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WISHING ALL OUR READERS A HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR & 龙年大å‰!Posted on 09 Feb 2024 |
SYNOPSIS: Middle-aged widow Mei Heung has gone through countless sleepless nights since the death of her husband, Bill. One day, she finds a key among the items that Bill left behind, leading her to his secret neon workshop and meet the young apprentice, Leo. She learns from Leo that Bill had an unfulfilled last wish: to recreate a demolished legendary neon sign. With Leo’s help, Mei-heung tries to uncover the story behind the sign and learns the craft of blowing neon lights in hopes of fulfilling her deceased husband’s last wish with her own hands. As clues of the legendary neon sign gradually emerge, the secrets that Mei-heung couldn’t face are about to be revealed.
MOVIE REVIEW:
The Hong Kong film industry has reached an awkward stage whereby their biggest selling stars such as Andy Lau, Jackie Chan and even Louis Koo are mostly for a lack of a better word, in their twilight years. Notably, their current crop of blockbusters are co-produced, partly financed by their more powerful counterparts in Mainland China.
So what’s left in the former British colony are more localised theme movies such as this one, A Light Never Goes Out.
Anastasia Tsang’s feature debut delves into the life of a widow, Mei-heung (Sylvia Chang). Despite her daughter’s (Cecilia Choi) pleas to migrate with her to Australia, Mei-heung insists on holding on to her late hubby’s (Simon Yam) neon sign workshop with his one and only apprentice, Leo (Henick Chou).
According to Leo, his late master’s last wish was to see one of his old iconic signs being rebuilt. Together with Mei-heung, Leo turns to crowdfund to keep the workshop afloat. But with the lack of proper skills and support, will the duo be able to realise Biu’s last wish?
In an unhurried, moving manner, Tsang slowly welcomes viewers into the fascinating world of Hong Kong’s iconic neon signs. With the government shutting down the remaining neon signs since the start of 2015 and everyone turning into cheaper alternative like LED, the remaining neon signs craftsmen are facing a hard time preserving their skill and craft.
A Light Never Goes Out works better in translating the suffering of the ailing industry to the big screen. No doubt the theme itself is a fulfilling watch especially for those who has been to HK or watches HK movies and television dramas. The numerous neon signs on the streets alone is a marvel to behold.
Unfortunately, there is a need to dramatise the events to make it into a proper movie rather than a documentary thus the narrative suffers whenever family dramatics start to play in especially with Rainbow’s interference with her mother’s decision and her distrust in Leo.
Chang holds the fort well with her genuinely touching performance as the grieving widow and her interactions with her distanced onscreen daughter is downright depressing. Yam is delightful as the stubborn Biu though he has expectedly limited screen time.
For a movie that talks about dying heritage and culture, A Light Never Goes Out succeeds in showcasing the plight of the artisans involved in the craft. As for the rest of the narrative, there isn’t much to relish on except Chang’s mesmerising performance (she won the Best Leading Actress in the 59th Golden Horse awards).
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: CG Animation
Director: Mike Mitchell
Cast: Jack Black, Awkwafina, Viola Davis, Dustin Hoffman, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, Ian McShane, Ke Huy Quan
Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins
Rating: PG (Some Frightening Scenes)
Released By: UIP
Official Website:
Opening Day: 7 March 2024
Synopsis: This spring, for the first time in almost a decade, comedy icon Jack Black returns to his role as Po, the world’s most unlikely kung fu master, with a hilarious, butt-kicking new chapter in DreamWorks Animation’s beloved action-comedy franchise: Kung Fu Panda 4. After three death-defying adventures defeating world-class villains with his unmatched courage and mad martial arts skills, Po, the Dragon Warrior (Golden Globe nominee Jack Black), is called upon by destiny to … give it a rest already. More specifically, he’s tapped to become the Spiritual Leader of the Valley of Peace. That poses a couple of obvious problems. First, Po knows as much about spiritual leadership as he does about the paleo diet, and second, he needs to quickly find and train a new Dragon Warrior before he can assume his new lofty position. Even worse, there’s been a recent sighting of a wicked, powerful crime lord, Chameleon (Oscar® winner Viola Davis), a tiny lizard who can shapeshift into any creature, large or small. And Chameleon has her greedy, beady little eyes on Po’s Staff of Wisdom, which would give her the power to re-summon all the master villains whom Po has vanquished to the spirit realm. So, Po’s going to need some help. He finds it (kinda?) in the form of crafty, quick-witted thief Zhen (Golden Globe winner Awkwafina), a corsac fox who really gets under Po’s fur but whose skills will prove invaluable. In their quest to protect the Valley of Peace from Chameleon’s reptilian claws, this comedic odd-couple duo will have to work together. In the process, Po will discover that heroes can be found in the most unexpected places.
