Genre: Drama
Director: Xu Zheng
Cast: Xu Zheng, Xin Zhilei, Wang Xiao, Jia Bing, Feng Bing, Ding Yongdai, Chen Halin, Wu Jiakai, Liu Meihan, Yu Hewei, Huang Xiaolei, Ma Dong, Liang Jing
Runtime: 2 hrs 1 min
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language & Disturbing Scenes)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 12 September 2024

Synopsis: Once the pride of his family, Gao Zhilei veers off his life's intended path under the crushing weight of reality. To top it off, a rush decision of becoming a delivery guy leads to a series of unforeseen challenges, compelling him to confront himself once more. As Gao Zhilei navigates the bustling streets and alleys of the city, he encounters a band of friends, forming deep bonds and experiencing the highs and lows of human connection. Through this challenging journey of self-discovery, he gradually rediscovers the courage and conviction lost along the way, and more importantly, a new direction in life. 

Movie Review:

Depending on what you work as to earn your keep, your reaction to this Chinese movie may differ. As someone who works as an administrator in a corporate environment, there are moments in this 121 minute film where this writer cannot fully empathise - simply because what’s portrayed on screen is not a life he leads. He is referring to the everyday experiences of delivery riders that are getting the spotlight in this movie directed by Xu Zheng.

Besides helming the drama, Xu also plays Gao Zhilei, the protagonist of the movie. A middle aged programmer who is suddenly asked to leave his competitive job, Zhilei tries his very best to look for other similar jobs that pay well. Despite his credentials, the market just isn’t kind to someone who is in his 40s because there is fresh blood out there who may be able to do your job at half the speed, and half the salary.

The series of awkward and embarrassing scenarios that Zhilei goes through struck a chord with this writer because it Is a stark reminder that no one is irreplaceable at a workplace. Back to the plot – Zhilei finds himself in a very tight spot because he needs the money to feed his family. It sure doesn’t help that there are plans to send his daughter to an international school. You’d expect the plot to go further to make Zhilei’s life more difficult – his elderly father suddenly gets admitted to the hospital, and medical fees are piling up. Want more drama? Together as a couple, Zhilei and his wife agreed that the man of the house will be the sole breadwinner of the house. This means that trying to keep the family afloat is going to be a gargantuan task.

Now, we come to the focus of the movie where Zhilei becomes a scooter riding deliver guy. Although we do have the occasional dramas and accidents involving delivery riders in Singapore, you can only imagine what it’s like to be on in China. Throughout the movie, you can see the adrenaline rush unfold, and feel the need for speed when countless delivery drivers set off for the day, trying their best to complete their tasks in time before someone posts a bad review.

And it is this round the clock madness that makes good drama, given Zhilei’s previous deskbound job. He meets different characters and crosses paths with each of their unique traits. While the different personalities are very much what you’d expect from a drama about a guy trying to blend in with his workmates, the performances are strong enough to keep you engaged throughout the two hour runtime.

You can also predict how the Zhilei’s story arc is going to turn out, but you go along for the ride because his tale is an uplifting one, and you want to root for the guy till the end. Credit goes to Xu for being able to direct the film and play the lead role at the same time. You’ll walk out of the cinema feeling encouraged and believing that all odds can be overcome.

Movie Rating:

(Strong performances and an engaging story make this uplifting movie is a ride worth going along for.)

Review by John Li

SYNOPSIS: A group of friends goes on a fun camping trip in the forest, but things take a terrifying turn when they come face-to-face with a deadly wild bear.

MOVIE REVIEW:

In today’s cinematic standard, the Vietnam produced creature flick, Claws clocks in at an efficient 96 minutes as compare to the typical standard of 100 minutes to two hours. Yet the story has little to entertain in terms of laughs and thrills making it a wasted comeback effort from hundred billion VND director Le Thanh Son.

