Genre: Romance/Drama
Director: Wanweaw Hongvivatana, Weawwan Hongvivatana
Cast: Thitiya Jirapornsilp, Anthony Buisseret
Runtime: 2 hrs 2 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 2 March 2023
Synopsis: In 1999, while the world is gripped by the Y2K scare, identical twin sisters “You” and “Me” are also concerned for their future. The twins are so close with one another to the point that they share every aspect of life with each other. One day, a boy named “Mark” comes into their lives. When the twins are confronted with their “first loves which are not shareable” unlike everything else, how will this internal conflict lead the twins into a new phase of their life?
Movie Review:
Two decades ago, the simple but oh-so-sweet story of two childhood sweethearts in ‘My Girl’ became the top-grossing domestic film in Thailand and charmed its way into the hearts of audiences across the world. ‘You and Me and Me’, the latest production from the same powerhouse studio GDH, has been compared to ‘My Girl’ for various reasons, including its story of first love and period setting; but despite some broad similarities, this debut film from twins Wanwaew and Waewwan Hongvivat is very much its own movie for all the right reasons.
Obviously inspired by their own experience, directors Wanwaew-Waewwan Hongvivat explore how a pair of twins who share practically every aspect of life with each other navigate the complexities of first love. Said twins are You and Me (both played by newcomer Thitiya Jirapornsilp), who look absolutely alike physically except for a facial mole on Me but not You. As a prologue explains, You and Me have exploited their likeness to their advantage, including taking turns to eat at buffets and entering cinema halls; their latest exploit involves having Me cover up the mole on her face in order to disguise herself as You to take a Maths retest in school on You’s behalf.
It is at the retest that Me meets Mark (Anthony Buisseret), a sweet, handsome boy who breaks his pencil into half to share it with her when she realises she had forgotten her stationery. Though Me tries to follow up that encounter with Mark, the latter moves back to his village before she is able to reconnect. As fate would have it, after a bitter quarrel between their parents over their father’s infidelity, their mother takes You and Me to stay with their grandmother; there, You runs into Mark while going for phin lessons, and though You wasn’t the one at the earlier meet-cute, she and Mark gradually bond over more phin lessons and motorcycle rides by the countryside.
Not surprisingly, You ends up falling for Mark, and in her naivety, not only seeks Me’s advice how to make Mark fall for her but also invites Me to join her on their dates. Things come to a head when Me intentionally divulges that it was her at the retest that day, prompting Mark to ponder if it was You or Me that he is in love with. Needless to say, Me’s jealousy causes a rift between the twin sisters, which ends up being compounded by the certainty of their parents’ imminent divorce. Without giving too much away, let’s just say there is a deus ex machina that gives You and Me the clarity they need to heal their relationship, as well as to cross into the Y2K with quiet confidence of what the future would hold for them.
Under the tutelage of producer Banjong Pisanthanakun, who directed the crowd-pleasing rom-coms ‘Hello Stranger’ and ‘One Day’, ‘You and Me and Me’ paints an intimate picture of how inseparable You and Me are to each other, while detailing the important differences between their personalities. That we get to know both You and Me so deeply is credit to Jirapornsilp, who brings out the nuances in both characters beautifully; indeed, as Hong Kong director Peter Chan said, it is a wonder when you realise that both You and Me are played by the same actress, and especially a first-time film actress at that.
Just as noteworthy is how the film portrays how simple yet complex first love can be – simple in how it often starts with a feeling that grows and grows, and complex in how you never truly know if you can trust in it until it is backed by commitment. Here, both You and Mark grapple with not just their feelings for each other but also their doubts whether these feelings are exclusive or can be transferred to that between Me and Mark. Juxtaposing their coming-of-age love story against the turn of the Y2K century also adds an extra nostalgic touch, especially for those who have lived through the change of times.
So despite sharing some thematic similarities with ‘My Girl’, ‘You and Me and Me’ ultimately stands on its own as a tender, heart-warming and poignant teenage rom-com. For those who had grown up in the Y2K era, it is a heartfelt reminder of what first love felt like; and for those who have yet or have the privilege to still be going through their first love, it is likely a reflection of the joys, anxieties and perhaps even heartbreak that comes with it. It is also another worthy crowd-pleaser from GDH, a breakout film for the immensely talented Jirapornsilp, and one ultimately that you and me and me should see to laugh, to feel, and most of all, to reminisce.
