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

UPCOMING RELEASES FROM ONE COOL PICTURES Posted on 12 Mar 2023 One Cool Pictures just released their showreel for 2023 and beyond for Filmart 2023. It's noted that the boss of One Cool Group, superstar Louis Koo is featured in at least four out of the ten productions. ... more

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Genre: Drama/Mystery
Director: Zhang Yimou
Cast: Shen Teng, Jackson Yee, Zhang Yi, Lei Jiayin, Yue Yunpeng, Wang Jiayi, Pan Binlong, Yu Ailei
Runtime: 2 hrs 39 mins
Rating: NC16 (Violence)
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 23 April 2023

Synopsis:  12th century China, during the Song Dynasty, set against a brewing rebellion by the Jin people against the Imperial Court. Two hours before a crucial diplomatic meeting between the Song Prime Minister Qin Hui and a high level Jin delegation, the Jin Ambassador is murdered. An important letter destined for the Emperor is stolen from him. As the search for the letter unfolds, alliances are formed, secrets are revealed, and no one can stop the truth that is destined to leave its mark in history.

Movie Review:

It is no wonder why acclaimed director Zhang Yimou’s latest film delivered excellent box office results in China during the Lunar New Year holidays. As of March, the movie has earned a healthy amount of more than 4.5 billion yuan since its release on 22 January.

The title “Full River Red” is an acclaimed poem in Chinese history, believed to be written by Yue Fei. Probably the most famous patriot known to the Chinese, Yue Fei’s poem is a courageous call to unite against a common enemy of the country. This is the perfect source material to speak to Chinese audiences. Before you disregard this film as another propaganda piece produced by China, we urge you to step into the cinema to experience this work of art helmed by the auteur, who is also part of the Fifth Generation of Chinese filmmakers.

The film opens with a title card telling viewers that the story takes place four years after Yue’s death. Those familiar with Chinese history will know that the folk hero was framed and wrongly executed. A Jin delegation is set to meet Song Prime Minister Qin Hui (it is believed that he is responsible for Yue’s execution), and things go into chaos when a Jin official is found dead. A confidential letter is thrown into the mix, which makes Qin worry about the consequences. The distrustful man locks down the premises and orders the letter to be found within two hours.

And people are sent into a frenzy following this. There is Zhang Da (who would have thought comedian Shen Teng would be in a Zhang Yimou movie?), a lowly army corporal who seems to hold crucial information to this whodunit mystery. He happens to be the nephew of Sun Jun (Jackson Yee shedding his idol looks), the no nonsense deputy commander who will not hesitate to wield his sword at anyone in his way. There is already a comedic setup here, with the older chatty man being the younger serious guy’s nephew.

Meanwhile, the physically weak Qin (the fabulous Lei Jiayin) is watching these two men closely. His counsels Lords He Li (Zhang Yi, who usually plays the good guy, is someone sneaky for a change) and Wu Yichun (crosstalk comedian Yue Yunpeng) look like they are up to no good as well.

The men scurry from one spot of the confined palace to another, accompanied by spirited electronica folk music. As the scenes transit from one location to another, the plot grows thicker and you wonder whether a conspiracy is hiding in plain sight. You’d also be impressed with the word play and the pacing of the 159 minute movie, because there isn’t a dull moment in this movie that has a runtime of over two and a half hours. The skills of a masterful storyteller are on full display.

Before you think this is a serious drama with grim twists and turns, you’d be pleasantly surprised by the amount of humour that went into the script. There are several chuckle worthy moments, largely thanks to the spot on delivery of Shen, who is known for his performances with Chinese comedy film and stage play production company Mahua FunAge. It is rare to see how humour, suspense and drama blend together so nicely in a film. And when the lyrics of the poem “Full River Red” are unveiled in the movie’s finale, you will be applauding this masterpiece.

Movie Rating:

(The Chinese blockbuster is a brilliant showcase of humour, drama and suspense, and it showcases Zhang Yimou's skills as a master storyteller)

Review by John Li

SYNOPSIS: Based on the infamous Boston Strangler murders, this is the true story of Loretta McLaughlin, the first reporter to connect the murders and break the story of the Strangler. She and fellow reporter Jean Cole challenged the sexism of the early 1960s to report on the city's most notorious serial killer and worked tirelessly to keep women informed.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Boston Strangler screams like a female-driven Zodiac but unlike the David Fincher’s flick, this period thriller lacks the satisfaction and disturbing factors of the latter despite a showy performance from Kiera Knightly and Ridley Scott as one of the producers.