The concept is simple even to the point of predictable. A group of seven friends embarked on a camping trip only to venture into a forbidden part of the forest. In the middle of the night comes a very angry black bear. No prizes for guessing what will happen to the campers.

One significant issue with Claws is the pacing. Too much time is spent with the campers that it took up almost 30 minutes of it before the first attack happens. Honestly, there isn’t anything interesting with the bunch of protagonists talking and chatting. Who really cares about an estranged couple or a lovey-dovey pair talking about their future? It feels stretched to the point that they should just stop yakking and just introduce the bear and her rampage.

Besides the group of friends, there is a pair of father-and-son illegal wildlife poachers who apparently has trapped a baby cub. Again no prizes for guessing who is the mom. Anyway, the son poacher is a psychotic trigger-happy maniac who has no qualms killing anyone or anything, a character that unfortunately doesn’t gel with the rest of the movie.

Other than the not-so-clever plotting, the creature flick also lacks the element of cheesy humour often found in Thai horror comedies or outrageous Korean comedies. Claws take itself too seriously for the whole time despite being a straight-out B-movie. There’s an obvious dark comedy quality but Le Thanh Son fails to capitalise on it. Instead the narrative slapped together chunks of sentimentality and leisurely choreographed escape tactics to pad out the rest of the screen time.

With the bulk of the movie being set dead in the night, the CG-rendered black bear is more than convincing as it aggressively trampled and maul its victims to death. Violence is inconsistent as majority of the bear attacks are shown from afar though there is a gruesome scene involving one of the campers being hurt by an animal trap rather than mama bear.

Taking three years to complete and a box-office that pales in comparison to One Wish, a movie that has been in theaters since April, Claws is a flick that never delivers on the laughs and thrills. The entire movie reeks more of a melodramatic thriller while trying hard to find a tone that fits into the concept of a creature running amok.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

SYNOPSIS: A former Marine grapples his way through a web of small-town corruption when an attempt to post bail for his cousin escalates into a violent standoff with the local police chief. He didn’t start this fight, but he will finish it. 

MOVIE REVIEW:

Minutes after the opening, we see a fit, black man on his mountain bike being knocked down by a police cruiser. The man is named Terry (Aaron Pierre) and he is on his way to the courthouse to post a $10,000 bail for his cousin. But the cops are firm on accusing him of not pulling over. They searched and took all the money in his backpack claiming it’s drug money.

Just when you are expecting Terry to tear down the cops with his handsome chiseled muscles, Rebel Ridge takes his time to simmer into a thrilling tale of masculinity and crime reminiscent of First Blood meets Jack Reacher.

Without resorting to violence, Terry wants to get back his money first through legal means. However, shady Police Chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson) is confiscating the money on the pretext of civil asset forfeiture, whatever that means we know it’s not true. When a law clerk Summer (AnnaSophia Robb) clues Terry on the corruption and complex running of the local police department and court system, he decides to literally takes matters into his own hands.

Terry for a start is never portray as a potent opponent for the bunch of bushy looking corrupted cops until later on. Terry is no ordinary ex-Marine but one that runs the martial arts program for Marines as it’s revealed humorously via some acronyms. Terry is an amazing written character. Cool, calm and never losing his composure and politeness even under the most stressful situations. With his magnetic good looks and solid leading man performance, Aaron Pierre no doubt is the breakout star here.

Though we haven’t seen writer/director Jeremy Saulnier’s previous works liked Green Room and Blue Ruin, kudos to the filmmaker who delivers a solid crime actioner without resorting to excessive violence. Not a single body count to be exact. It’s generally a slow-boiler building up to a Mexican standoff in the finale. Terry is a man who previously makes a living by teaching men on how to deescalate and he certainly lives up to it. No real bullets were used in his fights against the cops.

Liked Alex Garland’s Civil War, Saulnier certainly has something to say regarding the current political state of the country. Is corruption a common thing in the southern states? Or is it just an allegory up to your own interpretation? Anyway, former child actress AnnaSophia Robb’s Summer is the helpless witness to the crumbling justice system, Don Johnson’s Sandy is the evil mastermind while James Cromwell has a cameo as an aging judge embroiled in the whole conspiracy.

