passengers’ welfare at heart if anything unfortunate happens. We’d feel safe on a plane flown by him. If you aren’t expecting anything bombastic, then this action thriller soars above most average action flicks and reminds you of what watching a suspense movie is about.

Movie Rating:

(This action thriller doesn't try to be different and it's a solid package that delivers the right amount of suspense and entertainment)

Review by John Li

Genre: Drama
Director: Kasi Lemmons
Cast: Naomi Ackie, Stanley Tucci, Ashton Sanders, Tamara Tunie, Nafessa Williams, Clarke Peters
Runtime: 2 hrs 25 mins
Rating: M18 (Some Mature Content)
Released By: Sony Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 29 December 2022

Synopsis: I Wanna Dance with Somebody is a powerful and triumphant celebration of the incomparable Whitney Houston. Directed by Kasi Lemmons, written by Academy Award® nominee Anthony McCarten, produced by legendary music executive Clive Davis and starring BAFTA Award® winner Naomi Ackie, the film is a no-holds-barred portrait of the complex and multifaceted woman behind The Voice. From New Jersey choir girl to one of the best-selling and most awarded recording artists of all time, audiences are taken on an inspirational, poignant—and so emotional—journey through Houston’s trailblazing life and career, with show-stopping performances and a soundtrack of the icon’s most beloved hits as you’ve never heard them before. Don’t you wanna dance?

Movie Review:

Not too long after Elvis, a biographical drama enjoyed by five generations with the veneration of the King of Rock ‘N’ Roll, I Wanna Dance with Somebody joins the trend, ringing in the festive cheer.

Has the biopic from the Academy Award nominee and writer of Bohemian Rhapsody, Anthony McCarten, done justice by giving Whitney Houston the stadium-sized gas-up she deserves? Or is it just another biographical musical drama on the bandwagon, with the biopic market flourishing as of late?

The Sony production named after one of her hit songs opens with a surreal live performance where Houston (Naomi Ackie) walks onto stage greeted by tens of thousands of diehard fans. And the scene cuts backs to New Jersey, 1983, where a young and coy Houston is part of a church choir led by her gospel-legend mother. And the film moves forward to touch on Houston’s sexuality as a closeted lesbian where she finds love in Robyn Crawford (Nafessa Williams).

Branded as The Voice and hailed as the Princess of Pop at just 23, the starlet with “stadium- sized vocals” gave the world seven consecutive #1s. Despite all the resplendence, Houston later went on to battle the passive aggressive taunts coming from outside, labelling her as a complete sell-out and bashing her music for not being ‘black enough’.

I Wanna Dance With Somebody, thankfully, doesn’t just pivot on America’s Sweetheart alone as its main character. Kasi Lemmons has nailed the format of an attested and lovingly-made biopic with her classy touch on subsidiary characters that meant so much to the songstress in real life. Cissy Houston, Robyn Crawford, Bobby Brown, Clive Davis and the late Bobbi Kristina Brown are a few to name.

The casting is absolutely on point. The Star Wars actress and BAFTA awardee, Naomi Ackie, was cherry-picked among the rest to play the legendary role. The British actress is also known to have diligently taken dialect lessons to prep for this role. For anyone wondering if Ackie is actually belting out the tunes of the late pop diva, Clive Davis has confirmed that they have chosen to retain the vocal genius of the original singer instead. And for those who have had made attempts in the privacy of their bathrooms will know that mimicking her divine vocals is no child’s play for sure. And the actress who was almost part of the Game of Thrones prequel aces it like a flawless victory. Ackie’s thespian range paired with Houston’s incomparable vocals for all songs masterfully captures the essence of this family-approved biopic that is already sensed belting its way to the Oscars.

The 90s wardrobe rocked by the superstar, from the black and gold matador jacket replica to the voluminous curly up-do wigs that come with a halo and the minutest of the Houston signature gestures is seen nailed by Ackie.

Describing the dreamy sequence of scenes that feature “I Will Always Love You” as ethereal is a mere understatement. With the all-time favourite soul ballad breathing life to the scenes, it all tied in so well. Her wedding held at her palatial $11 million estate in Mendham, New Jersey, in July 1992 with 800 guests, her first-ever film (The Bodyguard), her recording session of that song and the birth of her daughter were epitomical scenes that felt like a gossamer-winged butterfly fleeting under the morning sun.