Movie Review:
For the record, it has been 16 years since the first ‘Kung Fu Panda’, and 8 years since the last sequel that capped a trilogy. We’d be honest therefore that we cannot quite remember where the franchise left off, and we suspect many who have grown up with the earlier films won’t too. That said, ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ only requires that you know there was once a clumsy panda named Po (Jack Black), who becomes the unlikely choice to succeed the Dragon Warrior, a legendary kung fu master capable of unlocking the secret of the Dragon Scroll that is the key to limitless power.
Having firmly established himself since then, Po’s challenge this time round is to find a successor to pass the baton, in order to advance to become the spiritual leader of the Valley of Peace. Initially reluctant to do so, Po gets some welcome reprieve with the arrival of a thieving fox, Zhen (Awkwafina). In exchange for a shorter jail time, Zhen offers information about a mysterious new villain known as the Chameleon (Viola Davis), who had recently used her powers of shape-shifting to turn into Tai Lung and intends to open a portal into the Spirit Realm to usurp the powers of the kung fu masters within, some of whom happen to be Po’s former adversaries.
Not surprisingly, Po sets out with Zhen to faraway Juniper City to defeat the Chameleon. There, the duo will form an unlikely alliance with a brusque pangolin named Han (Ke Huy Quan), the leader of an underground den of thieves whom Zhen had crossed paths with before. In parallel, worried for Po’s safety, both his biological father, Li Shan (Bryan Cranston), and adopted father Mr. Ping (James Hong), put up a valiant but ultimately comical pursuit – that is, seeing too how the Furious Five, like Jackie Chan’s Monkey and Angelina Jolie’s Tigress, are nowhere to be found in this instalment.
Except for a twist before the third act regarding Zhen’s true allegiance, the plot is otherwise not just lean but also straightforward – and indeed, there are no prizes for guessing whom Po will eventually pass the mantle of Dragon Warrior to by the end of the adventure. As is typical Dreamworks formula therefore, the charm lies in the various set-pieces directed with much verve by Mike Mitchell (‘Trolls’, ‘The Lego Movie’), including a bar brawl in a tavern set on a teetering cliff or a police chase through Juniper City that is particularly memorable for reworking the classic gag of a bull in a china shop.
To their credit, the ensemble voice cast is an absolute blast, starting with the inimitable Jack Black as the older but no less lively Po, the equally vivacious Awkwafina as the wily and quick-witted Zhen, and the commanding Davis as the sinister Chameleon complete with a dour aristocratic hauteur. Mitchell has the cast to thank for keeping up with the frenetic pace, especially given the feverish tempo at which the movie throws out gag after punchline, and we dare say it is thanks to them that ‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ retains the pizazz of the earlier movies.
As understandable as it may be that the filmmakers have opted to play it safe, it is no doubt somewhat disappointing that the latest chapter sticks largely to formula. Still, there is much to enjoy if you’re looking for a fun and undemanding diversion – besides the cast, there is also the beautiful art direction, illustrated by both the picturesque sights of Juniper City and the acrobatic, wuxia-inspired showdowns. There is clearly hope here for the start of another trilogy, so let’s hope – after establishing the new action-buddy-comedy dynamic of Po and Zhen – the subsequent sequels get bolder in charting a newer and more exciting path for the franchise.
Movie Rating:
(The inimitable Jack Black returns as Po, and thanks to an equally vivacious supporting voice cast, this fun but ultimately safe retread is still an enjoyable watch for the whole family)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Action/Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem
Runtime: 2 hrs 46 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Warner Bros
Official Website: https://www.dunemovie.com.sg
Opening Day: 29 February 2024
Synopsis: “Dune: Part Two” will explore the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
Movie Review:
Putting it out there first: There's going to be a part three.