Set in the 60’s and based on the true story of the Boston Strangler who murdered 13 women, Knightly plays Loretta McLaughlin, a reporter with the “Boston Record American” who connects the murders to a serial killer forcing the Boston police department to act on it. Pairing with Jean Cole (Carrie Coon), a fellow veteran investigative reporter, the duo discovers that there are more than meets the eyes in a world filled with sleazy individuals, sexism and incompetent authorities.

Written and directed by Matt Ruskin, Boston Strangler is an investigative drama that attempts to unsuccessfully branch out into several storylines. There is the mounting tension between Loretta and her once-supportive husband given her dedication to her job. And of course, Loretta and Jean’s working ethics in a male-dominated environment and the ridiculous police procedural that often led to nowhere.

Very often instead of the crime being the centre of attraction, Boston Strangler becomes an unofficial biography of Loretta McLaughlin. The character of McLaughlin is somehow turned into some die-hard super sleuth midway far more capable than Detective Conley (Alessandro Nivola), the cop assigned to the crime. First, she follows a suspect to his creepy basement (remember Zodiac?) then she wonders if Albert DeSalvo (David Dastmalchian) is actually the main murderer given his shaky statements.

Boston Strangler obviously established two strong female characters who worked closely to connect the dots though there is seemingly a lack of focus on their working relationship. In fact, it’s Chris Cooper who plays their grouchy boss that is more engrossing in the newspaper room in the end.

While the crime drama re-enacts a few grisly (mostly off-screen) killings, it’s nothing more than fillers to spice up the narrative. As a result of Albert DeSalvo being killed in prison, doubts remained over the decades if he was really the serial killer that murdered all 13 women. Ruskin weaved a somewhat believable conclusion to Loretta’s investigation and this is after all, a story about Loretta McLaughlin.

Crime fans will likely forget that there is a true crime being talked about in Boston Strangler. For whatever combination of reasons, Ruskin has made a lite-biography on McLaughlin rather than a thrilling investigative drama.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Jon Wright
Cast: Hannah John-Kamen, Douglas Booth, Colm Meaney, Kristian Nairn
Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence and Coarse Language)
Released By: Shaw
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 16 March 2023

Synopsis: Maya (Hannah John-Kamen) and Jamie (Douglas Booth) quickly realise they got more than they bargained for when, moving into their new rural country home, they clash with a local family and fearing for their lives, Maya finds herself turning to the woods – and the bloodthirsty creatures within it – to ensure the safety of her unborn child. 

Movie Review:

 ‘Unwelcome’ wants to be several things at the same time.

For the first hour or so, it is primarily a home invasion thriller. An effective prologue establishes the trauma which young couple Maya (Hannah John-Kamen) and Jamie (Douglas Booth) face when the latter is followed by three thugs and are attacked in their own apartment in a housing estate in London. Jamie then conveniently inherits a house in rural Ireland following the passing of his aunt, so the couple relocate to the countryside for some ostensible peace and quiet.

Unfortunately for them, what was meant to be an expedient ‘patch’ job for the house becomes unwittingly complicated when the couple engage the dysfunctional Whelan family. The head of the family (Colm Meaney) insists that he be called ‘Daddy’; and while the eldest of his three children Eoin (Kristian Nairn) is a lumbering man-child who creeps out on Maya, the other two (Chris Walley and Jamie-Lee O’Donnell) are simply rowdy delinquents.

All this while, ‘Unwelcome’ teases the presence of “the little people”, whom Maeve (Niamh Cusack), a close friend of Jamie’s late relative, asks to leave a little offering each night for at a door in the backyard that leads into a dense and mysterious forest. Yet for much of the first hour, we glimpse little of these ‘far darrig’, the leprechaun-like sprites who have their roots in Irish mythology and which come across looking like murderous little Gremlins.

Only past the midway mark does ‘Unwelcome’ morph into the creature feature that it touts to be, as Maya ventures into the forest with Eoin to unexpected consequences. We shan’t spoil the surprise, but suffice to say that the ‘far darrig’ intervene to save Maya from Eoin’s lecherous advances, which sets into motion a chain of events that will not only lead the Whelans to declare war against the couple, but also these impish beings who finally venture out of the forest to make their presence felt.