The scenes featuring the triumph of her “Star Spangled Banner” performance at 1991's Super Bowl XXV, where the fireworks would shortly go up, make up for the length of the film by giving goosebumps all over. And not forgetting the finale where she performs a medley of hits! In all honesty, anyone would find it absolutely hard to resist from springing up and grooving to her tunes on screen and singing along to it.

The teasingly familiar theatrical poster features Ackie dressed in a black leather jacket, white tank, skinny jeans and black ankle boots – the same outfit worn by Whitney for her “So Emotional” music video. As for the trailer, it is quite a penny pincher when it comes to revealing details about Houston’s addiction struggles and her volatile relationship with her abusive ex-husband, Bobby Brown. Nonetheless, when it comes to unveiling some friction with her dad over financial matters and the digs that were taken at her music for not being black enough, the trailer does fulfil its calling.

Just as with any other creative production, I Wanna Dance with Somebody is likely to come with a bag of mixed reviews of yea and nay. Based on the after-movie lavatory talk, a few members of the audience felt that the 2 hour 26 minutes chose to highlight her trajectory as a star rather than as a person and that Lemmons had ended up glossing over the tabloid bits. It isn’t too far from the truth actually. But the temptation to pipe in and remind them that Lemmons has apparently gifted us with this year-end smash hit obviously throwing caution to the wind about the expectations that come with it was rather overriding. Fortunately, the opinion was reserved as no one planned on heading back home with a black eye. And that was exactly when it made more sense to go with the right crowd in order to enjoy this larger- than-life biopic drama, embellished with her unforgettable hits and end the year with a bang that hits just right.

Davis revealed in a recent interview that his overall mission for I Wanna Dance with Somebody is to “present the full story of Whitney Houston impeccably and [ensure] that it will be realistic in every respect.” That being said, every box gets checked.

This film featuring 22 songs in the superstar’s unsurpassed voice embodies a solid cradle-to- grave structure thus bringing justice to all characters (where most of them are alive and kicking) without having to demonise them and dramatises the ever-shining starlet’s accomplishments and life events in chronological fashion.

Movie Rating:

(Get cordially invited to what feels like a red carpet fanfare and end the year with a festive bang to experience the legacy in this clear-eyed narrative)

Review by Asha Gizelle Mariadas

Genre: Martial-arts
Director: Donnie Yen
Cast: Donnie Yen, Chen Yuqi, Cya Liu, Kara Wai, Wu Yue
Runtime: 2 hrs 10 mins
Rating: NC16 (Violence)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures and Clover Films
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 16 January 2023

Synopsis: During the Northern Song dynasty, Qiao Feng, the leader of the Beggars’ Sect, was a heroic and chivalrous man who was respected by the whole martial arts world. But he was suddenly accused of being a Khitan, which made him isolated by friends and allies. On his journey to find out about his origin and enemies, Qiao Feng met Azhu the maid from Murong family, and they fell for each other. The two went together through events in Juxian Manor, Yanmen Pass, and the Mirror Lake. Unfortunately, Qiao walked into Mrs. Ma’s trap and killed Azhu by mistake. He finally found out it was Murong Fu who schemed all this to revive the former Yan kingdom. After he killed Murong Fu, Qiao Feng went beyond the Great Wall as Azhu wished.

Movie Review:

Almost two decades later, Donnie Yen returns to the director’s chair with this adaptation of Jin Yong’s ‘Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils’ to tell the story of Qiao Feng. Those familiar with the classic novel will know that of the three protagonists, Qiao’s story is the one most commonly retold, rife as it is with betrayals, reprisals and tragedy. Indeed, Qiao was the highly regarded leader of the Beggar Sect, before labelled a traitor due to his Khitan ancestry and falsely accused of murdering the gang’s deputy chief, his Shaolin master and his own adoptive parents.

That Qiao will fight to redeem his name and uncover the truth is an understatement, but also precisely why besides directing, Yen also takes on the lead role of Qiao. It is a hard act to follow, considering how Yen would be going in the footsteps of such luminaries as Bryan Leung, Norman Chui and Felix Wong to play the master of the legendary ‘Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms’. That said, the same can be said of Chen Yuqi, who plays Qiao’s ill-fated lover Azhu, and Cya Liu, who plays Azhu’s younger sister Azi.

