Genre: Horror
Director: Hsieh Chih Wen
Cast: Chen Yu, Huang Ching-Yi, Masha Pan Jun-Lun, Dai Ping-ya, Francesca Kao, Alina Cheng, Helena Hsu, Kuang Tian, Peng Chia-Chia
Runtime: 1 hr 23 mins
Rating: M18 (Coarse Language and Violence)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: https://www.facebook.com/MysteryWriters.tw

Opening Day: 25 April 2024

Synopsis: Inspired by Taiwan's famous haunted apartment. Based on a true story. May 28, 1984, a major fire broke out on the fourth floor of the Jin Xin Building, suspected to have been caused by faulty wiring, the residents on the 4th floor were trapped in the fire as the fire exits were blocked, which claimed a total of 19 lives. Pei who possesses psychic abilities, moves into the building, teaming up with Shao, a horror novelist seeking inspiration within the building, they investigate numerous unexplained terrifying events and aim to uncover the truth behind the tragic fire... 

Movie Review:

You must have heard of urban legends where buildings are haunted by spirits. It might be an abandoned block where someone died from an accident during construction. It might be a creepy apartment where the previous owner committed suicide. Or it might be a modern looking complex that is built on a cemetery. The possibilities are endless, and people will always be intrigued and spooked by such tales. If you are fan of this genre, here’s a scary flick supposedly inspired by Taiwan’s infamous haunted apartment.

The movie wastes no time in setting up an eerie atmosphere and we are introduced to a guy named Shao (Masha Pan) who takes on a job as a security guard in a dilapidated looking apartment. We find out that he is penning a collection of ghost stories and wants to experience first hand the reported incidents in the building. It turns out that a fire broke out in the 1980s and took the lives of innocent occupants. Naturally you’d think that these vengeful beings are still lingering around, waiting to terrify whoever comes in their way.

The female protagonist of the movie is Pei (Chen Yu), who happens to be the daughter of the woman who supposedly started the fire by accident. And to move the story along, she has psychic abilities which makes her the perfect person Shao wants to hang out with.

The movie then shows us the supernatural incidents one by one. While there are naturally chilling elements, each of them has a sad back story which attempt to tug at your heartstrings. There is a woman (Francesca Kao) who goes around collecting unwanted cans, bottles and other trash while mourning the death of her son. One scene sees her teaching the spirit of her son how to crush cans, a moment that will make mothers teary eyed. There is also badly burnt man (Chuck You) who has lost his mind after his family perished in the fire. Keeping Pei busy are also other residents whose peace are continually being disturbed by the spirits.

The bulk of the movie is dedicated to the truth behind the horrible accident, where we see two women (Taiwan’s Golden Bell Awards winner Huang Ching-Yi and popular YouTube star Dai Ping-ya) who were working as prostitutes on the fourth floor (yes, it has to be that number because the Mandarin pronunciation is often associated with death) of the building. Their friendship ends on a tragic note when Dai’s character is brutally abused. The sequence is painful to watch as it doesn’t hold back on any subtleties. The violence may make some viewers uncomfortable.

With a runtime of 83 minutes, it is unfortunate that not all stories are fully fleshed out. We wanted to find out more about how the burnt victim has been coping with his life after the accident, or how the writer is affected by all these unfolding of events. The ending feels rushed and while the makeup work done on various characters is commendable, some CGI scenes do seem out of place. That said, this collection of ghostly stories that take place in an allegedly haunted building will may still shivers down your spine the next time you walk past a rundown apartment.

Movie Rating:

(A collection of spooky tales that have sad undertones, especially the tragic story between friends played by Huang Ching-Yi and Dai Ping-ya)

Review by John Li

Genre: Action/Adventure/Fantasy
Director: Gil Kenan
Cast: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt, Celeste O’Connor, Logan Kim, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, William Atherton
Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Frightening Scenes)
Released By: Sony Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 10 April 2024

Synopsis: In Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, the Spengler family returns to where it all started – the iconic New York City firehouse – to team up with the original Ghostbusters, who’ve developed a top-secret research lab to take busting ghosts to the next level. But when the discovery of an ancient artifact unleashes an evil force, Ghostbusters new and old must join forces to protect their home and save the world from a second Ice Age.

Movie Review:

When Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) screamed “Just do it!” in the finale, I can’t wait to join him in exclaiming come on just do it, just get on with it!

This follow-up to the 2021 Ghostbusters: Afterlife is quite a drag to be frank. The story has it that it has been two years since the Oklahoma happenings and the Spengler family is now based in the legendary firehouse in NYC and battling ghosts and ghouls on the busy streets of Manhattan.