Denis Villeneuve must be thrilled.
Conceived as a two-part movie project, the director initially pitched the idea of filming the two episodes together, but the studios preferred a more conservative approach of producing just one to gauge response. No doubt the $402 million earnings and positive buzz won Villeneuve his second chapter - and now, even a third (or more) to follow.
While pragmatic, the decision has served Dune: Part Two well on other fronts too. Perhaps unshackled from the need to perform, the sequel felt less self-conscious in its need to impress, allowing the second part to become a more cohesive production. What I mean, is that the pageantry was undeniable in Dune: Part One - so overt at times that the pomp felt almost desperate. And when so much emphasis on visual and musical artistry is placed beside writing, they inevitably showed up some of its weaker development, especially in terms of the characters and its last act. Dune: Part Two has managed to show more restraint, and better finesse. Villeneuve himself stated in interviews that he has grown plenty from his experience filming the first chapter.
So yes, Dune: Part Two is one of those rare examples when the sequel surpasses its predecessor. With the added gap caused by the pandemic and Hollywood strikes, Villeneuve and his team found time to finetune production elements, and what emerged is a mature creature that is more immersive and entertaining.
We return to see Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) and his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), trying to endear themselves to the Fremans. While Paul demonstrates his natural capabilities as an outstanding leader, the pregnant matriarch moves towards a more spiritual arc by building local beliefs that he is the messiah, guided by conversations of her unborn daughter. Elsewhere, new players emerge in the universe to lay their claim. The Emperor and his daughter (played by Christopher Walken and Florence Pugh) attempt to quell the growing influence of Paul as the prophesied saviour, while the dreaded House Harkonnen adds a new bloodthirsty champion - Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler) - to their cause in eliminating the resistance. All this while, the Bene Gesserit orchestrates their own puppeteering with Lady Fenring (Lea Seydoux).
It is through this dynamic that Dune: Part 2 comes alive. Action seekers will find the sequel to be a lot more satisfying in its thrills. There's a good mix of group battles and solo combat, and the director fully delivered on the Planet Arrakis's most compelling creatures - the sandworms - with scenes of wormriding. It's all very epic - especially so if you're watching it on IMAX, as Villeneuve intended. These act as counterbalance to the machinations between the nations, giving part two a formula more akin to the successful likes of Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings, and a more satisfying watch overall.
With this chapter, we also finally see the director's personal interest in the spiritual Bene Gesserit come to fruition. There is already a spinoff series (Dune: The Sisterhood on MAX) in the works, and Villeneuve places more emphasis on the priestesses in the new chapter with added lore and appearances. In fact, a Bene Gesserit kicks off the sequel with her narration, in the form of Princess Irulan, the Emperor's daughter.
My biggest peeve with the first movie was its mediocre script. It shuttles between being cryptic and expositional, and overall, just taking itself too seriously with our angst-ridden protagonist. I'm thankful that Dune: Part Two has eased off on that, with more time given to characters like Stilgar (the excellent Javier Bardem) to realise a dimensional world, and others like Feyd-Rautha upping the ante in its villainy. There's still a tad too much close-ups on Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya (pretty as they are), and the latter just exhibits a wee bit too much petulance (enough to make some scenes feel like a teen rom-com), but I can sense that Villeneuve is adding some restraint and hope that future episodes will continue in this direction.
As always, Greig Fraser and Hans Zimmer deliver fully in their areas of cinematography and score. Through shifting sand dunes and vocal wailing, the journey remains stunning in these two aspects - an exotic sensory escape for almost 3 hours. It feels a lot more melded in its execution, beautifully supporting the story, and the design innovation - such as Harkonnen's globular fireworks - comes across wondrous and logical. While I was a little bit more wary of this chapter after watching the first, the path that Villeneuve is taking now is a promising one I'm now invested in.
Movie Rating:
(The maturing mythology and improved production synergy finally lets the story come into its own with this sequel)
Review by Morgan Awyong
Genre: Comedy
Director: Samantha Jayne, Arturo Perez Jr.