Movie Rating:
(Tender, heart-warming and poignant, this coming-of-age love story is a beautiful reminder and reflection of the simplicities and complexities of first love)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Scott Beck, Bryan Woods
Cast: Adam Driver, Ariana Greenblatt, Chloe Coleman, Nika King
Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence & Disturbing Scenes)
Released By: Sony Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 9 March 2023
Synopsis: After a catastrophic crash on an unknown planet, pilot Mills (Adam Driver) quickly discovers he’s actually stranded on Earth…65 million years ago. Now, with only one chance at rescue, Mills and the only other survivor, Koa (Ariana Greenblatt), must make their way across an unknown terrain riddled with dangerous prehistoric creatures in an epic fight to survive.
Movie Review:
The revival of the ‘Jurassic Park’ franchise must have gotten the duo of Scott Beck and Bryan Woods thinking: “How do we replicate its success with a similar dinosaur-human formula?” Prima facie, their answer – in the form of an ancient extra-terrestrial civilisation who happened to crash land on the planet Earth 65 million years ago – isn’t in itself a bad idea. Unfortunately, ‘65’ is at best a middling high-concept movie, and is unlikely to translate into any sort of franchise opportunities which the directing-screenwriting pair may have hoped for.
Perhaps the very first misstep is to construct ‘65’ as a realistic survival thriller, by pitting Adam Driver’s Commander Mills and Ariana Greenblatt’s Koa against the terrain, its flora and its fauna. A brief prologue establishes how Mills had reluctantly agreed to pilot a two-year mission in order to afford the life-saving medical procedure which his young daughter Nevine (Chloe Coleman) needed, before a longer introduction showing how the vessel he was piloting encounters a nasty asteroid storm which causes it to crash-land on the thankfully inhabitable planet called Earth.
Besides Mills, the only other person on board the ship to survive the crash is Koa, which for obvious reasons, is set up as close to Nevine’s age. Unlike Mills, Koa’s native language isn’t English, which allows Beck-Woods to apply some of that ‘A Quiet Place’ treatment to the interaction between them. The plot is as simple as it gets – before the same asteroid storm hits Earth and wipes out every living creature on it, Mills and Koa must make it to the escape shuttle 15 miles across from where they crash-landed, in order to head back into space to meet their rescue vessel.
And over the next one and a half hours, Mills and Koa will encounter a menagerie of prehistoric creatures while trekking across the terrain filled with quicksand and steam-filled geysers. To their credit, Beck-Woods do offer a few exciting action sequences, including one in the forest where Mills has to fight against a pack of lizard-like dinosaurs, another in a series of caves where Mills and Koa encounter the Tyrannosaurus Rex for the first time, and the finale where they have to battle not one but three T-Rexes while trying to get into the escape pod. Still, neither are Spielberg, and none of the sequences are memorable in and of themselves.
Nor for that matter is the character work, which was probably the reason why Driver decided to sign on in the first place. Despite setting aside quiet moments for Mills and Koa for them to bond, there is little poignancy to their relationship, not even when Koa confirms what we had expected about Nevine’s fate from the get-go. Driver is as formidable an actor as he is an action hero here, but is underserved by the writing; ditto for Greenblatt, who at least shares good chemistry with Driver as their characters attempt to communicate and connect with each other.
Though ‘65’ is nowhere near awful, it hardly distinguishes itself to justify its existence or more its longevity as a franchise. Like we said, there is nothing particularly compelling about their survival journey across our planet 65 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, be it in terms of story, character or even special effects. For that reason, ‘65’ comes off more underwhelming than anything, a high-concept movie that ultimately fails to deliver adequately on its ambition and promise.