While we await for the main antagonist to appear, Phoebe (McKenna Grace) the child prodigy scientist encounters a female teenage ghost, Melody (Emily Alyn Lind) in a park signifying some PG13 queer representation.Then there is Gary (Paul Rudd) and Callie (Carrie Coon) reprising their previous roles as a couple who has no time for romance except dealing with their stubborn, emo teenager Phoebe. Callie’s son Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) for whatever reason spends a lot of time trying to catch Slimer.

The rest of the oldies ghostbusters members, Winston (Ernie Hudson) and secretary Janine (Annie Potts) returns yet again on autopilot together with the cutesy tiny Marshmallow men which adds nothing to the plot. Meanwhile, a small-time hustler, Nadeem (Kumail Nanjiani) sells a strange-looking orb to Ray (Dan Aykroyd) only to find out it contains a demonic god who sought to conquer the world by freezing things up.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire for the record is directed by Gil Kenan and co-written by him and Jason Reitman (son of original helmer, Ivan). The entire story once again relies a lot on nostalgia, making the movie hard to root for. Obviously the filmmakers are undecided on which direction the Ghostbusters franchise should go next. Should they go with the new Spengler family headed by Phoebe and her stepdad Gary or pulling in the original Ghostbusters members for some legacy fun?

Unfortunately, the always likeable Paul Rudd is again shortchanged in a role that could have enjoyed a longer screen presence as McKenna Grace’s Phoebe is more of a boring, grouchy teenager than a likeable charming leading character. The other younger cast members including a returning Lucky (Celeste O’Connor) and Podcast (Logan Kim) is mostly relegated to some forgettable background action. Not forgetting a cameo by Patton Oswalt who spends his screen time on a prolonged (yawn) exposition as a paranormal expert.

The most offensive part is the entire movie lacks a satisfying, memorable sequence despite the trailers touting a massive freezing over in NYC. To be honest, The Day After Tomorrow did a better job than this. The supposed undercooked demon appears for a brief period in the finale unleashing an experience that is never frightening, exciting nor visually enriching. Everything seems to fall flat despite the number of ghostbusters (old and new) appearing at the end.

Disappointingly, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire tries to continue the Harold Ramis and Ivan Reitman’s spirit without much success. It’s a tested and proven workable formula for Afterlife but that doesn’t mean audiences need to pay a pricey ticket for yet another repetitive tedious movie.

Movie Rating:

(Nowhere near special enough to warrant another ghost-busting outing)

Review by Linus Tee

SYNOPSIS: The hottest comic in America, Sebastian Maniscalco joins forces with legendary Italian-American and two-time Oscar® winner, Robert De Niro (Best Actor, Raging Bull, 1980), in the new comedy ABOUT MY FATHER. Sebastian (Sebastian Maniscalco), being encouraged by his American girlfriend, Ellie (Leslie Bibb), spends the weekend with her wealthy family and his Italian father, Salvo (Robert De Niro). Despite having a culture clash between the two families, the father and son soon manage to discover the true meaning of family… 

MOVIE REVIEW:

Standup comedian Sebastian Maniscalco stars and co-wrote this comedy which is based loosely on his life as a son of a traditional Italian immigrant.

And who do you call if you need an onscreen uptight, unsettling father figure? Robert De Niro of course.

Sebastian is planning to propose to his rich girlfriend, Ellie (Leslie Bibb) at their summer vacation home during the upcoming weekend getaway. But first he needs the family ring and his father, Salvo’s approval. Instead of leaving the old man to celebrate the fourth of July by himself, Ellie invites Salvo to come along as well. As expected, culture and personality clashes await the father-and-son!

Undeniable, De Niro is the highlight of this comedy. The man has done this sort of trope countless times in the Meet the Parents series. And this time round, he is a grumpy, money-pinching hairdresser from Chicago who much prefers his son marries an Italian woman than a descendant of wealthy colonisers.

Most of the funny parts arise from De Niro’s character and as usual, he is a delight to watch even he is just being plain mean or traditional in this case. Everyone can relate to how Salvo loves his son in the usual Asian moms manner. Salvo can be everything from charming, witty to offensive. There’s a part about peacocks that we are not going to spoil here.