Despite a middling second act, Rebel Ridge is overall an entertaining crime thriller boasted by a confident cast and a wonderfully Aaron Pierre. The social commentary might a little undercooked but undeniably, Saulnier deserved more attention for his future endeavour.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: CG Animation
Director: Josh Cooley
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne, Jon Hamm
Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins
Rating: PG (Some Violence)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 12 September 2024

Synopsis: Transformers One, the explosive, long-awaited origin story of Optimus Prime and his archenemy Megatron, journeys from the depths of Cybertron’s pitiless Energon mines to the planet’s forbidden surface in a quest that will define the future of a civilization. A group of lowly cog-less worker bots, led by Orion Pax and D-16, make a daring excursion to retrieve the long-lost Matrix of Leadership and restore the free flow of Energon, their planet’s life blood. Instead, they uncover a centuries-old conspiracy that will set off the Transformers bots’ millennia-long civil wars. Presented in stunning, state-of-the-art CG animation and directed by Oscar® winner Josh Cooley, Transformers One opens the door on a new era for the record-breaking franchise.

Movie Review:

In the year 2024 alone, we have witnessed the origin of Furiosa, the resurrection of a supposedly dead superhero and the birth of a demon named Damien. Prequel, sequel, spin-off, Hollywood being the good old explorer will never leave any IP and their stories uncovered.

In yet another debatable business strategy, Hasbro and Paramount Pictures’ biggest cash-cow, Transformers received an origin story in the form of a CG animated adventure mostly done by renowned effects house, Industrial Light and Magic.

The story begins way before the Transformers land on earth, in a time when Bumblebee can actually speak and most troubling, way before our favourite robots can transform. Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) and D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry) are two lowly mining bots working daily at the Energon mines. Pax is ambitious, carefree and always getting into trouble while D-16, his best friend always gets him out of trouble and strictly follows the rules laid down by Sentinel Prime (Jon Hamm), leader of Cybertron.

As Transformers One takes place before the civil war between the Autobots and the Decepticons, the narrative takes viewers into the lore of the Primes adequately voiced by Laurence Fishburne in the role of Alpha Trion. The writing team consisting of Oscar winner and director Josh Cooley (Toy Story 4, Inside Out) and screenwriters Eric Pearson, Andrew Barrer, and Gabriel Ferrari tries to inject as much complexity liked the Matrix of Leadership and further weaved in Greek mythology to tell the basic story of a friendship gone sour.

While the writers’ efforts should not be forgotten, the entire movie feels both tedious and refreshing at the same time. No doubt the movie which is based on a toy line is packed almost back to back with endless action sequences, the animated flick in fact works better in its quieter moments. The first act which consists of Orion sneaking into an archive room and a subsequent Iacon 5000 competition race established the ever busy ongoings. The pacing and action is frenetic to the point of exhaustion that you are concerned if the narration suffers from a bad case of ADHD.

There are often times where you can’t really make up who is fighting who or who is chasing who. You can’t really tell the scale of it as it obviously inherits one of the major problems of the live-action movies by Michael Bay. To be more objective, the confrontation works better in the finale where our two protagonists go neck to neck, against each other. The clarity and setup definitely is in a better place compared to massive messy war sequences where anything goes.

At this point, we are sure everyone knows Orion Pax and D-16 refers to Transformer legends Optimus Prime and Megatron respectively. Rather than focusing on a large group of bots, Transformers One did a decent job detailing the origin story of the pair of once BFFs turned enemies. At least, the tension is compelling and reason worthy enough for D-16 to turn to the dark side while Pax becomes the famous Autobots leader.