Movie Rating:
(An underwhelming start to what could have been a new dinosaur movie franchise, '65' lacks story, character and ultimately bite)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Action/Comedy
Director: Larry Yang
Cast: Jackie Chan, Liu Haocun, Guo Qilin, Joey Yung, Andy On, Yu Rongguang, Xiaoshenyang, Wu Jing
Runtime: 2 hr 6 mins
Rating: PG (Some Violence)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 13 April 2023
Synopsis: Directed by Larry Yang and starring international superstar Jackie Chan alongside new talents Liu Haocun and Kevin Guo, Ride On tells the story of washed-up stuntman Luo (Jackie Chan). When Luo’s trusty horse Red Hare becomes the focus of a debt dispute, Luo repairs his relationship with estranged daughter Bao (Liu Haocun). Moreover, with the help of Bao’s boyfriend Mickey (Kevin Guo), the team of “three people and one horse” set out to protect their family and loved ones. The brilliant action choreography in the film is a homage to Jackie Chan’s classic stunts from his previous movies. Ride On proves to be the best Chinese-language family movie of 2023.
Movie Review:
The Chin Ka-Lok produced documentary Kung Fu Stuntmen which feature interviews with action stars liked Sammo Hung, action directors liked Yuen Woo Ping and Stephen Tung is a loving tribute to the legacy of HK stunt work. But one name is notoriously missing- Jackie Chan, the international action star who is renowned for his death-defying onscreen stunts.
Perhaps the mystery is now sort of solved as Chan has his own tribute piece in the form of Ride On, written and directed by young filmmaker Larry Yang.
Chan plays Master Luo, a washed-up stuntman who now earns a minimum wage roaming around Hengdian Studio with his trusty horse dubbed Red Hare. Red Hare is a gift from Luo’s friend (Ray Lui in a fleeting cameo) and after the collapsed of his friend’s firm, the horse is involved in a company financial dispute in which Red Hare is supposedly to be on the auction list.
Desperate to keep Red Hare by his side, Luo has no choice but to seek the help of his estranged daughter, Bao (Liu Haochun), a law student and his novice lawyer-boyfriend, Mickey (Kevin Guo) for legal assistance. At the same time against the wishes of Bao, Luo is making a small comeback with Red Hare as fellow “stuntmen” in the film industry. Will Luo and Red Hare separate in the end or a long-delayed family reunion with Bao awaits them?
Ride On is a movie with many themes. It’s the first time Chan is working with an animal sidekick. It’s also a family drama that has his character trying hard to connect with a daughter that he never spend any time with when she was younger. Of course, the bigger picture is about the hard work of every stuntmen behind countless action movies. Lump all these factors together and you have Chan’s latest work.
Embarrassingly, the tribute portion is more of a Jackie Chan tribute than anything else as we are shown reels of Chan performing his stuntwork from his Golden Harvest heyday. Luo frequent mentions of “stuntmen never say no” comes much earlier on Kung Fu Stuntmen. In the context of the latter, it comes far more stirring and convincing. In the case of Ride On, the fictional portrayal of Luo hardly represents the overall effort of the stunt industry or Jackie Chan’s stunt man team on the whole and this is despite the actor’s constant drilling message of relying on real action and stunts.
At 69, Chan has officially surpassed the official Singapore’s retirement age and the man still insists on working on Ride On despite a knee injury. And that is dedication and commitment for the youngsters out there. For an action star in his twilight years, obvious stand-in, close-ups and quick cuts is a must for the handful of action sequences which mainly feature Andy On (remember his duel with Jackie in New Police Story?) and his henchmen as debt-collectors running after Luo. Playful and meant for some light chuckles, the action choreography by He Jun is hardly creative or engaging. Just remember our man here is already 69!
The bulk of Ride On relies on the father-and-daughter relationship and some silly antics by Red Hare. Liu Haochun (from Zhang Yimou’s One Second) and cross-talk comedian Kevin Guo is at least serviceable in their respective roles although most audiences are likely here for Chan. While the old man from Ernest Hemingway’s classic The Old Man and the Sea finally learns more about life after the death of the marlin, Luo has to learn about modernisation and adaptations through his interaction with a horse and his daughter.
Like we mentioned earlier, Ride On is more of a Jackie Chan tribute with props and scenes that referenced his past hits such as Police Story 4, Operation Condor and The Myth. Diehard Chan fans will likely spot them out though. The comedy also features cameos from Wu Jing, Xing Yu and Yu Rongguang as a businessman who loves to collect horses and his frequent collaborator Stanley Tong. Popstar Joey Yung stars as one of Luo’s protégés who hurt herself in a stunt went wrong, a subplot that deserved far more attention than anything else.