Aside from a prologue narrating how Qiao was raised as a baby by a peasant couple and how he had won the respect of the Beggar Sect elders as a teenage boy, ‘Sakra’ largely begins with Qiao as the righteous leader of the aforementioned sect. An elaborate opening fight sequence also establishes Qiao’s exceptional martial arts skills, with such moves as the ‘Dragon Claw’ (虎爪手), ‘Branch Beats the White Chimpanzee’ (打狗棒), and of course the ‘Palms’ (降龍十八掌), in order to free Emperor Duan Zhengchun’s son who is held captive by an unforgiving monk.

Qiao’s fall from grace follows immediately after this glorious introduction, with four Beggar Sect elders and the slain Vice Master Ma’s wife Kang Min (Grace Wong) accusing him of murdering Ma in order to keep his Khitan ancestry a secret. Soon after, Qiao’s Shaolin master Xuan Ku and both his parents are also murdered, though we will say that those who do not already know who the murderer is (from previous Qiao Feng adaptations) will only find out right before the end credits. While at the Shaolin monastery, Qiao also runs into Azhu, who is there to steal a sacred scroll and ends up being severely injured by the Powerful Vajra Palm (大力金刚掌).

After trying to keep her alive through his internal powers, Qiao realises the only way to save her is to seek the help of the renowned physician Xue Muhua (Yuen Chung-yan). That selfless act brings Qiao head to head with the various ‘wulin’ sects gathered at the Juxian Manor, and therefore the film’s next big sequence with Qiao engaging in a ferocious battle to the death with many of his former friends and acquaintances, including the leaders of the Beggar Sect who had raised him and the Shaolin monks who had trained him.

Up until this point, Yen proves a surprisingly adept director, balancing the busier scenes with Qiao and the rest of his ‘wulin’ brethren with more intimate moments of soul-searching and character-building between Qiao and Azhu. He also gets solid help from his protégé turned action director Kenji Tanijaki, who designs and choreographs several impressive fight scenes to let Yen showcase how agile, nimble and swift he remains as a martial artist even while approaching the age of 60. Where he falls short though is as leading man, specifically when it comes to emoting his character’s inner distress whether at the death of his loved ones or in severing ties with those he had either grown up with or had raised him.

Yen’s grip on the story falters after this strong first hour, especially with the introduction of the other intertwining characters from the novel, including the devious Murong Fu (Wu Yue) of the Yan kingdom and Duan Zhengchun (Eddie Cheung) of the Dali kingdom. Though the book does likewise, the way these other characters are introduced is abrupt and even somewhat awkward, such as how Qiao and Azhu just so happen to run into Duan having a tiff with his lover Ruan Xingzhu (Kara Wai) and their daughter Azi on a bridge while rowing their boat down a river.

It is also puzzling how Yen chooses to reveal certain key plot details only right before the end credits after almost all is said and done. It isn’t just the earlier mentioned detail about who killed Xuan Ku and Qiao’s adoptive parents, but also how this individual had carved a message in Khitan on a large rock face before apparently jumping off a cliff to his death, which so happens to be the same rock that Qiao visits after he is rescued by a mysterious masked benefactor and is reunited with Azhu. Ditto the mastermind behind the attack on Qiao’s real parents at this cliff called Yanmen Pass, who is also connected to Murong Bo and is significant enough to be played by none other than Ray Lui.

It isn’t easy to condense what has otherwise been told over an entire 40-episode TV series in the span of two hours, and indeed the challenges of staying faithful to the novel while keeping within a feature length is all too apparent here. Thankfully, Yen still goes out on a high with an extravagant finale that sees Qiao and Azi going up against Murong Bo and his Yan army; in particular, the mano-a-mano between Qiao and Bo sees Yen do a satisfyingly epic display of the ‘Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms’ against the latter’s ‘Star Subduing Palms’.