It is only with the appearance of these goblins that ‘Unwelcome’ finds its groove. Director Jon Wright is clearly a fan of the horror comedies of the 80s and 90s – not only does he rely on a blend of VFX and practical means to bring the goblins to life, he imbues them with an infectious sense of anarchic mischief and lets them loose to exact their unrestrained bloodletting upon the Whelans. It is gleeful fun all right, and Wright tops it off with a gonzo finale that gives new meaning to ‘blood sacrifice’.

As a whole though, Wright struggles to keep a consistent tone throughout the film, resulting in a movie that is a bit all over the shop. In particular, ‘Unwelcome’ cannot quite reconcile its gritty home invasion violence of its first half with the kooky creatures of its subsequent half, despite the pleasures of the latter. To Wright’s credit, his script with co-writer Mark Stay shows attention to character and feelings, particularly that of Maya and Jamie, and the focus on the former gives the finale unexpected emotional heft.

So even though it was intended to be ‘Gremlins meets Straw Dogs’, ‘Unwelcome’ is ultimately a tonally uneven creature feature that only fully embraces its horror-comedy ambition past the halfway mark even as it does manage to cross the line by the time it gets to the finish. Those nostalgic for the sort of 80s horror fare will find something to reminisce about in ‘Unwelcome’; everyone else may find this scattershot effort not quite as welcome a delight as it ought to be.    

Movie Rating:

(As well-intentioned a throwback to the horror comedies of the 1980s as this may be, 'Unwelcome' is a tonally uneven exercise that needs a firmer grasp of scares and laughs)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Comedy/Supernatural
Director: Cheng Wei Hao
Cast: Hsu Kuang Han, Austin Lin, Gingle Wang, Tsai Chen Nan, Ma Nien Hsien, Wang Maan Chiao, Tuo Chung Hua
Runtime: 2 hrs 9 mins
Rating: R21 (Some Homosexual Content & Coarse Language)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 31 March 2023

Synopsis:  Ming-Han is a passionate policeman. One day, while arresting a criminal with his beautiful colleague Zi-Qing, Ming-Han accidentally picks up a red envelope, and a group of people suddenly jumps out and calls him their "son-in-law". They ask him to get married to their dead child, who is a dead guy! Ming-Han finds it impossible to accept this decision. However, he did not expect to meet with so much misfortune since then. Even more terrifying is that he begins to see his ghost husband Mao-Mao which scares Ming-Han to death. Ming-Han visits a great master to get rid of Mao-Mao. The master tells him that he must get married to Mao-Mao and fulfil Mao-Mao's wishes, otherwise, Mao-Mao will follow him forever. To get rid of Mao-Mao, Ming-Han has no choice but to help him fulfil all his wishes. At the same time, Mao-Mao also acts like Ming-Han’s partner to help him with a drug smuggling investigation. A fantasy journey full of laughter and tears between a straight man and a gay ghost begins.

Movie Review:

A mainstream movie about a homophobic straight policeman who is forced by circumstances to go through a ghost marriage with a dead gay man is one of the most interesting premises we’ve heard in a while, but you can also bet it’s getting a R21 rating in Singapore. This means that younger viewers will not be able to enjoy this very entertaining movie that has been earning big bucks at Taiwan’s box office.

The living groom is Wu Ming Han, a cop who is loud, egoistic and not ashamed to show that his bigoted personality. The character also happens to be played by Hsu Kuang Han (My Love), a good looking Taiwanese actor who tries his very best to be unlikeable when he first appears on screen. The dead groom is Mao Pang Yu, whom we later learn is an advocate of fighting climate change and a dog lover. He is portrayed by Austin Lin, another popular Taiwanese actor who has been lauded for his performances in movies like At Café 6 (2016) and I WeirDo (2020).

Pang Yu, who is also affectionately known as Mao Mao, was about to get married to another man (same sex marriage is legal in Taiwan) when he met with a fatal accident. Heartbroken, Mao Mao’s grandmother made arrangements for her grandson to find a husband in his afterlife, and the dude who walks into the setup is, of course, the tough dude Ming Han. What happens next are some predictable but hilarious scenes between the “dumb straight guy” and the “damned gay” that will leave you laughing a lot. For fans of the two leads, it also helps that they are eye candy.