Cast: Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auli’i Cravalho, Jaquel Spivey, Avantika, Bebe Wood, Christopher Briney, Jenna Fischer, Busy Philipps, Ashley Park, Tina Fey, Tim Meadows
Runtime: 1 hr 52 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Mature Content)
Released By: UIP
Official Website:
Opening Day: 22 February 2024
Synopsis: From the comedic mind of Tina Fey comes a new twist on the modern classic, MEAN GIRLS. New student Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called “The Plastics,” ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George (Reneé Rapp) and her minions Gretchen (Bebe Wood) and Karen (Avantika). However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels (Christopher Briney), she finds herself prey in Regina’s crosshairs. As Cady sets to take down the group’s apex predator with the help of her outcast friends Janis (Auli’i Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey), she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school.
Movie Review:
Every once in a while, we get a producer in Hollywood thinking: Let's refresh a popular movie classic by turning it into a musical. Case in point: The 2004 teen comedy, Mean Girls.
And yes, it has been 20 years.
To some, this might be a good idea to capitalise on. After all, the original was a pop culture phenomenon with its acerbic writing setting off memes and trends - remember fetch? Much of this was courtesy of its talented screenwriter - comedian Tina Fey - so having her return for the reboot seemed a smart enough decision. But perhaps it also made her a little apprehensive.
When it comes to storyline, Mean Girls 2024 follows closely to its predecessor. It goes straight into the heart of high school dynamics and relives its topics on validation, power, and popularity. It's sad to note that as a species, we haven't made much progress despite the large steps in awareness, and that we still resonate with instances of bullying, shame and insecurities. However, unlike the original, this year's version feels a little "hacked" and comes off a little irrelevant for today.
Yes, the team swapped the cast to be more inclusive and unabashedly made LGBT characters the main choice for the underdogs. But in its choice, it was also playing into caricatures, and made the struggles a little contrived. And it doesn't help that the songs washed out any chance for the audience to connect with the characters.
Music tends to move, but when the ditties - inspired by the Broadway musical that came out in 2018 - are forgettable, it hardly adds to the story. If anything, it is mildly annoying to have to sit through two to three minutes of song when it could be expressed in a few quippy lines.
If anything, this was what I believed made Mean Girls 2004 to be such a stellar watch. The writing was fast, witty and shamelessly inappropriate. It dug under the surface of what was uncomfortable at that time, and pushed the point enough to make it funny - like a good stand-up. Sure, there are a few new zingers from Fey in the latest adaptation, but they are hardly enough to save the day.
The only exception is Renee Rapp, who truly brought a new era Regina George to the table. Her appearance fills the screen, and her musical numbers are the most sensible of the lot. The same can't be said of Angourie Rice who plays the protagonist Cady. The poor girl drowned in the large personalities around her, and even her transformation was unremarkable and frankly, unbelievable.
Despite good intentions, Fey and directors Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr. dropped the ball on this one. And it's something not even a cameo from Lindsay Lohan or reference to all the meme lines can save.
Movie Rating:
(Retelling the power of authenticity and friendship, the story here stays as awkward as the protagonist, and never delivers the payoff we need)
Review by Morgan Awyong
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Director: Ning Hao
Cast: Andy Lau, Pal Sinn Lap Man, Rima Zeidan, Daniel Yu, Kelly Lin, Ning Hao
Runtime: 2 hrs 5 min
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website:
Opening Day: 10 February 2024
Synopsis: Hong Kong movie star Lau Wai-chi (Andy Lau) misses out on the Hong Kong film awards again. Reflecting on his declining popularity, he starts creating tribute videos, but it feels like a desperate attempt to regain his stardom. He decides he needs to make a comeback through a new film. He contacts Chinese director Lin Hao (Ning Hao), known for his authentic and gritty filmmaking, to star in a film set in the countryside. Believing that this will be the key to restoring his career to its former glory. Lau Wai-chi is determined to challenge himself by portraying an ordinary farmer. A role far removed from his usual glamorous characters. But used to a life of luxury and privilege, he finds it challenging to connect with the common people and villagers, who have a lower social status. He also struggles to bridge the gap with women in the village.To succeed in his new role, he immerses himself in the lives of the villagers, learning how they live and speak. However, his arrogance and vanity are immediately evident to the locals, and they don't take kindly to his presence. If he manages to genuinely put aside his vanity and prejudice, will he be given another chance?