As much as we love Chan’s past works, it’s sad to see an aging Jackie trying hard to impress a much younger crowd of audiences who never have the chance to enjoy the daredevil antics and action of his olden days on the big screen. Perhaps it’s about time Chan hang up his boots or perhaps he should just stick to serious flicks liked The Foreigner.
Movie Rating:
(Ride On or shall we say, The Old Man and the Horse is a decent family comedy featuring a 69 year old Jackie Chan)
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Drama
Director: Marc Forster
Cast: Tom Hanks, Mariana Treviño, Rachel Keller, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Cameron Britton, Mack Bayda, Juanita Jennings, Peter Lawson Jones, Kelly Lamor Wilson, Truman Hanks
Runtime: 2 hr 6 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Mature Content)
Released By: Sony Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 23 March 2023
Synopsis: Based on the comical and moving #1 New York Times bestseller, A Man Called Otto tells the story of Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks), a grumpy widower who is very set in his ways. When a lively young family moves in next door, he meets his match in quick-witted and very pregnant Marisol, leading to an unlikely friendship that will turn his world upside-down. Experience a funny, heartwarming story about how some families come from the most unexpected places.
Movie Review:
Tom Hanks has been dubbed “America’s dad” largely due to his wholesome onscreen appearances and likeable charisma. Yet in his second “unlikeable” role after Elvis, he plays the grumpiest man in America named Otto.
Adapted from a 2015 Swedish movie which in turn was adapted from a 2012 novel by Fredrik Backman, Hanks plays a recent widower, Otto who possesses strict routines and principles and patrols his small neighbourhood on a daily basis. For example, correcting the neighbours’ recycling habits, making sure the UPS truck driver does not park on the road again and giving lectures to a young woman and her dog.
Despite the fact that Otto is easily ruffled and grumpy, he is trying his very best to end his life (which explains the local rating of NC16 for mature content) so that he can reunite with his late wife again. First he tries to hang himself, then by inhaling carbon monoxide from exhaust fumes, he even tries to kill himself by stepping into an incoming train.
None actually works according to his plans. And meantime, dear old Otto starts to warm up to a gusty Mexican woman, Marisol (Mariana Trevino), her fumbling hubby and two daughters who have just moved into the unit opposite his.
A Man Called Otto is a tragic sad story filed with moments of light-heartedness. It reminds one heavily of Pixar’s Up. You know the Pete Docter’s animation where an equally grumpy widower, Carl Fredricksen who lost his beloved wife and befriend a young explorer and they set off to an adventure together? Otto is somewhat similar only minus the floating house, boy scout and suicide thoughts.
It’s truthfully kind of despairing, but director Marc Foster and writer, David Magee (Finding Neverland) manages to find enough warmth and sunshine among the darkness to tell a tale of wholesomeness and pure goodness. Via flashbacks where a younger Otto is played by Hanks’ real-life son, Truman, we learnt more about the love between Otto and his wife, Sonya. How they first met, how they support each other despite their differences which led to why Otto misses his wife so much.
There’s also a brief flashback that tells how Otto falls out with fellow neighbours, Anita and Reuben, though it’s more of a setup for a confrontation with an evil real estate company representative in the finale. Still, the bulk of the movie lies in the relationship between Otto and Marisol which is very believable and genuinely heart-warming by the way. Otto’s rather harsh way of motivating Marisol how to drive a car is the highlight of the movie.
Mexican star Mariana Trevino is absolutely a tour de force, never for a moment she is outshined by the brilliant Tom Hanks. The two worked out such a sizzling chemistry that you truly believe in their friendship in the end. Although Otto is cranky and ill-tempered, he is still a “nice guy” deep down. In other words, Hanks still plays America’s dad perfectly, always reliable, always a delight to watch.