Scarlett Johansson adding some celebrity glitter by the way is Elita-1, the duo’s mine co-worker who somehow joins in the rebellion and Keegan-Michael Key provides some hit-and-miss comedy as Bumblebee. Steve Buscemi is underused as the snarky Starscream and Hamm is seriously miscast as Sentinel. Perhaps Willem Dafoe is a better choice in this case. Transformers One also throws in a couple of Generation 1 bots including Jazz, Soundwave and Shockwave to satisfy long-time fans.

Even without the presence of humans, Transformers One still works. In the first place, humans are secondary in the Transformers stories. Right here, the main bot characters are clearly defined. The animation is breathtaking albeit a little busy. Clearly, this is a satisfying companion piece to the 1986’s The Transformers: The Movie despite some nitpicks.

Movie Rating:

(An origin story meant for longtime Transformers fans)

Review by Linus Tee

ANDY LAU TOUTING THE LATEST HUAWEI MATE XT Posted on 11 Sep 2024 Step aside Apple fans, HK megastar Andy Lau is touting Huawei's first tri-fold phone model- Huawei Mate XT in this gorgeously shot cinematic advert. Take a look at the video below: ... more

Genre: Drama/Action
Director: Albert Leung, Herbert Leung
Cast: Terrance Lau, Tung Wai, Philip Ng, Cecilia Choi Yao
Runtime: 1 hr 54 min
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:

Opening Day: 3 October 2024

Synopsis: LEE Sam (TUNG Wai) was the undisputed king of stunt choreography during the golden era of Hong Kong action cinema in the 80s. After a devastating accident, Sam has stepped away from the industry for 30 years. His old friend, a veteran director, persuaded Sam to work as the stunt choreographer on his last film. However, the film stars Wai (Philip NG) – Sam’s former stunt crew member who has become a famous action star. As Sam returns to the world he once dominated, he must confront his past and overcome his personal conflict with Wai to deliver an epic final action spectacle for the director’s swan song…

Movie Review:

The leading man of this Hong Kong movie is Tung Wei, a 66 year old gentleman whom you have never seen on screen before. But his performance as an action choreographer who is trying his best to keep up with the times is so heartfelt, you will be tremendously moved. Perhaps this role is specially created for Tung, who is a veteran action choreographer in real life.

And that’s why it’s fitting to know a bit about Tung’s career that has spanned decades. Much respect has to go to the man who first joined showbiz as a stuntman, before taking on action choreography in the 1970s. Having worked extensively with famous directors like John Woo and Tsui Hark, Tung is no stranger to Hong Kong’s action choreography scene. He has been recognised countless times in the Best Action Choreography category at the Golden Horse and Hong Kong Film Awards, and has taken home the prize for titles like Seven Swords (2005), Bodyguards and Assassins (2009), Operation Mekong (2016) and Bursting Point (2023).

This action drama directed by Albert Leung and Herbert Leung puts Tung’s character Sam in the limelight. After an unfortunate incident during the production of a movie, he decides to fade away from the business. Time passes and 30 years later, an old time friend invites him to be part of a an action flick he is directing. What happens next is a series of incidents where it becomes evident that times have changed, and Sam begins to question his relevance in the current state of things.

From the plot, you know that this is a movie that will be overflowing with nostalgia. The term “Hong Kong spirit” is brought up many times throughout the 114 minute runtime. Also, characters reminisce how Hong Kong productions were better in the past. In fact, the movie starts with an action sequence that will remind you of a Jackie Chan flick that involves people performing dangerous stunts, including jumping down a few floors in a shopping centre and falling into glass cabinets.

So it is perfectly understandable that some of the younger characters in the movie (including Wai, Sam’s former stunt crew played by real life action choreographer and martial artist Philip Ng) loathe Sam’s unwillingness to adapt to today’s circumstances. It doesn’t help that he has a temper on set, and bulldozes his way through to get a perfect action scene caught on camera. This includes pulling off a robbery sequence in the public without applying filming permits.