Movie Review:
Andy Lau has been a really busy man, what with three movies released in quick succession of one another. Yet, as testament to his megawatt charisma, we did not experience any ounce of fatigue seeing him on the big screen for the third time in three months. Truth be told though, Lau’s character in ‘The Movie Emperor’ could not be more different from his other on-screen personas, because it is ultimately a parody of his off-screen persona.
Kudos to director Ning Hao – who is best known for the uproarious comedy ‘Crazy Stone’ – that ‘The Movie Emperor’ is a biting satire of the current state of the Mainland China moviemaking industry. Indeed, both Lau and Ning gleefully send up the respective pressures that a veteran actor and an indie director face, the former struggling to stay relevant as audience habits change and the latter being subject to commercial pressures in order to keep his or her movie together.
To be sure though, the focus is more on the former, with Lau playing an insecure veteran actor named Dany Lau Wai-chi, who in the opening scene loses his Best Actor prize at the 39th Hong Kong Film Awards to Jackie Chen (no prizes for guessing who that is reference to). Worse still, the presenter – played by no less than Wong Jing – makes fun of Dany’s loss by inviting him to receive the award on behalf of Chen, who does not even bother to show up at the ceremony.
To reinvent himself, Dany decides to take on the role of a noble but penniless pig farmer in an art-house movie, whose director is played by Ning. In a foolish attempt to get into character, Dany goes to the countryside to learn what a real-life pig farmer’s circumstances are, and as well-intentioned as that may be, it ends up backfiring terribly when Dany disrespects the gift of a butcher’s knife from the farmer, no less after borrowing the farmer’s pigs in order to make the movie’s sets more authentic.
Dany also checks into a three-star hotel in an attempt to strip away his movie star life for something more akin to the common folk, though his ego gets the better of him after an unassuming van blocks the way of his rented SUV at the hotel’s car park and sets off a series of increasingly hostile confrontations. Things with the company investors for a new electric car model that hasn’t yet been invented also go south, and ultimately spill over after the investors demand to have glorified cameos in Dany’s latest movie.
At the centre of it all is Dany of course, who bit by bit feels increasingly desperate trying to regain control of his life, including his estranged relationship with his recently divorced ex-wife (Kelly Lin) and kids. Like we said, Ning keeps the focus squarely on the titular movie star Dany, whose unravelling is first comical, then farcical, and ultimately pitiable. In doing so, Ning also gives Lau free rein over his on-screen persona, which Lau rewards with a well-calibrated performance of parody and pathos – in particular, one never feels like Lau’s character here is just a caricature, but a real, living and breathing person whose self-involvement ends up being his downfall.
As much as we enjoyed ‘The Movie Emperor’ though, we will caution you that the movie unfolds at its own deliberate pace, so those expecting the sort of rapid-fire Chinese New Year comedies or even something akin to Ning’s ‘Crazy Stone’ will probably come off disappointed. At slightly over two hours, it does run a little too long, but you hardly begrudge Lau for being the good sport he is sending himself up for this unlikely but sharply observed meta-satire.
So yes this isn’t your traditional festive comedy by any measure, but still one that is eminently enjoyable thanks to Lau and Ning’s courage to lampoon themselves, as well as poke fun at the state of the industry from their point of view. Ironically though, it does cement Lau as the movie emperor (even though he won’t be the only one) of the Hong Kong film industry, reinforcing why the 62-year-old star remains one of the best examples of Hong Kong stardom on and off the screen.
Movie Rating:
(Hardly your traditional festive comedy, this satire about the Mainland Chinese moviemaking industry is deliberately paced but well-observed, with a performance of parody and pathos by the inimitable Andy Lau)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Action/Comics/Fantasy
Director: S.J. Clarkson
Cast: Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Emma Roberts, Isabela Merced, Adam Scott
Runtime: 2 hrs
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Sony Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 15 February 2024
Synopsis: Meanwhile, in another universe…” In a switch from the typical genre, Madame Web tells the standalone origin story of one of Marvel publishing's most enigmatic heroines. The suspense-driven thriller stars Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb, a paramedic in Manhattan who may have clairvoyant abilities. Forced to confront revelations about her past, she forges a relationship with three young women destined for powerful futures...if they can all survive a deadly present.