Movie Rating:
(An infectious, sentimental movie featuring likeable performances from Hanks and Trevino)
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Action/Comics
Director: David F. Sandberg
Cast: Zachary Levi, Dame Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, Asher Angel, Rachel Zegler, Jack Dylan Grazer
Runtime: 2 hr 11 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Warner Bros
Official Website:
Opening Day: 16 March 2023
Synopsis: Bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with having adult Super Hero alter-egos. But when the Daughters of Atlas, a vengeful trio of ancient gods, arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Billy—aka Shazam—and his family are thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of their world. After a catastrophic crash on an unknown planet, pilot Mills (Adam Driver) quickly discovers he’s actually stranded on Earth…65 million years ago. Now, with only one chance at rescue, Mills and the only other survivor, Koa (Ariana Greenblatt), must make their way across an unknown terrain riddled with dangerous prehistoric creatures in an epic fight to survive.
Movie Review:
There was a time when superhero movies were all the rage. The world was introduced to two major franchises in the late 2000s - the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe in the late. Wiewers would flock to the cinemas to cheer their superheroes with the countless popcorn flicks produced by Marvel Studios and DC Studios. But things have changed. And this sequel to the very delightful Shazam! (2019) seems to be a casualty of superhero fatigue, plus a few other unfortunate occurrences happening in showbiz.
David F Sandberg returns to direct the sequel, which sees the protagonist Billy Batson / Shazam (Asher Angel / Zachary Levi) and his foster siblings fight the daughters of Atlas, who were, of course, trying to destroy the world. The "Shazamily" includes the physically disabled Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer / Adam Brody), the clever Mary Bromfield (Grace Caroline Currey), the kind hearted Darla Dudley (Faithe Herman / Meagan Good), the video gamer Eugene Choi (Ian Chen / Ross Butler), and the shy Pedro Pena (Jovan Armand / D J Cotrona). If you don’t already know, the characters have their regular form, as well as their respective adult superhero forms. And with so many characters, you can expect unequal focus on character development.
Besides Billy, the attention is otherwise on Freddy. Dylan Grazer (whom you may remember from Andy Muschietti’s rendition of Stephen King’s It) delivers a commendable performance as the schoolboy trying to fit in, and giving it his all to impress a new girl in school. This new girl is Athena / Anne (Rachel Zegler from Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story), who turns out to be with the baddies. The sweet girl is one of the daughters of Atlas, and her older sisters Kalypso (Lucy Liu) and Hespera (Helen Mirren) are devising a plan to revive their lost realm. Djimon Hounsou also returns as the last surviving member of the Council of Wizards, and is as amusing as ever.
Like the first movie, this 130 minute sequel plays off an almost silly concept and it mostly works. Levi tries his very best to make us chuckle, and one really can’t fault his good naturedness. His Shazam is a likeable dude, and he doesn’t harbour any grand ambitions or godly plans. He’s the average guy trying to enjoy his time as a superhero, and having fun with his foster siblings. There are a few truly funny moments which will remind you that superhero flicks can be lighthearted fun (remember the first Ant Man movie?)
But alas, there is a larger problem looming over this otherwise enjoyable movie. The DC Extended Universe is rebooting, which puts this 12th instalment in the franchise at a very awkward position. It doesn’t help that the folks behind Jaume Collet Serra’s Black Adam (2022) didn’t seem to want to be associated with this goofy movie, despite having its roots in the same concept of drawing power from the wizard Shazam. To the public, this just looks like a case of two siblings from the same family not getting along. Also, despite Levi’s efforts to keep the energy going, one can’t help but feel that the other aspects of the movie are trudging along. We had hoped to see more of Liu and Mirren’s menace, but they do the bare minimum.
Regardless of all the things that are not in favour of this movie, it is still an agreeable and entertaining movie to sit through. We are hoping that this is not the last we’ll see of the charming "Shazamily".
Movie Rating:
(This sequel to the delightful Shazam! has enough charm as an entertaining popcorn flick, but is bogged down by some rather unfortunate business decisions involving the future of the DC Extended Universe)
Review by John Li
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ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS 2023Posted on 13 Mar 2023 |
Genre: Action
Director: Chad Stahelski
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Donnie Yen, Bill Skarsgård, Laurence Fishburne, Hiroyuki Sanada, Shamier Anderson, Lance Reddick, Rina Sawayama, Scott Adkins, Ian McShane
Runtime: 2 hr 49 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence)
Released By: Encore Films
Official Website:
Opening Day: 23 March 2023
Synopsis: John Wick uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.
