Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Yuta Shimotsu
Cast: Kotone Furukawa, Koya Matsudai
Runtime: 1 hr 29 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Violence and Disturbing Scenes)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 7 March 2024
Synopsis: Executive produced by Takashi Shimizu (creator of Ju On: The Grudge), the film follows a young nursing school student’s visit to her grandparents’ home in the countryside. They enjoy a reunion while she feels increasingly uncomfortable. There is something in the grandparents’ house. One day, she finds out the truth that turns her “happy” daily life into horror…
Movie Review:
This is one odd Japanese film that is marketed as a horror movie that may leave you scratching your head after stepping out of the cinema. The scary flicks we are familiar with from the Land of the Rising Sun usually features vengeful spirits, cursed objects or haunted locations that send chills down your spine. Once in a while, there are jump scares and bloody images that shock you. Famous scenes from memorable titles like Ringu (1998), Ju-On: The Grudge (2002) and Dark Water (2002) come to mind when we have conversations about contemporary Japanese horror movies.
In this film directed by Yuta Shimotsu, there is the unsettling atmosphere and mood that we have seen in other Japanese productions. But to audiences who are used to stories that have clear explanations and proper resolutions, this movie may not be your cup of tea.
Shimotsu’s first feature is based on short film and that may be the reason why the 89 minute runtime seems longer than it actually is. The protagonist is a nursing student who returns to her serene and quiet countryside home. All seems to be normal when she is greeted by her smiling grandparents. They have a nice meal together, talk about how she is doing in Tokyo, while she looks forward to the arrival of her parents and young brother.
When the two elderly folks begin oinking like pigs during a meal, we sense that something is wrong. They then start talking about how pigs’ very existence is to be eaten by humans, and we really aren’t sure where this story is headed. Like us, the girl is bewildered. There are also strange noises coming from a closed room in the house, which add to the mystery of what’s really going on.
One would think that there is some sort of spirit in the house, and there is a part of the plot that deals with guilt and trauma. Nope, things are not as simple as that. We soon see a man whose eyes and mouth are sewn shut with black thread crawling on the floor. The old folks nonchalantly drag him back to the room like it’s something they do every other day.
We don’t want to spoil the movie by saying too much, but the scenes we’ve described above are just some of the peculiar things to expect from the film. Some viewers would demand a reason why there are such strange occurrences, but the movie wouldn’t give you that satisfaction. Instead, it just delivers sights and sounds that get more bizarre, especially after the girl’s family arrives. Some of these scenes are truly disturbing, and while they are artistically filmed, they may not be for the faint hearted.
We will be straightforward to tell you that by the end of the movie, there are no clear reasons for all the baffling things you have seen on screen. The filmmakers have successfully create an uncomfortable sense of dread, complemented by puzzling visuals that stay with you. There are some exchanges between characters which mention what it takes to be happy, and whether what we are seeing through our eyes are real. All these questions will leave you thinking about what the film is trying to say, and that might not be a bad thing if you can live with ambiguity and weirdness.
Movie Rating:
(One of the oddest Japanese horror movies we've seen, this unsettling film is worth your time if you are open to embracing ambiguity and weirdnes)
Review by John Li
SYNOPSIS: Rory (Matt Damon) and Cobby (Casey Affleck) are reluctant partners: a desperate father and an ex-con thrown together to rob a corrupt politician's ill-gained earnings. But when the heist goes wrong, the two find themselves engulfed in a whirlwind of chaos, pursued not only by police but also by backward bureaucrats and vengeful crime bosses. Completely out of their depth, they convince Rory’s therapist (Hong Chau) to join their riotous getaway through the city, where they must put aside their differences and work together to evade capture — or worse.
MOVIE REVIEW:
It’s a reunion of sorts for the talents involved in The Instigators. Director Doug Liman with Damon after The Bourne Identity and Damon with Hong Chau after Downsizing. And it’s produced by Damon and Ben Affleck under their Artists Equity banner.