Movie Review:
Based on Marvel Comics, the plot unfolds in Peruvian Amazon in 1973 with a brief backstory on Ezekiel Sims and Constance Webb, a spider researcher, before making a quick cut to New York with an ambulance meandering through the bustling streets.
No less than an everyday superhero in her waking life, Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson) who’s a paramedic by the day, evolves into a superwoman with divinatory powers as soon as she plunges into deep waters in the midst of a rescue mission and her life is riddled with premonitions thereafter. Stuck in a time loop that’s dubbed as an unfathomable sense of déjà vu, Webb discovers her ability to use her mind that comes with infinite potential to manifest herself at various places at the same time.
So, is the web spun by Madame Web too delicate to beckon the audience to the edge of their seats or it’s just another Spider-Man-less movie in the Spider-Verse based on the reviews given from the chauvinistic Marvel wannabe critics’ perspective?
Quit feeling like you’ve been living under a rock for not being acquainted to Johnson’s character. If you had imagined Madame Web to look a lot more like Stan Lee’s wife, (Joan Lee voiced Madame Web in 1994 Spider-Man TV show), that’s not it. Not on Cassie’s watch at least! In the original pulp form, Madame Web who’s an ally of Spider-Man and a telepathic mutant gifted with clairvoyance is basically a visually-challenged senior citizen with a neuromuscular autoimmune disorder that necessitates her connection to a spiderweb-like life support system. Also, she does not actively fight villains. But in the latest entry in Sony's Spidey-adjacent slate of films, they’ve just made her glimpses into the future a more heightened version of Spider-Sense.
Let’s talk about Ezekiel Sims who isn’t even a Spiderman or one in the alternate universe to begin with. But he possesses similar powers acquired in a more supernatural fashion. Sadly, the 116-minute actioner has subverted the comic arc of his character and the entire Madame Web lore. Did the makers of the film do him dirty? Kinda! Endowed with powers to stick on to any surface and wall-crawling, Sims played by Tahar Rahim dons the dark version of the classic Spider-Man costume (unlike in the comics where he never wore one) and that might imply the merging of characters, Morlun and Ezekiel, in Madame Web. The only common ground seems to be shared by the comic version and the live-action portrayal of “Zeke” who is well-versed in occult is his wealth and Spidey supremacies. The peculiar yet formidable character’s would-be victims who are just teenagers, possess the power to become Spider- Women and he’s threatened by that and the nightly visions he has about his oncoming demise. As weird as it already is, Sim's lip movements weren't in sync with the audio and his malefic character gets dialled down each time he whips out the victim card with the “I had nothing to begin with” dialogue that drips heavy with pity party.
**SPOILER ALERT** We’d be more than glad to spoil it for anyone who’s still lost on what the whole arachnidian flick is about. Madame Web depicts the existence before Peter Parker’s era (before he was even born). The paramedic that is partnered up with Webb is the younger version of Uncle Ben (Adam Scott). Julia Carpenter (Sydney Sweeney) has basically the same powers as Spider-Man, except that her snares are psionic webs spun from thin air. Mattie Franklin (Celeste O’Connor) leans more to Miles Morales, where she possesses venom blast powers and, oh, she flies too. Anya Corazon (Isabela Merced) is more like Miles as she can camouflage just like him, but with organic webs.
Set in early Y2K for the most part, Sony's first female-fronted film in its Spider-Man universe certainly lends an element of nostalgia with the absence of radically annoying technology and the selection of tunes grounds it even more, thus setting the tone and ambience. While the psychological thriller with meek and modest CGI lacks some levity, it's highly commendable that Johnson was bold enough to take on the role of a cape-less hero, given her hallmark deadpan look.
Is the modern comic book adaptation on par with Disney’s Avengers? Well, it could have been more ambitious and eccentric than it turned out. Nevertheless, thanks to the edits owing to some creative reimagining, cinematography with darker tones and, of course, the featured soundtracks that propel the suspense-driven thriller to an endurable spectrum. What truly makes up for the weak dialogues and shabby plot that doesn't boast of complex stunt sequences and futuristic cars is actually the bittersweet ending where one needs no prophetic vision to foresee a sequel. All in all, it’s a fine blend of Tom Cruise’s Edge of Tomorrow, Nicholas Cage’s Next and a hint of Quantum Leap series punctuated with periodic flashbacks of Final Destination.