The jokes and gags are a mixture of hits and misses. There is a modest raunchy scene whereby Sebastian loses his shorts while jet booting. Not forgetting Sebastian and Salvo’s countless awkward clashes with Ellie’s mother, Tigger (Kim Cattrall), the matriarch of the family. The screenplay tries hard to touch on themes liked white privileges, family cohesion and how far will you go to cater to your partner etc. However, all these discussions on family differences, dynamics amount to nothing but mediocrity in the end.

Still, About My Father was careful not to overstay its welcome. It’s great Maniscalco knows how to wrap things up at the right time because there’s only so much material you can squeeze out of De Niro and Cattrall’s characters. Honestly, Maniscalco is OK for his first leading man role, the movie gets a few genuine laughs and De Niro is at least better here than his time in Dirty Grandpa and The War with Grandpa. Maniscalco just needs sharper material for his next big screen gig.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Action/Crime
Director: Herman Yau
Cast: Jacky Cheung, Nicholas Tse, Karena Lam, Cya Liu, Kenny Kwan, Carlos Chan, Michelle Wai, Ben Yuen, Michelle Yim, Shek Sau, Melvin Wong, Angus Yeung, Amanda S, Francis Ng
Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Violence)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 4 July 2024

Synopsis: Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department officers Chow Ching-lai (Nicholas Tse) and Cheung Wan-nam (Jacky Cheung) share a close mentor-student relationship. On a case involving seized smuggled arms, Ching-lai is sent to take part in a joint operation with Interpol to capture a reclusive arms dealer. However, Wan-nam makes a drastic decision that complicates the case even further. 

Movie Review:

Herman Yau is one of the few Hong Kong directors who can do big, bombastic action spectacle, which explains why he is one of the go-to persons for such recent blockbusters like ‘The White Storm 3: Heaven or Hell’ or ‘Shock Wave 2’. Yau is also unequivocally the most hardworking director in Hong Kong today, with no less than four movies released last year and two to date this year. Those familiar with Yau’s works though will know that he employs a largely workmanlike style to his films, which while eminently watchable in and of themselves, also means that any measure of artistic or creative qualities will unfortunately fall to other members of the production.

‘Customs Frontline’ is unfortunately worse off for that very reason. Using the Hong Kong Customs as a front to engineer the same type of spectacle in his recent big-budget works, Yau takes the opportunity to stage a number of explosive, high-impact sequences, including a daring daytime raid on a protected Customs facility, a surprise attack on an African general’s base in the fictional Republic of Loklamana, and a Customs assault on a stolen container ship that veers into the waters of Victoria Harbour. In turn, Yau has left the plotting to his usual collaborators – namely, writing duo Erica Lee and Eric Lee – who have done a slapdash job that almost imperils the entire movie.

Over the course of two hours, ‘Customs Frontline’ goes from a stretch of the imagination to just plain ludicrous, no thanks to an unnecessary twist involving a traitor from within the ranks of the Customs. We can forgive the cliched premise about a war between two fictional African nations, as excuse for the backdrop of illegal arms smuggling that justifies the gunfights and explosions for the action. Ditto the unconvincing involvement of just two Thai officers, notwithstanding the larger Interpol interest. What we cannot look past however is the frankly incompetent attempt at injecting depth into Jacky Cheung’s Cheung Wan-nam, in the form of a bipolar disorder that is later on revealed to have been triggered by his own internal moral struggle.

Neither of the Lees seem to have sufficient conviction to pull off the twist, nor for that matter does Yau have the finesse to weave it into the storytelling, so much so that the result is just painful to watch – what with a whole lot of flashbacks squeezed into the third act to try to over-explain just what would lead Nam down this misguided path, and a sadly miscast Cheung trying his best to emote the sort of unhingedness that only very few Hong Kong actors (like Sean Lau did in ‘Detectives Versus Sleuths’) can pull off. To be fair, not only Cheung but Nicholas Tse is also guilty of histrionics in the movie, which also speaks to how little direction Yau has paid to the performances of his two lead actors.

All that focus instead has been spent on the action, for which Tse also serves as choreographer. Much has been said about his debut in such a capacity, and to his credit, Tse does credibly both in front and behind the camera. Tse’s emphasis on real stunts is evident, and his commitment to execute many of these by himself is also admirable. Alas, some of that hard work is lost amidst the hectic camera work, which not only has the attention span of a 5-year old but also over-indulges in close-ups; the editing is likewise disorderly, with some obvious continuity issues that are simply inexcusable. Yau also lacks the meticulousness of fellow directors like Dante Lam and the late Benny Chan – and a perfect case in point is how the destruction of the Star Ferry Pier that is intended to be the piece de resistance of the climax is oddly uninvolving and even anti-climactic.