The plot then becomes a crime drama where Ming Han and Mao Mao investigate how the latter was killed. In the meantime, there is also a drug lord (veteran actor Tsai Chen Nan) on the loose, and the cops are determined to track him down. Ming Han’s colleagues include an ambitious female officer (Gingle Wang) and a fumbling superior (Ma Nien Hsien). After a few failed busts, you may wonder where the movie is going, and then you’re treated to a finale that contains twists and a series of very funny gags. We won’t give away too much here.

The 129 minute movie also touches on some emotional themes that may move you in unexpected ways. The ‘spouse relationship’ between Ming Han and Mao Mao becomes a genuine friendship, and the performances by Hsu and Lin are commendably touching. The LGBT topics are appropriately handled, and the strong inertia faced by family members is explored too. Two other veteran actors Wang Maan Chiao and Tuo Chung Hua play Mao Mao’s grandmother and father respectively, and Tuo’s stirring performance in a tear jerking scene may just make him a favourite contender during awards season. The star studded cast also includes Liu Kuan Ting and Aaron Yan who show up in cameo roles.

The commercial movie directed by Cheng Wei Hao has mass appeal and is engaging from start to finish. It is also fun and has some interesting topics to get viewers thinking.

Movie Rating:

(When a "dumb straight guy" marries a "damned gay ghost", the result is a very entertaining movie that also has some emotional impact)

Review by John Li

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Julius Avery
Cast: Russell Crowe, Daniel Zovatto, Alex Essoe, Franco Nero
Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins
Rating: NC16 (Horror and Gore)
Released By: Sony Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 6 April 2023

Synopsis: Inspired by the actual files of Father Gabriele Amorth, Chief Exorcist of the Vatican (Academy Award®-winner Russell Crowe), The Pope’s Exorcist follows Amorth as he investigates a young boy’s terrifying possession and ends up uncovering a centuries-old conspiracy the Vatican has desperately tried to keep hidden. 

Movie Review:

Do you believe in the devil and the harm that it brings? What can be worst than just being possessed?

The Pope’s Exorcist is based on files from the Chief Exorcist of the Vatican, Father Gabriele Amorth, who has written many books on his experiences, and one of few cases that ended up with an uncovering of an old conspiracy, supposedly hidden by the Vatican itself.

Honestly, one might come into the theatre thinking that it is some horror film. Upon watching it, it does not feel very typical of the horror genre, but instead is much closer to a psychological thriller.

The film started off slow, introducing one to the works of the exorcist, and then slowly panning out and giving us a snippet of his life, while the main story slowly unfolds at the side and then intertwines with his involvement, brewing up what would be the film’s main focus of a nearly impossible case of exorcism.

Although the pacing of the film is quite smooth, one cannot help but feel that most of the real excitement only picked up nearly halfway through the show, leaving one in a neutral state for a while. The development might be done on purpose and seem to suggest a more naturalistic approach to the film.

The fact that the film showcased other languages (mainly Italian) that reflect the possibly accurate portrayal of the Pope’s exorcist and his surroundings is good effort at keeping the story true to its authenticity.

What was rather impressive was Russell Crowe’s effortless attempt in switching between Italian and accented English, giving a believable and somewhat smooth performance. And with a cast that did not scream ‘Hollywood’ much (apart from Russell himself), it keeps the film a little more down-to-earth.

Strangely, this film is somewhat lacking and not as impactful as it should and could be. While it focussed on accuracy and a good portrayal of actual events, it ended up losing ‘soul’ and possibly making the film more dull. Even with fantasy-like CGI at certain parts to create imaginative thoughts (and probably to slightly exaggerate the demonising of parts of the exorcism and certain scenes) and makeup, it did not and could not totally engage.

The film did try to infuse humour sparingly, however while it did add a little colour to the film and ease possible tensions, it was not greatly outstanding and did not bring the film out from its monotony.

Overall, The Pope’s Exorcist did put in much effort in keeping quite true to its story in the best way possible, but it does not seem engaging enough and fell rather flat. In a social media-driven market with many possibilities, somehow the film seem more jaded than it should be.

It is not to say that it is not a pleasant film at all. It only feels less impactful than it should be. It is but a pity because it had the potential, but it did not strike a good balance to keep the audience going.

Movie Rating:

(An interesting [and rather disturbing] watch that is rather informative, but not intriguing enough to warrant a watch on a weekend)

Review by Ron Tan