Big names. High concept. Unfortunately, The Instigators is a comedic heist thriller that makes less and less sense, less and less excitement as the movie goes.
Together with a small-time crook, Scalvo (Jack Harlow), ex-con Cobby (Casey Affleck) has to team up with an ex-Marine, Rory (Damon) to rob a corrupt Mayor’s (Ron Perlman) vault. But things go way wrong when the vault is empty and a shootout ensued between the chief of police and Scalvo with Cobby getting shot in the process.
Left with no other choice and with bad guys and the police hot on their trail, Rory has to seek help from his therapist, Dr. Rivera (Hong Chau) and has to hold her hostage while they figure things out.
The Instigators start off with numerous familiar faces and that includes Michael Stuhlbarg, Alfred Molina and Paul Walter Hause portraying crooks and hitman. Obviously, their roles are pretty minor but the trio gave their very best in their limited screentime.
Casey Affleck and Damon’s sometimes funny bantering help keep things going. Chau is fine playing the shrink to the utterly depressing Rory who needs a sum of $32K+ to pay off child support. Perlman pulls no surprises playing the usual sleazy mobster or in this case, the corrupted Mayor of Boston. Ving Rhames also appears as an officer from the Special Operations Unit.
For whatever reasons, there’s a lack of a certain form of energy in The Instigators even though there’s a clever gag involving two building explosions. Even the vehicle car chase works expectedly well and realistic. Still, the narrative never feels compelling and most of the proceedings feel kind of matter of fact.
Liman’s Roadhouse has its flaws but the various set-pieces are far more entertaining than this movie. Damon seems to lack screen chemistry with Casey despite the odd buddy comedy concept. On hindsight, maybe big brother Ben should step in. There’s an unbelievable but funny mid-credit scene which totally belonged to another movie in terms of tone.
With countless talents involved, The Instigators is more of a miss than a hit. Of all things, it clocks efficiently at 100 minutes and you probably remember Petula Clark’s classic hit, Downtown than what the hoo-ha is all about.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Biography/Drama
Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green
Cast: Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, James Norton, Tosin Cole, Umi Myers, Anthony Welsh, Nia Ashi, Aston Barrett Jr., Anna-Sharé Blake, Gawaine “J-Summa” Campbell, Naomi Cowan, Alexx A-Game, Michael Gandolfini, Quan-Dajai Henriques, David Kerr, Hector Roots Lewis, Abijah “Naki Wailer” Livingston, Nadine Marshall, Sheldon Shepherd, Andrae Simpson, Stefan A.D Wade
Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Drug References)
Released By: UIP
Official Website:
Opening Day: 14 March 2024
Synopsis: BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity. On the big screen for the first time, discover Bob's powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music. Produced in partnership with the Marley family and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir as the legendary musician and Lashana Lynch as his wife Rita.
Movie Review:
This writer doesn’t claim to know a lot about the subject of this biographical drama. What he can remember seeing though, based on his travels in the Southeast Asian region, is that Bob Marley’s face appears quite often on the T shirts sold at street markets. You would have seen these prints too – the colours are rich and bold, with deep hues of red, green, yellow, and black. These are important colours of the of the Rastafarian flag, symbolising peace, unity and African heritage. Rastafari is an Abrahamic religion that developed in Jamaica during the 1930s. It is evident that Marley’s status of being a symbol of love and hope is something that strongly resonates in people worldwide.
But what’s the real story behind this Jamaican reggae musician who is considered one of the pioneers of the genre? Audiences who are not familiar (and do not like reading, for that matter) can rely on biography movies like this one directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (King Richard).
The movie chronicles Marley’s rise to fame in the mid 1970s up until his death in 1981. We first see Marley announcing that he will be performing at a concert with the objective of promoting peace amongst warring parties. Like how heroes are often born amidst a political conflict, Jamaica was troubled by gangs, drugs, unspeakable violence between opposing factions, and Marley was at the centre of it.