Then there is Long (Terrence Lau), an idealistic young man who becomes Sam’s disciple. He could have stuck to a more lucrative delivery guy job, but his love for action movies made him say yes to Sam’s invitation to be an assistant action choreographer on set. No thanks to Sam’s fiery rage, Long compromises his own safety on several occasions.

While the movie is a love letter to the golden era of Hong Kong movies, it also effectively makes viewers think about whether old timers are hanging on too tight to an era that has passed. But maybe all that matters is how this touching story is ultimately a loving tribute to the hardworking filmmakers behind some of our most beloved movies. 

Movie Rating:

(A love letter to the golden age of Hong Kong action movies, and a reminder of how passion and hard work defined some of our most beloved films)

Review by John Li

SYNOPSIS: In this contemporary noir thriller, an expat PI (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is hired to investigate a suspicious death in Crete, Greece, where jealousies run deep amongst the victim’s powerful family.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Killer Heat marks Hollywood’s second attempt at adapting Norwegian crime novelist Jo Nesbø’s works to the big screen after the critically-panned The Snowman. Based on one of his short stories, the movie adaptation however is filled with clichés and dull exposition making it yet another dud for Nesbø.

The crime drama boasts a cast featuring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley and Richard Madden. Levitt plays Nick Bali, an ex-NYPD cop turned PI who is being hired by Penelope Vardakis (Woodley) to investigate the suspicious death of her brother-in-law Leo, who fell while free solo climbing on a deserted island. Apparently, Leo and Elias Vardakis (both played by Madden), the husband of Penelope are twins and they are the offsprings of a billion dollar shipping company based on the beautiful island of Crete.

Unlike say Knives Out, Killer Heat struggles to be a convincing murder mystery consider the said crime only revolves around that handful of characters. Maybe it’s boring Elias, femme fatal Penelope or perhaps the twin’s mysterious mother, Audrey (Clare Holman). There’s an early scene where an obvious clue is mentioned so you probably know who is actually the murderer. That inevitably takes out other potential suspects.

The basic framework of Killer Heat perhaps work better as an erotic thriller. I mean who in the right mind will engage a private investigator to investigate the death of your brother-in-law whereas none of his immediate family members are keen on the foul play theory. Indeed Penelope Vardakis is a very suspicious character. Oddly, she is relegated to the background, mostly responsible for less than compelling exposition and flashbacks with the Vardakis brothers.

The magic however lies in Joseph Gordon-Levitt who gamely portrays a troubled man who suffers from alcoholic abuses and a wife who declared she is trapped in a loveless marriage with Bali. His character mirrors the nature of the movie- jealousy. The theme is wonderfully explored despite the flaws of the story. Like Leo and Penelope, Bali is trapped in the same dreaded scenario. The theme is commendable and Nick Bali turns out to be a more satisfying character than everything else.

Nick together with the islands’ only good cop Mensah (Babou Ceesay) enthusiastically roams the place giving cinematographer Andrew Dunn an excellent chance to shoot the stunning Greek island. Killer Heat in short lacks the intensity and witty investigative skills of a typical whodunit. The unfolding of events are leisure at best. Woodley and Madden carries no emotional weight to their characters and only Levitt seems genuinely interested in the whole mystery.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

SYNOPSIS: This tense, touching, and funny portrait of family dynamics follows three estranged sisters as they converge in a New York apartment to care for their ailing father and try to mend their own broken relationship with one another. 

MOVIE REVIEW:

Her Three Daughters is a simple yet profound movie about family dynamics, siblings rivalry and a soon to be departed love one. Strikingly touching, it works more like a stage play nevertheless qualify as a solo quiet watch for those looking for movies that are emotional and humane.

Sisters Katie (Carrie Coon) and Christina (Elizabeth Olsen) has returned to their childhood New York apartment to look after their dying father who has been receiving hospice care at home. We can sensed something is a bit off when another sister of theirs, Rachel (Natasha Lyonne) who stayed with their father hardly communicates with the two of them. Instead Rachel spends her days smoking pot, betting on sports and spending time with her boyfriend in her room.