For all its hype, ‘Customs Frontline’ is a major letdown. Despite its ambitions, the action is overblown, and hardly as thrilling as it ought or intended to be. It is also overwrought, especially like we described in its midway twist of Nam’s bipolar disorder and apparent betrayal of his fellow Customs officers. And last but not least, it is also overlong, with plenty of undercooked subplots like the rivalry between Francis Ng’s operations commander Kwok and Karena Lam’s intelligence head Shao or even the romance between Nam and Shao. Our truly well-intentioned advice to Yau is to invest more time in each of his films; especially with such large-scale endeavours as this, Yau’s workmanlike approach is not even functional but downright sloppy.

Movie Rating:

(Overblown, overwrought and overlong, 'Customs Frontline' is sloppy in almost every respect, and ultimately a huge letdown)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes
Cast: David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon, Ian Bliss, Fayssal Bazzi, Ingrid Torelli, Rhys Auter, Georgina Haig, Josh Quong Tart
Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins
Rating: M18 (Gore and Violence)
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website:

Opening Day: 18 April 2024

Synopsis: Johnny Carson's rival Jack Delroy hosts a syndicated talk show 'Night Owls' that has long been a trusted companion to insomniacs around the country. However, ratings for the show have plummeted since the tragic death of Jack's beloved wife. Desperate to turn his fortunes around, on October 31st, 1977, Jack plans a Halloween special like no other--unaware he is about to unleash evil into the living rooms of America.

Movie Review:

Who would have thought that a horror movie would possibly be one of this writer’s favourite films of the year? There have been impressive scary flicks in recent memory like The Conjuring (2013), It (2017) and Hereditary (2018). But none of those well reviewed titles told a story in a way as memorably as this one written, directed, and edited by Colin and Cameron Cairnes. As the end credits roll, it is clear that this is a project that the filmmaking brothers are proud of, and probably had fun realising it from script to screen.

The story is about what fame and power can do to people, and the price (even if it is not the morally right thing to do) some people will pay to stay on top. Yes, it is a tale of what happens to people when they strike a deal with the devil. Scary elements aside, we reckon most movies would present this story in a relatively straightforward manner with plot developments unfolding along the way. But this movie takes you for a ride you’ll never forget.

The movie starts off with a prologue introducing the state of things in the United States during the 1970s. Done very interestingly in a documentary style, we are also introduced to the film’s protagonist Jack Delroy (David Dastmalchian), a late night TV talk show host who is fighting the rating war with Johnny Carson, a real life personality who hosted the very popular The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson during the period.

The documentary proceeds to narrate Delroy’s story of how he rose to fame with the programme Night Owls with Jack Delroy, got married to his lovely wife before she succumbed to cancer, and how he disappeared shortly from showbiz and then returned to the scene. It also covers his supposed involvement in a cult of some sort. You wonder where this movie is going, and then the voiceover tells you what you are about to see is a themed episode broadcast on the night of Halloween 1977, together with never released found footage. And this was the night when a terrible incident took place. You sit up because you know things are going to get interesting.

The movie then plays the episode of a live late night TV series, complete with opening titles and commercial break title cards. Viewers familiar with late night shows will love this treatment. As the movie interchanges between the broadcast show and what went on behind the scene once the cameras are off air, it is refreshing seeing the switching aspect ratios and definitions.

The movie also gets points for containing everything within a very welcome 93 minute runtime. As the film progresses, we are introduced to various guests who were invited on the talk show. Without revealing too much, each guest brings along an element of surprise (some nastier than the others), and you nervously (and gleefully) anticipate what the next shocker is going to be.

Dastmalchian, whose supporting performances we have seen in blockbusters like Ant-Man (2015), The Suicide Squad (2019) and Dune (2021), holds his own ground as the leading man in this international co-production of Australia, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates. While has a certain look of sadness in his eyes, he is totally believable as a talk show host. Thanks to his affecting performance, this is one horror flick that also makes you feel for the protagonist, although you know he has dabbled in some things he shouldn’t have. And that is a great achievement for a film of the horror genre. 

Movie Rating:

(Cleverly conceptualised and realised on screen, this horror movie will have you nervously and gleefully anticipating the next gnarly shocker)

Review by John Li

Genre: Fantasy/Children
Director: John Krasinski
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Cailey Fleming, Fiona Shaw, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr., Alan Kim, Liza Colón-Zayas, Steve Carell
Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 16 May 2024

Synopsis: From writer and director John Krasinski, IF is about a girl who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends — and what she does with that superpower — as she embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids. IF stars Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Cailey Fleming, Fiona Shaw, and the voices of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr. and Steve Carell alongside many more as the wonderfully unique characters that reflect the incredible power of a child’s imagination.