One notable incident that marked a turning point in Marley’s life is the assassination attempt in his home. This is exhilaratingly captured on screen, and you would gasp and hold your breath seeing the gunmen raid the house. Marley and his wife Rita would survive the ordeal, and eventually split ways as he gets her to bring their children to United States, while he and his band head to London. The rest of the movie sees Marley and his crew creating new works away from their homeland, gaining popularity internationally with their unique brand of music, and eventually home to Jamaica to perform a peace concert.
The movie does a decent job of summarising Marley’s life, before he died from a rare skin cancer in 1981 at the age of 36. Those who are familiar with the musician may argue that the 104 minute runtime isn’t enough to illustrate his greatness and contributions to the music industry, and on a larger scale, humankind. There may also be another perspective to how the movie’s depiction of Marley is too straightforward. Some may associate the music icon with infidelity (he has 11 children from different partners) and use of marijuana, and these complicated matters are not explored in the movie. But we understand why this safe approach is taken for the movie, with Tuff Gong, the brand name associated with a number of businesses started by Bob Marley and the Marley family, being listed as one of the production companies.
British actor Kingsley Ben-Adir (One Night in Miami..., Barbie) does a fine job portraying Marley, and he does his very best to bring the musician to life on the big screen. Thanks to the countless archive footages you can find online, you will see how Ben-Adir delivers an admirable job talking and behaving like Marley. Another cast member who delivers a memorable performance is Lashana Lynch (The Woman King, The Marvels) who plays Rita. One standout sequence sees the couple arguing about Marley’s newfound fame, and what it has done to the relationship between them. Needless to say, Marley’s songs are essential to this biography, and fans would enjoy how they are played throughout the movie.
Movie Rating:
(A glimpse into the life of the celebrated music icon, with fine performances from Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch)
Review by John Li
Genre: Biography/Sport
Director: Stefano Mordini
Cast: Riccardo Scamarcio, Volker Bruch, Haley Bennett, Daniel Brühl, Katie Clarkson-Hill
Runtime: 1 hr 48 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 14 March 2024
Synopsis: RACE FOR GLORY is the incredible true story behind the 1983 World Rally Championship. In a real-life David vs Goliath story, we see how the plucky underdogs of Team Lancia, led by the charismatic Cesare Fiorio, took on the mighty Team Audi in one of the greatest rivalries in sporting history.
Movie Review:
The title implies an exciting rivalry between two car manufacturers at the 1983 World Rally Championship that is Germany’s Audi and Italy’s Lancia. You might assumed it’s yet another underdog story liked the hugely popular Ford V Ferrari. Alas it’s more of a sputtering car as a result of a mixture of faulty components.
Co-written, produced and starring Riccardo Scamarcio as Cesare Fiorio, the team manager of Italian auto manufacturer Lancia's racing team. Scamarcio is front and center of this rally racing drama despite the introduction of Audi’s manager, Roland Gumpert (Daniel Brühl), Fiorio’s main rival and Walter Röhrl (Volker Bruch), the difficult but star driver from Fiorio’s team.
Obviously, there’s never a focal point in the story of Race For Glory. The entire narrative is a more of a fleeting montage of the three main characters and several others which make not much of an impression other than a few minutes of onscreen interaction with Cesare Fiorio. Oddly, there’s a late inclusion of the team's nutritionist (Katie Clarkson-Hill) whose father supposedly died racing decades ago yet never brings much to the table given her haunted past with racing. And then there’s Haley Bennett appearing intermittently as a journalist interviewing Fiorio. Both characters unfortunately adding nothing substantial to the overall product.
At the very minimum, the movie paints Cesare Fiorio as a very persistent manager even though he admits in the beginning that the role of a team manager is relatively unknown. For Lancia, it’s the classic case of David versus Goliath. We see Fiorio struggling with his driver, design issues, weather conditions to funding. Is it his pride and ego that keeps him going against the tides? We as audiences never know as the narrative ends up paper thin and there’s never a clear indication of the man behind the obsession. Even a brief birthday party scene seems more obligatory than setting up Fiorio as a loving father.