Movie Review:
The fourth time is rarely the charm, but ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ is easily the best of a franchise that has seen our titular assassin battle fellow death dealers, kingpins and crime-syndicate eccentrics over three successively more elaborate chapters across almost a decade.
Those who recall the very last chapter will probably remember that John had fallen off the roof of the New York Continental after being shot by its manager Winston (Ian McShane); and in equally dramatic fashion, ‘Chapter 4’ opens with John on horseback chasing after three men in the Moroccan desert, before shooting the Elder – otherwise known as the only individual above the High Table – at point blank range.
Seizing on that act to position himself with the rest of the High Table is the Marquis Vincent de Gramont (Bill Skarsgard), who not only summons Winston to chastise him for failing to kill John, but also destroys the New York Continental hotel and shoots dead his concierge Charon (Lance Riddick, whose recent death adds a layer of eulogistic pathos). Across Osaka, Berlin and lastly Paris, the Marquis aims to annihilate John, culminating in a duel of pistols which John challenges the Marquis to at the Sacré-Cœur.
Like the previous chapters, plot is but an obligation to string together the fighting, but even then, this chapter boasts a more narratively compelling story than the earlier world-building sequels. The first not to be written by series creator Derek Kolstad (who remains an executive producer here), it sets John up for the ultimate duel from the second act, and uses the ensuing narrative to explore just what sort of person John is, wants to be, and wants to be remembered by. Without giving too much away, let’s just say it is unexpectedly poignant in how it brings John full circle back to the very first chapter as a man of emotion, most notably as a loving husband.
Yet as fulfilling as his fate may turn out to be, John’s journey would not be complete without some gob-smacking action, and let us reassure you that it is truly breathtaking. Joining Keanu this time round is a magnificent international ensemble including Donnie Yen as a blind hitman named Caine, Hiroyuki Sanada as Wick’s ally named Shimizu, and Scott Adkins in a fat suit and an accent as the German High Table boss Killa, as well as a whole array of weaponry including swords, guns, nanchucks, bows and arrows, pickaxes and even a pencil.
Returning to the helm is stuntman turned director Chad Stahelski, and the level of ambition, imagination and professionalism he displays here is impressive. Among the memorable set-pieces are the very first mano-a-mano between John and Caine in a room of glass-encased weapons and artifacts, an extended brawl between John and Killa in a Berlin nightclub, an aerial view of a series of fights happening in adjacent rooms, and a logistically impossible fight in the midst of whizzing traffic at the Arc de Triomphe. Even at close to three hours, it never gets boring or feels repetitive at any point, which is again testament to the achievement of Stahelski’s choreography.
That it proves so engaging is also credit to Reeves, who reinvented the action hero with ‘Point Break’ and ‘Speed’ and is still going hard at it at the age of 58. Demonstrating yet again his rooted fighting style, Reeves is effortlessly charismatic in each and every one of the action scenes, holding his own against such heavyweights as Yen and Adkins; in particular, the Berlin nightclub brawl with Adkins as well as a chase on the 222-step staircase leading up to the Sacré Coeur is punishing to watch and yet deeply humbling as a reflection of Reeves’ dedication to the stunt work.
Like we said at the beginning, ‘Chapter 4’ is easily the best of the franchise thus far. Each of the set pieces is visually distinct, meticulously designed, staged and filmed. The story is also carefully constructed to give sweet closure to John’s ceaseless fight from the very first chapter, not just in form but also in substance and significance. Its brilliance easily catapults the series to the very defining mark of Reeves’ filmography, even more so we would argue than ‘The Matrix’, and if this is indeed farewell for John, then we couldn’t have asked for a more glorious, exhilarating and poignant way to say goodbye.
Movie Rating:
(As glorious a finish as the 'John Wick' franchise deserves, 'Chapter 4' has beautiful action, a magnificent ensemble and the inimitable Keanu Reeves)
Review by Gabriel Chong
SYNOPSIS: In Luther: The Fallen Sun — an epic continuation of the award-winning television saga reimagined for film — a gruesome serial killer is terrorizing London while brilliant but disgraced detective John Luther (Idris Elba) sits behind bars. Haunted by his failure to capture the cyber psychopath who now taunts him, Luther decides to break out of prison to finish the job by any means necessary.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Idris Elba reprises his role as DCI John Luther in this first feature-length continuation of his successful BBC series, Luther. Elba is charismatic and reliable as always. The man basically can read the daily evening news and still get a standing ovation.