Unlike Wong Jing’s ‘New Kung Fu Cult Master’ last year, ‘Sakra’ was not filmed as a two-parter; that said, for all its storytelling flaws, it is still a solid wuxia action thriller that will bring back fond memories of a genre which used to define Hong Kong/ Chinese cinema. For pulling triple duties (as actor, producer and director), Yen fairs pretty well in every single department, not least because he did not have the luxury of time and budget. If anything, we’d love to see Yen go head to head with Lui, and enough reason for us to hope that ‘Sakra’ gets a sequel.

Movie Rating:

(Combining Donnie Yen's signature propulsive action with Jin Yong's classic tragic story, 'Sakra' is a mostly spirited 'wuxia' thriller that should bring back fond memories of the somewhat lost genre)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Thriller/Drama
Director: Ben Smallbone
Cast: Bailey Chase, Kearran Giovanni, Neal McDonough, Dawn Olivieri, Olivia Sanabia, Jesse Hutch, Charles Esten, Jill Wagner, Sam Page, Kevin Lawson and Grace Powell
Runtime: 1 hr 53 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 17 July 2025

Synopsis: A nuclear bomb is detonated in Los Angeles, and the nation devolves into unprecedented chaos. Ex-Green Beret Jeff Eriksson and his family escape to The Homestead, an eccentric prepper's fortress nestled in the mountains. As violent threats and apocalyptic conditions creep toward their borders, the residents of The Homestead are left to wonder: how long can a group of people resist both the dangers of human nature and the bloodshed at their doorstep?.

Movie Review:

‘Homestead’ imagines what happens if a nuclear bomb went off along the coast of California, but before you wonder if this is going to be another Roland Emmerich disaster thriller, let us reassure you that it is not; instead, this is a morality drama from faith-based Angel Studios that invites us to ponder if such a scenario unfolded whether we would defend our own self-interests for the sake of survival or open our hearts to those around us who would also need help.

That tension is presented in the form of the titular homestead owned by Ian Ross (Neal McDonough), whose fortress-like mansion on a hill was conceived precisely in the event of the need for self-sufficiency. Besides provisions for food and energy, Ian had also invested in contracting a security detail to safeguard against potential looters; that detail is led by former Green Beret veteran Jeff Eriksson (Bailey Chase), whose squad of men with similar backgrounds have different views on how aggressive to enforce a security perimeter around the premises.

Ian’s conflict is exacerbated by his wife Jenna’s (Dawn Oliveri) generosity, offering to distribute food and even bake bread for those clamouring outside the gates of their homestead to get in. Ditto their daughter Claire (Olivia Sanabia), who despite being home-schooled, has a heart of compassion; that same quality leads her to bond with Jeff’s son Abe (Tyler Lofton) after an unfortunate tragedy causes him to almost lose his bearings.

It is no secret that director Ben Smallbone did not have a sizeable budget to work with, so instead of doing too much, Smallbone doubles down on the community within and beyond the gates of Ian’s homestead. In addition to the aforementioned characters, other notable supporting players include Jeff’s Army veteran wife Terra (Kearran Giovanni), their adopted daughter Georgie (Georgiana White), and an irascible local governor who threatens to seize the property under the guise of doing what is necessary for the community.

Because it is planned to lead into two episodes of the same name, ‘Homestead’ doesn’t quite close off each of the subplots neatly; in particular, it leaves viewers guessing the origins and fate of Georgie, who has the unexplained ability to foresee the nuclear disaster at the start of the movie and the events that would follow after. Notwithstanding the unresolved portions of the film, it still proves a surprisingly engaging watch from start to finish, anchored by strong performances from its relatively unknown cast. Each has been given a moral dilemma to grapple with, and in their own respective ways, flesh that out to the best that the story offers.

We will also say that those who are religious will be moved by the parable in the last act of the movie – that of the five loaves and two fish in the Bible. The parallels will be clear from the beginning to those who know the text, but it doesn’t dull the philosophical impact of seeing Jenna and Terra step up beyond their own self-protective instincts to trust in the providence of God.

So like we said, ‘Homestead’ is hardly a big-budget disaster thriller; instead, it uses a high concept to illustrate a parable about loving thy neighbour. To be sure, it doesn’t flaunt its religious beliefs on its sleeves, so those worried about being preached to can rest easy; still, it packs a sufficiently compelling moral punch to have you thinking just what humanity ought to be defined by, and the choices we can make to bring about kindness, compassion and hope.