Movie Rating:
(A powerhouse of feminine badassery? Nah! But a notable chemistry among the foursome connected by a wisp of gossamer thread is what hails Madame Web as a worthy watch)
Review by Asha Gizelle Mariadas
Genre: Crime/Drama
Director: Dai Mo
Cast: Zhang Yi, Li Chen, Wei Chen, Cao Bin Kun, Wang Xiao, Zhang Zi Xian, Yang Xin Ming
Runtime: 2 hr 13 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence and Coarse Language)
Released By: Golden Village
Official Website:
Opening Day: 4 January 2024
Synopsis: The Third Squad, led by Captain Cheng Bing (Zhang Yi) of the Criminal Investigation Brigade, caused the accidental death of one of the two suspects when handling a vicious case and was sentenced to prison. After his sentence, Cheng Bing insists on tracking the case’s remaining suspect as an ordinary person. Will the Third Squad restore its former glory again?.
Movie Review:
If you’ve been following the Mainland China cinema scene, you would have noticed in the past couple of months a string of crime thrillers that have caught on amongst domestic audiences. Come to think of it, that should not be surprising – after all, we all love the intrigue and payoff of a compelling investigation, and most, if not all, of these thrillers carry some social subtext which are in their own right meant to mirror the day-to-day lived realities of ordinary citizens.
We dare say though that ‘Endless Journey’ is one of the best of the lot. Based upon a true story by Chinese author and erstwhile policeman Shen Lan, it tells of the doggedness of a squad of police officers – and in particular, its chief Captain Cheng Bing (Zhang Yi) – who vow to bring to justice the perpetrator of a 14-year-old girl’s rape and murder, following a home invasion via the apartment window’s air conditioning unit.
Said nasty case, nicknamed ‘9.21’ for the date on which it was committed, ensnares the five officers who make up the titular Division 3 – besides Cheng Bing, there are three other veterans Cai Bing (Cao Bingkun), Ma Zhengkun (Xiao Wang) and Liao Jian (Zhang Zixian), as well as one other rookie Xu Yizhou (Vision Wei). While tracking down two brothers whom they had identified as potential suspects, their mentor Zhang Qingliang (Yang Xinming) suffers a brain haemorrhage and dies in hospital, and in a fit of anger, the squad takes it out on one of the brothers in interrogation.
The entire squad is subsequently charged and sent to prison, with all but Cheng sentenced to five years behind bars. By the time Cheng is released two years later than the rest, his fellow ex-officers have moved on with their respective lives – one has found Buddhism; another is running a food stall with his wife; another is an insurance salesman; and yet another is a dog trainer. Cheng is however determined to continue his search for the other brother Wang Eryong, who remains at large, especially after learning how the victim’s parents were devastated by the incident.
Whether because they likewise believe in the cause or just so not to let Cheng down, all the former Division 3 officers follow Cheng to Changsha where Eryong was last seen. Not surprisingly, the search turns out a lot more elusive and protracted than any of them would ever have imagined. It is also therefore not unexpected that one by one, the officers will seek Cheng’s forbearance to get back to the lives they had put on hold, or in the case of Yizhou, to try to forge a new beginning with a girl whom he had met coincidentally while tracking down a guy whom he had thought was Eryong.
And just like that, what started off as a procedural evolves ultimately into a character study on Cheng Bing. His perseverance is at first humbling, especially his dedication to the principles of justice even while no longer a police officer, but starts to grow questionable as the years pass. Is it really to give the victim’s family proper closure, or is it more for himself as well as his mentor Zhang? Is it ultimately worth the estrangement of both his wife and teenage daughter? How do you draw the line between purpose and obsession? While he is ultimately vindicated, the movie invites us to consider what Cheng had sacrificed in the process, and whether it was worth it in the end (not least because modern Chinese state surveillance technology would have meant that Eryong would be caught sooner or later).
It is also because of such nuance that ‘Endless Journey’ distinguishes itself from the fray, an achievement even more impressive considering how it is only director Dai Mo’s sophomore feature film. Given its timeline, this isn’t an easy story to tell, but Dai keeps a firm hand on the proceedings, never losing sight of the larger context against which his characters are operating against but always keeping an intimate focus on the motivations and sentiments of these individuals whose quest is the beating heart of the story.