In The Fallen Sun, Luther is being conveniently framed by a serial killer and sent to prison as the latter is worried that Luther’s investigations will hinder in his killings. Besides Elba, Andy Serkis and his ridiculously looking hairpiece plays the maniac, David Robey. This is not much of a spoiler to begin with since his character is shown right in the beginning as the culprit.
Back at the “shop” aka crime unit, DCI Odette (Cynthia Erivo) took over the seat of Luther’s ex-boss, Schenk (Dermot Crowley) and ordered that Luther be captured after attempting a prison break. When Luther manages to intercept a recording of Robey’s murder, Odette decides to make use of Luther to lure out Robey in the busy Piccadilly Circus. But Robey has more evil plans of his own- to unleash more of his sick killings.
It’s not a necessity to catch up on the past five seasons before watching The Fallen Sun as creator Neil Cross and TV director Jamie Payne has deliver a worthy stand-alone movie experience. With a higher budget, the crime thriller boasts excellent cinematography, on-location shootings and impressive production values strictly on par with a typical James Bond outing.
Cross’s story touches on the dark deceptive world of the internet. A seemingly honest looking man might harbour some dark secrets that are concealed from the world and his love ones which results in Robey’s blackmailing and controlling of their actions. However instead of a clever psychological thriller, Cross quickly turns this into a mindless cat-and-mouse chase around London and icy Norway or Iceland in this case although we must admit most of the proceedings indeed kept us on the edge of our seats.
Serkis is probably short-change by the script as there isn’t much development or backstory on the sadistic Robey except his crazy desire to attract the attention of the sick. That leaves us with Elba who of course is a magnet on the screen with his haunting gaze and melodic deep rich voice.
If you can look past the countless loopholes and illogical happenings, you are going to enjoy this low-key version of James Bond. The Fallen Sun is honestly a forgettable Luther outing except proving Idris Elba still has what it takes to play the martini loving superspy. The Broccolis and MGM should really consider handing over the keys to him.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: Academy Award® winners Juliette Binoche and Morgan Freeman lead this riveting thriller set in the trucking industry and its seamy underbelly of human trafficking. When her brother’s life is threatened, Sally (Binoche), a truck driver, reluctantly agrees to smuggle illicit cargo: a girl named Leila (Hala Finley). As Sally and Leila begin a danger-fraught journey across state lines, a dogged FBI operative (Freeman) sets out on their trail, determined to do whatever it takes to terminate a human-trafficking operation — and bring Sally and Leila to safety.
MOVIE REVIEW:
While award-winning actress Frances McDormand shines in Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland, that can’t be said of another award-winning actress, Juliette Binoche’s latest movie. Let’s just say the fault doesn’t lie with Binoche. She is in fact genuinely let down by the story of Paradise Highway.
Paradise Highway is a movie that deals with the issue of child trafficking and trucking in rural Tennessee. Sounds like it’s going to be an action exploitative flick or a compelling, contemplative drama about shady menacing dudes and dark criminal activities. Unfortunately, there’s hardly any tension and purpose after journeying along with Binoche’s character for two running hours.
Sally (Binoche) is a seasoned trucker whose only sibling is Dennis (Frank Grillo), a petty crime criminal who is currently in jail. To help Dennis who is blackmailed by other prisoners, Sally has to traffic illicit goods to others only this time round, the “item” is a young girl named Leila (Hala Finley) and not just any random packages.
However, the exchange went horribly wrong and Sally out of compassion decides to keep Leila with her until she figures a way out. Meanwhile, a retired Fed agent turned consultant to the police force, Gerick (Morgan Freeman) and a Yale graduate rookie, Sterling (Cameron Monaghan) are hot on the heels of Sally. Adding to Sally’s trouble is a pair of child traffickers who are onto her trail as well.
We must say Binoche is solid as a foul-mouthed trucker from Canada. The French actress hasn’t done many memorable titles in recent years but doesn’t mean the lady is rusty. If this is a character study on female truckers, Binoche’s performance will surely be single out during awards season. Then there is octogenarian Morgan Freeman who fails to lend much weight to the movie except constantly dropping f-bombs. 14-year-old Finley is quite the standout and as for Grillo, he mostly appears over the phone and the somewhat haphazard ending.