Movie Review:

To John Krasinski’s credit, ‘IF’ is an ambitious change of genre following ‘A Quiet Place’ and its sequel. Unfortunately, as much as we had tried to embrace it, ‘IF’ never quite takes flight beyond an admirable thought experiment.

Clearly inspired by such Disney/ Pixar’s hits like ‘Toy Story’, ‘Monsters, Inc’ and ‘Up’, ‘IF’ tells of 12-year-old Bea (a terrific Cailey Fleming) who, after moving back into her grandmother (Fiona Shaw)’s apartment while her dad (Krasinski) awaits a potentially life-threatening surgery, unexpectedly acquires the ability to see imaginary friends (hence the acronym ‘IF’).

For reasons that will only be known at the end, some of these friends happen to reside on the top floor of the same building with the cranky Cal (Ryan Reynolds), whom Bea learns used to be a clown; these IFs include Blossom, a saucer-eyed ballerina bug named Blossom (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), and a giant purple fur ball named Blue (Steve Carell). Cal tells Bea that Blossom and Blue are just two of the IFs that have been forgotten by the kids who had dreamt them up, and these IFs now have largely been resigned to a retirement home within an abandoned amusement park on Coney Island.

It isn’t hard to guess that Bea will go on a mission to reunite the IFs with their now-grown humans, or for that matter how the reunion will rekindle the latter’s sense of wonder and in some instances, self-confidence. Krasinski, who wrote and directed the movie, clearly intends for it to be a sweet fable about reconnecting with our inner child as well as the wonders of our childhood imagination, and his intention is evidently clear.  

What he fails to do though is weave it into a coherent premise. Unlike say animation, live-action needs a semblance of logic to work – and as willing as we were to suspend our disbelief, we cannot quite shake off our confusion whether the IFs are real or simply imaginary. On one hand, they seem to be the former, needing to open doors (than walk through them) or tiptoe gingerly around a bedroom full of toys; on the other, it is puzzling how no one seems to sense their physical presence, even at close proximity. That simple logic, or in this case lack thereof, leaves the film struggling to hold itself together from scene to scene.

It is also not very compelling, to say the least. Beyond the excitement of seeing such quirky characters as a jiffy unicorn (Emily Blunt), a superheroic pup (Sam Rockwell), a giant sunflower (Matt Damon) or a massive gummy bear (Amy Schumer) – there is little else to hold our attention, especially because it does take a while for the story to come together. Oh yes, much of the first two acts is spent on world-building, and though Krasinski injects plenty of charm and heartfelt whimsy, it is also intermittently engaging, lacking sufficient heft to hold its various disparate elements together.

And there are many – besides her discovery of the world of IFs, Bea’s mission of reuniting Blue and Blossom with their creators, as well as her emotional journey coping with the memories of her late mother during her childhood days while trying to stay optimistic about her father’s impending surgery. What is glaringly missing amidst the scattershot treatment is Cal, who seems to not have a job or any qualms spending all day hanging out with a 12-year-old girl, though there is a good answer to that which is poignant even if it doesn’t make much sense.

For all of its flaws, ‘IF’ does manage to stick its ending – we won’t spoil it for you, but suffice to say that it does have a surprisingly moving twist that is just sincere enough to make you forgive it for its shortcomings before. It doesn’t hurt that Krasinski is probably one of the nicest guys in Hollywood, and has assembled a roster of A-list cameos including Awkwafina, Bradley Cooper, Keegan-Michael Key, Maya Rudolph, Amy Schumer, George Clooney, Jon Stewart, and the late Louis Gossett Jr., to whom the movie is dedicated.

It feels uncharitable criticising a movie that has every good intention, or even a filmmaker like Krasinski who has boldly ventured out of his comfort zone to take on a wholly different genre. The live-action animation genre has always been a tough sell – especially given how it has to offer a value proposition beyond just animation – and while it has its moments, ‘IF’ fails to fully develop its ambitious concept into an equally fascinating story, leaving you instead wondering not just ‘what if…’ but what more it could have been.