Katie, the eldest sister and also the most “motherly” of the trio has no patience for Rachel and has no qualms lecturing her behaviour while she busy herself preparing her dad’s obituary and DNR. Christina, being the youngest has to be the peacemaker despite the overwhelming circumstances. As the drama unfolds, we saw a different side of Rachel. The seemingly hippie actually is the one who has been companying their old dad being the caregiver all these while.

While New York is thousands of kilometres away from Singapore, Azazel Jacobs’s His Three Daughter appears to mirror the struggles and happenings of local families as well. Katie who happens to live in the same state as her father hardly visits him. Does it still give her the right to lecture Rachel who choses to face her sadness using her own ways? What about Christina who lives far across the state? Can she be forgotten for neglecting her father because of it?

There is this ugly truth about Jacob’s self-penned and directed drama that is painful and poetic. No one wants to witness the estrangement of their kids during their last days on earth. Disagreement comes as we grow and not during the times when we were young. The sisters all had a beautiful relationship with their father, perhaps each other as well and the fantasy closing adds to all the complexity of human relationships and reminds us that happiness needs only one small step to achieve.

Unquestionably, Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen and Natasha Lyonne are superb in this wonderful drama. All three actresses come together to deliver an outstanding piece of work that speaks of contemporary family relationships, personal regrets and the hardships of dealing with grief. Her Three Daughters is a great example of having a fantastic, relevant script and masterful acting, one that will be remembered and talked of down the road.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

SYNOPSIS: This fall, Universal Pictures proudly presents the first romantic comedy from a major studio about two gay men maybe, possibly, probably, stumbling towards love. Maybe. They're both very busy. From the ferocious comic mind of Billy Eichner (Billy on the Street, 2019's The Lion King, Difficult People, Impeachment: American Crime Story) and the hitmaking brilliance of filmmakers Nicholas Stoller (the Neighbors films, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Judd Apatow (The King of Staten Island, Trainwreck, The Big Sick), comes Bros, a smart, swoony and heartfelt comedy about how hard it is to find another tolerable human being to go through life with. 

MOVIE REVIEW:

In 2022, two high profile LGBT+ theme comedies were released. First being Andrew Ahn, Joel Kim Booster’s Fire Island and three months later, Nicholas Stoller, Billy Eichner’s Bros. The former went straight to Disney+ while Bros skipped the entire theatrical release locally. Perhaps romantic comedies with a queer theme still needs time to find an audience.

In Bros, comedian Eichner plays Bobby Lieber, a podcaster and also a curator for the upcoming national LGBTQ+ history museum. Lieber is single, attempts unsuccessfully to hook up on Grindr and seems to be riled up all the time. But Lieber’s love life is ready for a change when he met a hot but boring, jacked-up lawyer, Aaron (Luke McFarlane). While Lieber is curious about him, Aaron prefers to keep things as it is. Aloof, distanced and maybe playing it cool.

Bros is a movie aim to subvert the expectations of a conventional rom-com. It is a movie that opens up to the world of LGBT+ dating scene, hookup culture and the challenging mindset of heterosexuals. You get a lot of messages of how homosexual actually exists eons ago from Eichner’s character. Queer history to be exact. On a side note, even the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln is hinted as gay. Lincoln’s sexual orientation is being examined in an upcoming documentary, Lover of Men so maybe co-writer Eichner is not making this up.

Since this is R21 movie, some might feel a bit uncomfortable with all the sexually-charged scenes, nudity and kissing. Bros isn’t afraid to showcase the spicy love and sex between Lieber and Aaron but then love is love and as what country singer, Garth Brooks sings, “We Shall Be Free”.

Despite Lieber being a motor-mouth and his sometimes exhausting monologues, there’s some heart to heart talk between the two men that stands as a beautiful, positive testament to true love. And there’s also Eichner’s always funny exchanges with his fellow LGBT+ museum colleagues that stood out from the crowd.