Norwegian writer, director Anna Gutto’s first full-length feature lacks a distinct style that helps differentiates itself from the usual low-budget affairs from Lionsgate. While the message of human trafficking and the erosion of human values is occasionally surfaced, it’s mostly a road movie featuring Sally and Leila singing to Blondie’s One Way Or Another.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Euho
Cast: Amelia Henderson, Ikmal Amry, Alif Satar Jazmy Juma, Joey Leong, Sanjna Suri, Vikar, Evie Feroza, Sabronzo, Harris Annuar, Namron, Cedric Loo, Ms Pui Yi, Mark O'Dea, Alexander Henderson, Eddie Chong
Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scenes and Some Violence)
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website:
Opening Day: 16 March 2023
Synopsis: The vacation of a group of youngsters turns into an endless horrifying nightmare after a losing bet forces them to spend a night at a deserted island. As they stumble upon a mysterious abandoned village there, they accidentally break an old spell that was placed to restraint an antagonising spirit trapped in the island. One by one, they are made to suffer the gripping and gruesome consequences of their mistakes, infuriating an evil creature that needs human blood to stay alive. The only way out is in the hands of a girl who desperately needs to use her supernatural gift to untangle an unsettling history connected to a tainted cross-cultural love story.
Movie Review:
If you don’t already know, a movie’s box office success heavily depends on marketing. For this Malaysian horror movie, the publicity was widespread all the way back in January when the trailer was released. Over 1 million views were garnered for the 155 second minute clip over nine days, and netizens were discussing the amount of skin and suggestive sequences featured in the trailer.
Okay, let’s understand what the movie is about first. The story tells a familiar tale where a group of friends go on a resort vacation and have the time of their lives enjoying pool and beach parties. Then they lose a silly game and have to visit a remote island - despite being warned (by an old man, no less) against doing so. On the island, they begin experiencing supernatural occurrences and their challenge is to make it out of the island alive.
Let’s look at how the story was set up. A group of teenagers with raging hormones are holidaying in a resort, and naturally they would be dressed in swimwear and having fun in the waters. That explains why the cast is often seen in swimsuits, bikinis and board shorts. When the protagonists find themselves on the remote island, you can bet some of them feel the need to engage in exciting activities – hence we have those racy scenes. But you know something bad is going to happen when they knock down some supposedly holy stones in the wild. And you know the dude who pees on them is going to get it real bad.
But hey, every country has its censorship laws. For Malaysia, 10 scenes were cut for a PG 13 classification. This was after the movie became the subject of controversy for the explicit and suggestive visuals in the trailer. Malaysia’s Minister of Communications and Digital Fahmi Fadzil even shared on Twitter that the movie trailer was "not suitable to be shown". The movie was eventually banned in Terengganu. In Singapore, the movie is rated M18 with the consumer advice of “Sexual scenes and Some Violence”.
Compared to Hollywood productions, this Malaysian movie doesn’t break new grounds when it comes to sex and horror. There’s even that ‘inspired’ movie poster design – go look up how the poster of Jeff Wadlow’s FantasyIsland(2020) looks like. Directed by Euho, this Malaysian production gives viewers what they expect in a horror flick, and the ensemble cast of Malaysian artistes including Amelia Henderson, Ikmal Amry, Alif Satar Jazmy Juma, Joey Leong, Sanjna Suri and Vikar does a fine job of portraying teenagers trying their best (although not in the wisest way) to survive on a haunted island. Production values are high, and when you put all these elements together, the result is an entertaining horror movie that takes up two hours of your time.
Another highlight of the movie is the appearance of Ms Puiyi, a penthouse and former OnlyFans model who is now a DJ. From what we saw, her scenes are probably the ones heavily cut from the Malaysian edition. At the end of the day, it is the box office that counts. Back home, the movie has made 2 million Malaysian ringgit within a week of release. It is also likely to pique the interest of moviegoers in Singapore, especially if you are a fan of any of the good looking cast members.
Movie Rating:
(This Malaysian supernatural movie has all the familiar ingredients to make it an entertaining horror flick)
Review by John Li
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