Movie Rating:

('IF' has an intriguing concept, but never quite builds itself into anything compelling)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Romance/Comedy
Director: Will Gluck
Cast: Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, Alexandra Shipp, GaTa, Hadley Robinson, Michelle Hurd, Dermot Mulroney, Darren Barnet, Rachel Griffiths
Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins
Rating: M18 (Some Homosexual Content and Nudity)
Released By: Sony Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 16 May 2024

Synopsis: In the edgy comedy Anyone But You, Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) look like the perfect couple, but after an amazing first date something happens that turns their fiery hot attraction ice cold - until they find themselves unexpectedly thrust together at a destination wedding in Australia. So they do what any two mature adults would do: pretend to be a couple.

Movie Review:

Blame Netflix for the swift but sure death of the rom-coms at the cinemas, but just as with every other Hollywood genre, you can be sure that there will be a filmmaker and a leading couple valiant enough to try every now and then to try to revive it. This time, that filmmaker is Will Gluck, who made a previous foray into the rom-com genre with ‘Friends with Benefits’, with ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ star Glen Powell and HBO’s ‘It’ girl Sydney Sweeney as the pair ready to put their on-screen chemistry on the line.

Going by how ‘Anyone But You’ has become a sleeper hit at the box office since its progressive roll-out a couple of months back, it should come as no surprise that the movie is a winner. Despite a five-month wait, it is absolutely well worth your while; and in fact, we’d go so far as to say that it is an instant classic, a perfect example of the fun, romance and even raunch that the genre used to be associated with, and a genuine crowd-pleaser that will cement Powell and Sweeney as Hollywood’s next big leading couple.

The first five minutes alone serve up a classic meet-cute at a café, where klutzy law student Bea (Sweeney) runs into charismatic Goldman Sachs professional Ben (Powell) in a desperate moment of needing to use a bathroom. A husband-and-wife pretend, a splash of water that might be mistaken for a pee stain and a walk in the park lead to a magical but chaste night together at Ben’s place, although the nascent couple is torn apart the next morning through a rather silly misunderstanding when Bea overhears an exchange Ben has with his best friend Pete (GaTa).

As far as formula goes, that is intended to set the stage for the would-be lovers to engage in a war of words and actions when they find themselves reunited six months later for Pete’s sister Claudia’s (Alexandra Shipp) destination wedding to Bea’s sister Halle (Hadley Robinson) in Australia. Never mind the contrivance; it is after all simply so that Ben and Bea can reconnect over a sun-kissed weekend in Sydney, in order that they may realise that they want to be with each other after all.

Gluck – who shares writing credits with Ilana Wolpert – throws in plenty of supporting acts to add verve to the ensuing proceedings. Bea’s meddling parents (Delmot Mulroney and Debra Griffiths) decide to invite her ex Jonathan (Darren Barnet) to the wedding, in the hopes that they will get back together. On the other hand, Claudia’s parents (Bryan Brown and Michelle Hurd) have invited Ben’s ex Margaret (Charlee Fraser) and her latest beau Hemsworth (Joe Davidson).

Among the hijinks that ensue include Pete and his father’s play-act to get Ben and Bea together, a hiking trip in which Ben frantically sheds all his clothes after finding a giant spider in his shorts, and a yacht ride along Sydney Harbour that sees the couple attempt to recreate ‘Titanic’ before falling into its waters. It is all in perfectly good nature, made all the more delightful by how Powell and Sweeney are game for anything, including and perhaps the one involving the emergency stripping that is designed to showcase their respective hotness.

The conviction that Powell and Sweeney displays not only applies to the laughs, but also their characters’ dilemmas, which makes the denouement, while inevitable, nevertheless sweet and affecting. Indeed, though both Ben and Bea have to contend not just with their feelings for their ex-es, but also making a break from the familiar and comfortable to choose what feels rousing even if it means being in new territory. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that both eventually declare their love in a beautiful and well-telegraphed setting.

So even though it is straight out of formula, ‘Anyone But You’ employs all the familiar tricks of the rom-com genre wonderfully, and even manages a loose riff on Shakespeare’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ in the process. This is a pure, unapologetic example of a Hollywood staple that made the careers of Hugh Grant, Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan and Sandra Bullock before, and will now do for both Powell and Sweeney, whose chemistry is absolutely infectious. It’s been a while since we’ve had so much fun with a rom-com on the big screen, and we guarantee if you love a good rom-com, this one hits the spot beautifully.  