Daniel Brühl on the other hand is totally wasted in the role of Fiorio’s rival. Brühl is never given the chance to shine and all he does is exchanging “intense” stares with Fiorio throughout. Pity he was such a standout in Rush, the Ron Howard’s Formula One racing drama. Bruch does his very best in the role of an often exasperated, angry driver although there isn’t a clear reason why he is always so grouchy.
Likely due to budget constraints, there’s no fancy CGI in place or a luxurious production scope, the relatively grounded racing sequences are confined to a few Audi and Lancia vintage racing cars driving along some scenic, countryside routes despite the fact that there were more than two teams vying for the 1983 World Rally Championship in reality.
Race For Glory isn’t a particular interesting movie to represent the competitive world of rally racing. There’s no satisfying payoff and excitement even if our underdog finally won the race. All the characters are poorly defined and that includes our main character. Generally, it feels like an indie drama that happens to contain a racing theme. Race For Glory sadly never has the emotional stakes or enough adrenaline to reach the finishing line.
Movie Rating:
(So dull and poorly assembled, the only excitement is hearing the robust sound effects coming out from the vintage Audi and Lancia racing cars)
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: When three childhood best friends pull a prank gone wrong, they invent the imaginary Ricky Stanicky to get them out of trouble! Twenty years after creating this ‘friend,’ Dean, JT, and Wes (Zac Efron, Andrew Santino, and Jermaine Fowler) still use the nonexistent Ricky as a handy alibi for their immature behavior. When their spouses and partners get suspicious and demand to finally meet the fabled Mr. Stanicky, the guilty trio decide to hire washed-up actor and raunchy celebrity impersonator "Rock Hard" Rod (John Cena) to bring him to life. But when Rod takes his role of a lifetime too far, they begin to wish they’d never invented Ricky in the first place.
MOVIE REVIEW:
After watching a whole hour of Ricky Stanicky, there’s hardly a chuckle to be found. Hardly. Considering the whole fiasco lasts almost two hours.
Three lifelong friends, Dean (Zac Efron), JT (Andrew Santino) and Wes (Jermaine Fowler) figures out that the only way to get out of trouble in life is to blame everything on their “fictional” friend, Ricky Stanicky. They even came up with a bible to keep track of Ricky’s antics over the decades.
The fake friend gag actually works until it don’t when a party to Atlantic City backfires and the three friends have to hire a down-and-out, “X-rated” impersonator, Rod (John Cena) to stand-in as Ricky Stanicky to convince their friends and family members at the celebration of the bris for JT’s newborn.
After winning an Oscar for Green Book, Peter Farrelly (There’s Something About Mary, Dumb And Dumber) returns to his roots of making yet another gross out comedy. Together with at least five other screenwriters, Farrelly crafted a largely foul-mouthed, juvenile comedy that never brings in the messages and laughs in the end.
There’s shades of Dean’s character being a victim of family abuse in the past and never quite commit to having children with his future wife, Erin (Lex Scott Davis). And Wes being all gay and lacking a direction in life. It’s all for show than tell and Ricky Stanicky is often seen stuck in a rut that the narrative basically has no meaningful way to go forward except waiting for the next punchline or gag.
Zac Efron has come a long way and he deserved better material than playing a boring white guy. Fortunately, John Cena is here to save the day and giving his all by playing a man who makes a living singing cringing masturbation songs and finally sees the value in himself after being hired for the gig by the three friends. He is definitely the next best thing coming out of WWE after Dwyane Johnson.
The movie pretty much has only two major laugh-out-loud gags in the vein of past Farrelly brothers’ helmed comedies which is the rabbi handling of the circumcision of JT’s baby and the boss of Dean and JT, Ted (William H. Macy) and his “air-dicking” hand movements.