Indeed, Stoller’s steadfast experiences with comedies liked Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Neighbours helped to keep Eichner’s occasionally rambling material in check. Bros is an unapologetically gay rom-com that is hilarious, wicked and possibly relevant in today’s society. And not to mention a likeable tongue-in-cheek reference to Night at the Museum.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Sci-Fi
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Cast: Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Jason Schwartzman, Talia Shire, Grace Vanderwaal, Laurence Fishburne, Kathryn Hunter, Dustin Hoffman
Runtime: 2 hrs 18 mins
Rating: R21 (Sexual Scenes)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:

Opening Day: 26 September 2024

Synopsis: Megalopolis is a Roman Epic set in an imagined Modern America. The City of New Rome must change, causing conflict between Cesar Catilina, a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero, who remains commi tted to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. Torn between them is socialite Julia Cicero, the mayor's daughter, whose love for Cesar has divided her loyalties, forcing her to discover what she truly believe s humanity deserves.

Movie Review:

We won’t say we fully understand what Francis Ford Coppola’s latest film is about. Considered one of the greatest directors of all time, his notable movies include The Godfather trilogy (1972 to 1990), as well as Apocalypse Now (1979). Coppola’s last directorial work was Twixt (2011), and it has taken the filmmaker 13 years to give the world this 138 minute drama that will go down history as one of the most divisive films ever made.

The protagonist is Cesar Catilina (a suitably intense Adam Driver), an architect who is given the liberty to rebuild a metropolis called New Rome. He is facing resistance from the mayor (Giancarlo Esposito, who manages to ace every role he is given), and as a respectable screenplay would have it, Cesar falls in love with the mayor’s daughter (Nathalie Emmanuel).

Back to Cesar’s task of bringing life back to the decaying city – he is using a material known as Megalon, which gives him the ability to control space and time. In his way are several other characters, which include his uncle (Jon Voight) who is also the head of the national bank, his jealous and angry cousin (Shia LaBeouf hamming it up) who will stop at nothing to bring Cesar down, as well as a lusty TV presenter (Aubrey Plaza oozing sexiness) who will do anything to become rich and powerful.

Everything sounds fine so far, and it seems like this movie is a drama about several characters fighting it out to get to the top. While the story is reportedly Coppola’s vision of a world where parallels can be drawn between the fall of Rome and the future of the United States, we feel that this film is an experience rather than a movie you sit through to be entertained.

For more than two hours, you will be kept captivated by Coppola’s vision of this supposed fable he has created. Watch this on an IMAX screen for the maximum visual impact - you will come face to face with one magnificent set after another, and the lavish and intricately designed costumes will catch your attention. The grandeur of things serves as a backdrop for the characters to deliver their sometimes philosophical dialogue, and for Cesar’s driver (Laurence Fishburne) to narrate the story. There are quotes to bookmark the different chapters, and you will try your best to make sense of them.

Conversely, you may get increasingly exasperated by the self indulgence on display. The overstuffed film obviously isn’t going for subtlety, and you may feel emotionally detached from the characters. The many digitally created scenes, as stunning as they are, will turn you off instead of making an impression.

Perhaps what is important is to understand how this film was in development for decades. Coppola reportedly came up with the idea in 1977 and the project never took off because of different circumstances. The filmmaker also supposedly became discouraged by the studio system, even saying that he will self finance the production if it materialises.

After a few more hiccups and bad press (including a trailer that included fake quotes derived from AI), the epic drama is finally making its way to be experienced on the big screen. Step into the theatre with no expectactions and you may be wowed by Coppola’s brave creation. Whether it will break even at the box office or not, maybe the more important thing for the acclaimed filmmaker is that he has gotten people to talk about this manifesto. 

Movie Rating:

(It doesn't matter whether you enjoy this divisive film or not - perhaps the whole point is to experience Francis Ford Coppola's crestive indulgence on the big screen possible)

Review by John Li