Movie Rating:

(As delightful and sweet as rom-coms come, 'Anyone But You' is a modern-day, classic example of the genre, thanks to witty set-ups, gorgeous scenery and a pair of absolutely infectious leads) 

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Drama/Biography
Director: James Hawes
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn, Lena Olin, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp, Marthe Keller, with Jonathan Pryce, Helena Bonham Carter
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 25 April 2024

Synopsis: Based on the book ‘If It’s Not Impossible…” by Barbara Winton. ONE LIFE tells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker (Johnny Flynn), who, along with Trevor Chadwick (Alex Sharp) and Doreen Warriner (Romola Garai), rescued 669 children from the Nazis in the months leading up to World War II. Nicky visited Prague in December 1938 and found families who had fled the rise of the Nazis in Germany and Austria, living under threat of Nazi invasion. How many children could he and the team rescue before the borders closed? Fifty years later, Nicky (Anthony Hopkins) lives haunted by the fate of the children he wasn’t able to bring to safety in England. It’s not until a live BBC television show that introduces him to some surviving children - now adults - that he finally begins to come to terms with the guilt and grief he had carried for five decades.

Movie Review:

All thanks to Steven Spielberg’s award-winning 1993’s Schindler’s List, we got to know of Oskar Schindler, an ordinary businessman who managed to save thousands of refugees from the Holocaust. But there’s many more untold stories about humanitarians during those dreadful, dark period with Nicholas Winton being one of the many.

In 1938, a young London stockbroker, Winton (Johnny Flynn) decides to place Jewish children with foster parents in Britain after seeing their plight in Czechoslovakia. His plan is to bring them on trains from Prague to Britain before the war breaks out and borders closed. But first, he needs to raise funds, established proper contacts and logistics with the help of fellow humanitarians and his mother, Babi (Helena Bonham Carter).

Fast forward to 1987, we see the elder Winton (Anthony Hopkins) wondering what to do with the scrapbook that compromises of all the details and photos of the children he rescued. Winton in fact is not much of a bragger nor one who talks about the past. For what he have done, he still blames himself for all the 250 children he was not able to save, all scheduled to board the last train which was stopped by the Nazis on the day they invaded Poland. His wife (Lena Olin) suggest he donates the book to a museum or library but later on, a supposedly rubbish BBC show, “That’s Life” managed to save them all the trouble.

Based on the book “If It's Not Impossible?: The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton” by Barbara Winton, One Life is the true story of Nicholas “Nicky” Winton. The narrative goes back and forth in time though there’s no way you are going to lose your attention given the dramatic tension of an invading enemy and the near impossible task of finding foster homes in such a short amount of time.

Certainly, One Life lacks the lavish budget of Schindler’s List and the cinematic eye of Spielberg but television director James Hawes pulls off more than a decent, heart-wrenching story of a selfless man given the limited resources. Indeed, the pacing can be slower at times. There’s a brief scene of Winton catching up with an old friend, Martin (Jonathan Pryce), a mini The Two Popes reunion. Instead the attention can be focused on fellow humanitarians liked Doreen and Trevor Chadwick since Wonton’s gutsy operation requires more than mere paperwork so some slight nitpick here.

From a historical point of view, there’s enough facts, figures and theme of heroism packed into the entire package. It’s not a showcase about the cruelty of World War II or the demented acts carried out by the Nazis thus you need to get your expectations right. It’s mostly a quiet, dignified treatment of a true story and retelling of a behind-the-scenes hero that will leaves you teary-eyed at times. Winton’s efforts and story never gets old regardless the times.

The 86 year old Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins seems to exhibit no signs of slowing down as he once again delivers a genuinely affecting performance. One Life is not exactly the kind of war movie you normally see, it’s a celebration of a remarkable ordinary man who saved 669 children from the evil clutches of the devil yet believes at the end of the day, he could do more.

Movie Rating:

(In the current climate of war and chaos around the world, One Life is the perfect example of how passionate humanitarian efforts can make a difference)

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Kiah Roache-Turner
Cast: Ryan Corr, Alyla Browne, Penelope Mitchell, Jermaine Fowler
Runtime: 1 hr 32 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Coarse Language and Violence)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 13 June 2024

Synopsis: STING spins a web of thrilling terror, as a young girl’s pet spider transforms into a giant flesh-eating monster forcing her to fight for her family’s survival.

Movie Review:

Sting makes for a fun throwback to spider monster movies liked Arachnophobia and Eight Legged Freaks. Despite the cheesy premise and promised horror attacks, it’s a B movie that ultimately disappoints than impressed.

Set in snowy New York but shot far away in Australia, an angsty teenage girl Charlotte (Alyla Browne) who loves to roam the vents of the apartment building she stays in adopted a small spider that happens to come from outer space.