However, the ending truly is a good example of how misguiding Hollywood movies can be. Ricky Stanicky reminds one of the R-rated, bros comedies that Apatow and Seth Rogen did in the past except it’s less funny. Despite that, Cena’s dedicated performance is the sole aspect that stood out.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
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AKIRA TORIYAMA (鳥山明) (1955 - 2024)Posted on 08 Mar 2024 |
SYNOPSIS: A dutiful damsel agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. Thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon, she must rely on her wits and will to survive.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Millie Bobby Brown has went from battling a demogorgon in Stranger Things to solving crimes in Enola Holmes to hiding from a hungry dragon in Damsel. At the tender age of 20, Brown already has a far more successful career than her peers and we got to admit the young actress indeed has enough talent to command the screen even the story and technical aspects are clunky at best.
To please his father, Lord Bayford (Ray Winstone) and to save her people from poverty and hunger, Princess Elodie (Brown) agrees to an arranged marriage with the prince of Aurea, Prince Henry (Nick Robinson).
However the fairy tale marriage soon turns into a morbid affair when Princess Elodie is tossed into a mountain cave as a sacrificial human goat to a breathing fire, talking dragon (voiced by Shohreh Aghdashloo). It turned out that the Kingdom controlled by Queen Isabelle (Robin Wright) owed the dragon a huge debt and three virgins are require to be sacrifice annually to appease the creature.
Obviously we know Princess Elodie is going to survive the terrifying ordeal given the story written by Dan Mazeau is yet another female empowerment theme action movie. It’s no longer the damsel in distress scenario.
For the most part, Elodie works her magic like the female version of Aragon. Desperately swinging her sword at times, hurling herself over cliff and healing herself with glowing cave worms, we watches the newly crowned Princess or warrior in this case refusing to give herself up as a snack as she vows to escape the cave to civilisation.
As with Brave and Frozen, Elodie is yet another princess character worth rooting for and Brown certainly plays the part with much gusto and earnest. While Angela Bassett is wasted as the role of Elodie’s stepmother, Iranian actress Aghdashloo heartedly provides the creature with the right amount of menace it needs.
Damsel is mostly gear towards the young adult crowd and especially Brown’s fans who has grown tired of waiting for the next season of Stranger Things or the next instalment of Enola Holmes. The story is predictable, the CGI is passable on the small screen and the only thing worth watching is Brown’s compelling performance.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
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ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS 2024Posted on 08 Mar 2024 |
SYNOPSIS: Athlete Diana Nyad sets out at 60 to achieve a nearly impossible lifelong dream: to swim from Cuba to Florida across more than 100 miles of open ocean.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Nyad in greek means “water nymph”.
In this sports biopic, Annette Bening plays Diana Nyad, an American long-distance swimmer, motivational speaker, author and more and famously failed to swim from Cuba to Florida back in 1978 at the age of 28.
In 2011 at the age of 61, Nyad attempts again to swim from Cuba to Florida under the help and tutelage of her best friend and once lover, Bonnie Stoll (Jodie Foster). Unfortunately, strong currents and box jellyfish once again deters her determination in achieving her feat despite three harrowing attempts that nearly took her life.
Directors Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin’s first narrative film is dominated by Nyad’s persistent in achieving her goal. Her constant ego-driven, selfish personality becomes a chore for the people surrounding her. That includes Stoll who also chips to finance Nyad’s attempts by mortgaging her home and blatantly defying the advice of nautical expert John Bartlett (Rhys Ifans).
You can say that everyone surrounding Nyad is pissed off by her hot-headedness and obnoxiousness but you can’t deny the woman’s passion and determination to fulfil her dream even if it means dealing with exhaustion, nausea, hallucinations and facing venomous jelly fish and shark attacks throughout her numerous attempts.
Interspersed with archival footages, the screenplay by Julia Cox which in turn is based on Nyad’s own biography is further enhanced by the casting of Bening and Foster, two talented veterans who have no problem commanding the screen with their intense chemistry and brilliant performances. Whether it’s in the water or on dry land, the relationship or friendship in this case between the two friends is beautifully and convincingly told onscreen.