So if you need to choose amongst the spate of crime thrillers coming out of Mainland China, we’d strongly recommend ‘Endless Journey’ as an example of why we’ve been enthralled by what we’ve seen so far. There is no artifice here, no attempt to celebrate the Chinese police force or the system for that matter; instead, what we do have is a grounded procedural and a poignant character study of what it means to stay mission-focused if one truly believes in the mission, sometimes for better and for worse.
Movie Rating:
(Gripping, poignant and ultimately sobering, this fact-based chronicle of one man's quest for justice is one of the best examples of the most recent spate of Mainland Chinese crime thrillers)
Review by Gabriel Chong
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Hideo Nakata
Cast: Kanna Hashimoto, Daiki Shigeoka, First Summer Uika, Minato Shogaki
Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins
Rating: NC16 (Violence and Horror)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 22 February 2024
Synopsis: A young boy makes a wish after losing his mother Miyuki in an accident. He buries her finger in the ground and chants everyday to bring her back from the dead! Mysterious phone calls, cracking glasses, piercing gazes, and possession... Resurrected through the breaking of a taboo, Miyuki conjures an onslaught of eerie phenomena, and her monstrous determination sees her rise again and again to attack the living!
Movie Review:
If you have seen enough horror movies, you will realise that the charcaters aren’t usually portrayed as the most intelligent beings. Take the male lead of this Japanese production for example. After his wife dies in an accident, why would he not sense that something is wrong when his son buries the dead woman’s finger in the garden? And it doesn’t take a genius to know that something sinister is going to happen when the kid chants a scary sounding phrase hoping that his mother would come back to life. Call us unsympathetic, but even if we want to empathise with the grieving family, you know something bad is going to happen if such occurrences are taking place right in your household.
But that’s what we as audiences love about horror flicks – to see characters involving themselves in the unwise circumstances, so that we can be spooked when unfortunate supernatural incidents take place on the big screen.
In this story, Naoto (Daiki Shigeoka from Japanese idol group Johnny's West) is the ill fated chap. When we first see him, he seems to be leading the perfect life with his demure wife Miyuki (First Summer Uika) and their cute son Haruto (Minato Shogaki). You’d think all’s good until she whispers in his ear and warns him not to betray her. You know something bad is going to happen. And before you know it, Miyuki and Haruto are seriously injured in a car accident. The mother dies while the son miraculously survives.
Elsewhere, we get to know an online reporter Hiroko (Kanna Hashimoto) who turns out to be Naoto’s ex colleague. Thing is, Hiroko had a crush on Naoto and beings being haunted by unexplained apparitions. When she learns about Miyuki’s death, things begin to get out of control and you can expect quite a number of chilling sequences and gruesome deaths.
Adapted from a 2019 novel by Karuma Shimizu, the pioneer of Japanese horror movies Hideo Nakata (the guy behind classics like 1998’s Ring and 2002’s Dark Water) knows how to visually tell a tale of revenge and hate. Bit by bit, he reveals back stories like Miyuki’s troubled past and Hiroko’s encounter with Naoto. There’s even a somewhat hilarious but disturbing segment involving a shaman who tells Hiroko that the evil being disrupting her life is not a ghost, but a living wraith.
Efficiently told in 111 minutes, the story progresses in a predictable fashion, but you are constantly intrigued as the characters gape in fear and disbelief as they progressively learn more about the vengeful being that is upon them. This is an old school horror tale that is perfect for the Japanese setting, and Nakata competently draws the performances from his ensemble cast. Hashimoto makes you fear for her character’s fate, and Uika is terrifying with her cold stare. Shogaki exudes an uncomfortable vibe (which is proven towards the end of the movie), and Shigeoka makes you question whether you’d make the unwise decisions as his character if you were in his shoes.
Movie Rating:
(J-horror master Hideo Nakata delivers a chilling tale of revenge and makes you think twice about displaying affection to anyone other than your partner)
Review by John Li
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ALL THE MOVIES YOU NEED TO SEE THIS SUMMER 2024Posted on 12 Feb 2024 |
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