Movie Rating:

(Less disaster thriller than morality drama, this faith-based tale of a community who is faced with the conumdrum of what to do with those outside their gates is reasonably engaging)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Comedy
Director: Ma Dae-yun
Cast: Kwone Sang-woo, Oh Jung-se, Rhee Min-jung, Park So-i, Kim Jun
Runtime: 1 hr 53 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures and Clover Films
Official Website:

Opening Day: 5 January 2023

Synopsis: Life turned upside down! "PARK Kang", a top scandal maker and the most sought-after actor who has brought in over 10 million at the box-office, enjoys a lavish, single life. However, the only thing he has to embrace on Christmas Eve is his Best Actor trophy he had won at the year-end acting awards. He clings to his only friend "JOE Yoon," who deals with his mess as his manager, has drinks with him, then catches a taxi to go home. The next morning, "PARK Kang" wakes up in an unfamiliar house and gets hugged by two kids he's never seen before. His first love, "Soo-hyun," whom he had broken up with 10 years earlier for his acting career, nags him non-stop and smacks his back hard. Not only that, his best friend and manager, "JOE Yoon", has become the hottest box-office sensation and taken over his life... What kind of absurd situation is this? Confused by his life turned upside down, "PARK Kang" suddenly remembers something that the taxi driver said the night before... "If you had the chance to change your past choices, what would you do?"

Movie Review:

There are many body swap movies – you know, the classic plot of a character waking up one fine morning to find himself or herself in another person’s body (bonus points if there is a switch in gender as well). This brings about a variety of possible genres: comedy (the most common), drama, action, and in some cases, horror. Notable examples include Big (1988), Freaky Friday (1976 and its 2003 remake), The Change-Up (2011), The Hot Chick (2002) and Your Name (2016).

Evidently, we are not tired of this wacky body swap trope, because we didn’t feel dread watching this Korean movie about a famous actor who gets up one day realising that he is living as a commoner with a wife and two kids. While it isn't technically a movie about swapping bodies, the concept is somewhat similar. It's about a character switching life with another person so he can learn a life lesson.

We suspect one main reason why this movie is so enjoyable because it features Kwone Sang-woo, the Korean oppa who stole millions of hearts with his starring role in the 2003 TV series Stairway to Heaven. Here, he plays Park Kang, a popular and haughty actor who is also plagued by scandals. But like real life, good looks seem to allow celebrities to get away with many things and still remain adored by fans. Obviously, Park Kang does not see the need to settle down despite the romantic involvements with other women. Elsewhere, we are get to meet his manager Joe Yoon (Oh Jung-se), a hardworking man with a family to feed. We also learn that Joe Yoon once had dreams of being an actor himself.

After a night of drinking and a strange conversation with his cab driver, Park Kang awakens to find himself in the body of a commoner. He is living in a modest apartment and there is a woman named Soo Hyun (Rhee Min-jung) who is supposedly his wife. And there are twins in the house, demanding for things like every kid would.

And what follows is a series of familiar but still enjoyable sequences that range from funny to heartwarming. Along the way, Park Kang would learn how to care for others other than himself, and develop a bond with his family. It is particularly touching to see the once selfish man forging a relationship with the kids. Seeing how the top notch actor take on the role of a multi tasking manager naturally brings laughs as he fumbles in his initial tasks. It also helps that the character is portrayed by the handsome Kwone, and the filmmakers did not miss out the opportunity of including shirtless scenes for the actor to show off his bod.

What seems like a wasted chance was how the 113 minute seemed to pay less attention to Joe Yoon. The guy who had earnestly tried to make his way into showbiz (and failed) deserves more screen time, and it would have been interesting to see how he adapted to the life of a famous celebrity after the switch. Perhaps the filmmakers felt it was a surer bet to focus on the heartthrob (especially since he is played by Kwone), and give the viewers a romantic ending that would make them swoon over the good looking couple.

Movie Rating:

(A familiar movie about a how haughty dude learns an important life lesson. With enough laughs and heartwarming moments to keep you entertained, it also helps that eye candy is served in the form of Korean oppa Kwone Sang-woo.)

Review by John Li