An obvious flaw of the drama however happens to be the flashbacks of Nyad’s troubled childhood which involved her being sexually abused by her swimming coach. It takes away the momentum of the challenge yet fails to link up Nyad’s past and present to form the woman she is today. And also, the drama deliberately left out Nyad’s controversial achievements and allegations which might make for an interesting argument.
Shot entirely in a water tank in the Dominican Republic instead of the open waters of Florida, the technical achievements and the dedication of Bening’s hard work is remarkably replicated flawlessly on the screen. Nyad in short is highly inspiring and will have you cheering from start to end even with a few missteps.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Drama/Comedy
Director: Benny Lau
Cast: Eric Tsang, Carlos Chan, Catherine Chau, Kelly Tien
Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 28 March 2024
Synopsis: “Rent-a-Family” specialises in offering family and friends for rent. The company consists of Carlos, the founder; Catherine, the drama coach; and Chi Kwong, the passionate small-time actor. Carlos and Catherine disapprove of Chi Kwong’s overwhelming care for their clients but they begin to rethink the meaning of “Rent-a-Family” when they see the results of Chi Kwong’s kindness…
Movie Review:
If the Eric Tsang you know is only capable of playing loud, slapstick and occasionally annoying characters, this Hong Kong movie will change your impression. We mean this in a big way - because at the movie preview screening we attended, there were audible sniffs when the end credits started rolling. And this is largely thanks to the emotionally heartfelt performance delivered by the veteran actor.
Tsang plays a middle aged man named Chi Kwong, whom we first see trying his best to stand out as an extra on a film set. Understandably, this irritates the director. Along comes Carlos (Carlos Chan) who convinces Chi Kwong to join his company WeFamily that provides family rental services. The crew includes single mother Catherine (Catherine Chau), an aspiring theatre practitioner who also serves as WeFamily’s acting coach. She gets her daughter involved sometimes as well, and the young girl seems to enjoy the gig. To round things up, there is also Chi Kwong’s landlady Wei Fong (Kelly Tien Niu) who can readily take on the task if a middle aged mother is requested by clients.
While it may be a common thing in Japan, this concept may not be familiar (or even welcome) where we reside. But imagine this, you can rent fake family members for all sorts of situations, and it is not just to save ‘face’ during Lunar New Year or gatherings with extended family members where you may be asked (for the umpteenth time in your life) whether you have a partner. The movie plays out other circumstances where such services may come in useful.
There is a young girl who has gotten her driving license and wants to show her late father that she can drive. She fulfils her wish by engaging the services of WeFamily, where Chi Kwong stands in as the girl’s father and unexpectedly the pair goes through an exhilarating police and thief car chase. Then there is a divorced man who wants to feel married to a caring woman, and an elderly lady who wants to feel the companionship with a filial grandson.
There is much to discuss about the ethics of this business, but the movie avoids the controversy by focusing on the heartwarming moments of family bonding which are made possible by WeFamily’s services. Carlos and Catherine’s back stories are briefly touched on, and everything seems to be standard fare until the 103 minute movie directed by Benny Lau takes a turn to focus on Chi Kwong.
Without saying too much, this first started with a young couple asking WeFamily to play a well to do family to please the man’s parents. One thing led to another, and the couple gets married. This is good business for WeFamily, as more actors are employed to play extended family members at the wedding. Chi Kwong’s memory is jolted at the wedding and we learn more about the man’s past.
From that point on, the spotlight is on Tsang and Tien, who are no strangers to viewers are fans of Hong Kong showbiz. The two actors effortlessly pull off one of the most heart wrenching relationships we have ever seen on screen. While it is clear that the filmmakers are turning this into a tearjerker, you go for the ride as you reflect on your own family relationships.
Movie Rating:
(Eric Tsang and Kelly Tien Niu deliver truly heartfelt performances in this unexpected tearjerker about what it means to be a family)
Review by John Li
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