The spider is named Sting after Frodo's sword in The Lord of the Rings. Charlotte feeds Sting a diet of cockroaches and it grows at an accelerated rate and even mimics sounds she makes. It’s weird she doesn’t find it anything out of the ordinary despite warning from a deadpanned, biology expert neighbour, Erik (Danny Kim).

Of course, we are here for the attacks and Sting deliberately withhold the nasty, exciting parts. Perhaps due to budget constraint, we are treated to a generous portion of family drama involving his stepfather, Ethan (Ryan Corr), her mother, Heather and her baby brother. There’s even her dementia suffering grandmother in the picture. Conveniently, Ethan works as a caretaker for the building and is also busy working as a comic book artist.

Basically, Ethan is an overtaxed father figure, trying his best to take care of the needs of his family and being the peacemaker in the disputes between his wife and rebellious stepdaughter. All these family melodrama makes you forget about the presence of Sting monetarily though the creature carried out a horrific gruesome killing of a seemingly widow in the middle of all the quarrels.

Since this is not a building-up-to-a-Jaws or Jurassic Park kind of movie, the main character Sting got shortchanged in the process given the creature by Weta Workshop (Lord of the Rings, Avatar) has a total of less than 8 minutes of screen time. The fact that the movie attempts to establish Ethan and Charlotte as the central characters or the heroes meant to confront the creature is not convincing enough. On the contrary, a funny wisecracking exterminator named Frank (Jermaine Fowler) deserved to be credited as the unsung hero of the flick.

Likely inspired by Alien, the setup of Sting in a confined apartment building gives off similar vibes of claustrophobia though the various setups isn’t that clever compare to the Ridley Scott classic. You got to admit director and writer Kiah Roache-Turner indeed introduces several scenes of dark humour and brutal kills, some effective while others falter. The most tense sequence however happens in the finale whereby the characters are hit by paralysis and the suspense is killing.

If you are a fan of creepy crawly creature stuff and not expecting much, then Sting might be a temporary source to quench your thirst for creature horror flicks. For those expecting a polished story, interesting characters and a little more thrills and spills, then Sting is hardly worth your time.

Movie Rating:

(Sting is bigger, meaner and faster but doesn’t amounts to anything memorable or original)

Review by Linus Tee

SYNOPSIS: Michigan, 1963. Kellogg's and Post, sworn cereal rivals, race to create a pastry that will change the face of breakfast. 

MOVIE REVIEW:

Unfrosted is a movie about the rivalry between two cereal giants, Kellogg and Post and their race to create a new breakfast product known currently to mankind as Pop-Tarts.

The man behind Unfrosted happens to be stand-up comedian, Jerry Seinfeld who stars, co-wrote and direct the comedy so you kind of expect the comedy element to be good or at least tolerable. Unfortunately, that’s not the case as the final product is soggier than a bowl of overnight cornflakes.

Seinfeld plays Bob Cabana, an executive working at Kellogg and also a close employee to the boss of Kellogg, Edsel Kellogg III (Jim Gaffigan). Cabana’s primary focus is to launch a new product to compete with Marjorie Meriweather Post (Amy Schumer), the cereal heiress who also built and owned the Mar-a-Lago. True fact by the way. So Cabana enlists the help of NASA scientist, Donna Stankowski, (Melissa McCarthy) who in turn hired a bunch of “geniuses” to assist in the project.

Bordering between a fantasy and a satire, there’s maybe some truth and lots of fabrication in this comedy written by Seinfeld and a few of his Seinfeld writers. For a corporate origin story of Pop-Tarts or how it came to be on the shelves of supermarkets, the entire narrative moves like a series of scattershot sketches than a heavily invested retelling of the events.

Not every jokes land in the brief running time of roughly 90 minutes nor the ridiculous introduction of a mutated piece of pastry. The mutiny led by famed mascot, Tony the Tiger (Hugh Grant) is the sole saving grace together with a group of cereal mascots presiding over a funeral which at least makes for a chuckle or two.

However, the best part of Unfrosted happens to be the number of celebrity cameos Seinfeld managed to grab for his directing debut. Mad Men Jon Hamm, Bill Burr as JFK, Peter Dinklage and Christian Slater as villainous milkmen, James Marsden as a fitness guru and plenty more.

Jerry Seinfeld has sadly reached a stage whereby he has nothing else to prove as a performer or as an actor. The 70 year old comedian has reached his peak decades ago and Unfrosted is merely a cartoonish, half-baked story of Pop-Tarts that fails to establish anything worthy except it’s just a lame product out of Seinfeld’s post retirement vanity projects.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee