SYNOPSIS: When an 8-year-old girl disappears on Caddo Lake, a series of past deaths and disappearances begin to link together, altering a broken family's history.

MOVIE REVIEW:

M. Night Shyamalan returns yet again in 2024 to lend his name to this twisty thriller starring Dylan O’Brien (The Maze Runner, Love and Monsters).

The story is set in the bayou area in Texas. Paris (O’Brien) is a young man who loses his mother in a freak accident. He survives the same accident while his mother died and subsequently, Paris lives in guilt while at the same time searches for the real reason that causes her to drive off the bridge.

Another Lake Caddo resident, Ellie (Eliza Scanlen), a rebellious, troubled young girl who is constantly fighting her supposedly abusive mother, Celeste (Lauren Ambrose) has to search for her beloved, step-sister, Anna (Caroline Falk) who goes missing on the lake.

So what does this two seemingly unrelated narratives got to do with one another?

Apparently a lot.

Celine Held and Logan George who wrote and directed Lake Caddo pulls off an intriguing mysterious tale that in some ways surpasses even the master himself, M. Night Shyamalan. No doubt, it’s overall a slow-burner. The narrative takes its time to develop the two main characters such as Paris’ constant dwelling in survivor’s guilt mode and Ellie’s insistence on getting away from her step-family. It can be easily dismissed as a drama involving family trauma and complex human personalities but trust us, it’s more than just that.

Without wading too much into spoiler territory, there’s a time portal residing in the middle of the dried up, creepy bayou, an unexplained time travelling device that takes you from 2022 to 2005 to even 1952. Like any good old time-travelling tales, the jumpy timeline can be a tad confusing at first. Fortunately, the bulk of the movie focused mainly on Paris and Ellie, making it an engaging affair to sit through as layers of truth are peeled off as the movie goes.

O’Brien and Scanlen are incredible, delivering stellar performances to keep the audiences invested. The picturesque beauty of Caddo Lake also adds to the viewing experience. Truth to be told, Lake Caddo is a piece of superior work that works beautifully with its subtle themes of mystery and sci-fi without relying on flashy CGI and rickety supernatural occurrences. It does take a bit of patience for the final unravelling and the convoluting plotting might turned away some viewers. However, there’s much to enjoy and the final emotional payoff added extra brownie points to the whole affair.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Drama/Thriller
Director: Nelicia Low
Cast: Liu Hsiu-Fu, Tsao Yu-Ning, Ding Ning
Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins
Rating: M18 (Some Mature Content)
Released By: Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 7 November 2024

Synopsis: Zijie is a young fencer longing to reconnect with his estranged older brother Zihan, who mysteriously returns after seven years in juvenile prison for killing an opponent during a fencing match. Zijie believes Zihan’s insistence that he is innocent and secretly decides to help him, defying their mother’s efforts to erase Zihan from their lives. In return, Zihan starts to train Zijie in fencing and Zijie improves immensely, getting selected to compete at the upcoming National Championships. As the brothers grow closer, their mother finds out that they have re- united and is furious at Zijie, yet Zijie stubbornly sticks by his brother. But Zihan’s hostile past is triggered after an argument, leaving Zijie to finally question whether his beloved brother might be a violent sociopath after all. 

Movie Review:

It is interesting that the director behind this Mandarin language movie was a national fencer. Nelicia Low, who represented Singapore in fencing at the 2010 Asian Games, has helmed a film where fencing takes centrestage, and the result is a chilly thriller that leaves you edgily uneasy when the end credits roll.

Set in Taiwan, the protagonists are two brothers Zijie (Liu Hsiu-Fu) and Zihan (Tsao Yu-Ning). The younger Zijie is a teenage fencer who stays with his single mother (Ding Ning). He is not very good at the sport, unlike his elder brother who has just ended his seven year term in juvenile prison. What we find out is that Zihan was behind bars for killing an opponent in a fencing competition - what we do know is whether it was an intentional act of murder.

Despite the mother’s disagreement, Zijie reconnects with Zihan, and even learns some tips to improve his skills. The two brothers discuss how fencing requires anticipation of the opponent’s moves, and how important it is to be lightning fast in a sport that requires constant strategising. As they spend more time together, Zihan even provides dating tips to Zijie, who has a crush on a fellow male fencer (that’s where the M18 rating comes in).

While Zijie was initially convinced that what happened seven years ago which resulted in Zihan’s imprisonment was an accident, a series of observations begin to shake his belief. And when Zijie gets selected to play in the national championship, things get messy as Zihan shows up at the event unexpectedly.

The premise of this movie is intriguing enough for you to sit through the entire 106 minutes wondering what’s going to happen next. Written by Low, the story is inspired by her relationship with her older brother, who has autism. It is an exploration of whether a sibling’s love is truly reciprocated under certain circumstances.

For patient viewers, this slow burning film has a huge payoff. There is an arthouse atmosphere to the production, and the tension builds up slowly before culminating in a finale that will leave you dumbfounded. Throughout the movie, you experience intense fencing practices, seemingly idle conversations and somewhat uptight family gatherings which suggest that something may not be right about Zihan, but Low’s restrained approach keeps things under wraps. And this makes the viewing psychologically gripping.

The movie looks great on screen as well, thanks to Polish cinematographer MichaÅ‚ Dymek’s rich visuals. Be it the gym where Zihan trains in, the supermarket that Zijie works at, or the Chinese restaurant where the brothers and their mother meet their new family, the visuals are rich and enhance the storytelling.

The two lead actors deliver exceptional performances. The wide eyed Liu is endearing and he is like the good natured guy whom you do not bear to hurt. Meanwhile, Tsao, whom we last saw in the sweet romance flick I Am The Secret in Your Heart, is no longer the heartthrob figure. He has a world weariness in him, but there is something disturbingly sinister in his eyes that make you wary.

In a memorable scene, Zihan the sweet talker goes on quite a bit with his potential stepfather’s relatives, and a young boy at the table suddenly bursts into tears because Zihan is “scary” – this is a moment where you desperately search for clues of the danger that might follow, but you are left helpless because the film masterfully keeps you in suspense of what’s really beneath the layered tension.

Movie Rating:

(Featuring exceptional performances by Liu Hsiu-Fu and Tsao Yu-Ning, this slow burning psychological thriller keeps you guessing what's brewing beneath)

Review by John Li 

Genre: CG Animation
Director: David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller
Cast: Auli‘i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Rachel House, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Hualālai Chung, David Fane, Rose Matafeo, Awhimai Fraser, Gerald Ramsey, Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Walt Disney
Official Website: https://www.instagram.com/disneyanimation/

Opening Day: 28 November 2024

Synopsis: Walt Disney Animation Studios’ epic animated musical “Moana 2” reunites Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho ) and Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson) three years later for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. After receiving an unexpected call from her wayfinding ancestors, Moana must journey to the far seas of Oceania and into dangerous, long-lost waters for an adventure unlike anything she’s ever faced.

Movie Review:

In 2016, Walt Disney Animation Studios released a movie titled Moana. It introduced audiences everywhere to the culture of the Polynesian people, who originally settled Samoa, Tonga, Hawai’i, New Zealand, Tahiti, as well as several other islands of the Pacific. It also made lots of money, grossing over $687 million worldwide. So why wouldn’t there be a sequel?

So here it is, a follow up to the first movie after eight years. What’s interesting is how it was supposed to be a streaming series for Disney+. But considering how commercially successful John Musker and Ron Clements’ was, one just needs to factor in the business potential (think of all the countless merchandise and tie in products that will fly off the shelves) to make an informed decision to give the greenlight for a theatrical release. It also helps that the first movie was a hit with the critics, receiving two nominations at the 89th Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song.

While what we’ve just penned makes this sequel seem like a cash grab, we are happy to report that the movie is an entertaining outing to the cinema that has something for both adults and kids.

Helmed by David Derrick Jr, Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller who are making their feature directorial debuts, the movie sees Moana returning as an established Wayfinder. She explores new islands and on one occasion, she finds an item which suggests that there are other groups of people who are connected to the ocean. She also gets a vision from her ancestor which prompts her to set off on a quest to raise a sunken island so restore the balance of nature.

The concept may sound iffy on paper, but trust Disney to make a musical adventure movie that brings you along for the ride with gorgeous animation, catchy songs and adorable characters. And all that will happen in a very agreeable 100 minute runtime.

Viewers are in for a treat on the big screen as the movie looks visually stunning with the realistic water effects and intricate textures. The ocean naturally plays a central role, and you will feel that you are on an adventurous voyage with Moana and her crew. Whenever the sky darkens ominously with purple hues, it feels truly threatening. The larger than life visuals look good on screen, and every scene bursts with colours.

The music from the first movie was a hit, with the soundtrack peaking at number two on the Billboard 20. This time round, Mark Mancina and Opetaia Foa'I have returned as composers and co songwriters, while Lin-Manuel Miranda’s absence is felt. Stepping in are Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear who are credited as songwriters. WE are not complaining though, because whenever a new tune plays, we found ourselves humming to the likeable music and tapping our feet to the infectious beats.

Then there are the loveable characters. AuliÊ»i Cravalho and Dwayne Johnson returns to voice Moana and Maui the demigod. Cravalho sings her heart out in “Beyond”, while Johnson croons the silly but fun “Can I Get a Chee Hoo?”. The two rotagonists are joined by amusing supporting characters like Moni (Hualālai Chung), a brawny dude who is Maui’s die hard fan, Loto (Rose Matafeo), a resourceful crew member who gets to perform a cool rap in “What Could Be Better Than This?”, as well as Kele (David Fane), a grumpy farmer.

Elsewhere, Awhimai Fraser voices a mysterious character named Matangi who may be been created for the streaming series, but is kept in the movie because of the potential for a future sequel or series. Regardless, her anthem “Get Lost” is a gratifying performance.

Kids will be good time laughing at the antics from the returning non human characters – Pua the cute piglet, Heihei the neurotic rooster and the dangerously delightful Kakamora tribe. In the meantime, parents will chuckle at Maui’s hilarious one liners.

With this successful formula, we are pretty sure the Disney movie will be another hit and make a splash at the box office.

Movie Rating:

(Gorgeously animated with catchy songs and an entertaning cast of characters, this enjoyable sequel has something for both adults and kids)

Review by John Li 

Genre: Action/Crime
Director: Ryoo Seung-wan
Cast: Hwang Jung-min, Jung Hae-in, Jang Yoon-ju, Jin Kyung
Runtime: 1 hr 58 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Coarse Language and Violence)
Released By: Warner Bros
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 31 October 2024

Synopsis: Detective Seo Do-cheol (HWANG Jung-min) and his Major Crime Investigation Division tirelessly track down criminals day and night, often at the expense of their personal lives. When the murder of a professor reveals links to past cases, suspicions of a serial killer arise, plunging the country into turmoil. As Major Crimes delves into the investigation, the killer taunts them by publicly releasing a teaser online, indicating the next victim, and intensifying the chaos. To tackle the escalating threat, the team brings in idealistic rookie officer Park Sun-woo (JUNG Hae-in), leading to unexpected twists in the case's trajectory.

Movie Review:

Almost a decade after his 2015 blockbuster action-comedy, Ryoo Seung-wan returns with a sequel to his crowd-pleasing ‘Veteran’ that is not quite what you might be expecting. Instead of more of the same, Ryoo dials down the original’s often jokey humour in favour of a more introspective – and we might say, more compelling – thriller which examines the destructive consequences of violence, especially in the hands of the self-righteously deluded.

That is with reference to the vigilante killer whom Internet influencers dub ‘Haechi’, named after the mythical lion-esque creature in Chinese and Korean folklore that judges sinful people. One of Haechi’s earliest victims is a college professor who had sexually assaulted one of his female students, but was subsequently acquitted by the Courts; worse still, he had framed her for being a gold-digger, leading her to commit suicide after being disgraced. Not only does Haechi decide to enact sweet vengeance by killing the professor in the same way his ex-student died, he also posts the entire killing to garner public support for his supposedly righteous actions.

The hunt for Haechi falls to Do-cheol (Hwang Jung-min), whose own penchant for violence makes Haechi a perfect foil that will force Do-cheol to reflect on his own methods later on. In addition to his previous team – which includes team leader Oh (Oh Dal-su) – Do-cheol is joined on his latest mission by an ambitious rookie Sun-woo (Jung Hae-in), who is enamoured with Do-cheol’s unrestrained routines. That Sun-woo is dubbed the ‘UFC policeman’ for his aggressive MMA-styled takedowns should be sufficient hint that there is more to him than meets the eye.

Though it is only in the last third that Ryoo confirms Haechi’s identity, it should come as no surprise that Haechi is indeed much closer to Do-cheol than he had imagined. The fact that we remain engaged from start to finish – despite being able to guess quite early on just who Haechi is – is credit to Ryoo’s tight scripting, that keeps the pace breathless by having Do-cheol and his team race against time to protect Haechi’s next victim, while contending with a pesky Youtube commentator who dubs himself Editor Justice.

Ryoo also throws in a personal angle to Do-cheol this time round, with his son being accused of being a bully at school; and while that addition may seem distracting at first, it becomes a surprisingly relevant and poignant subplot in the film’s nail-biting climax. Besides Do-cheol’s son, the rest of the supporting characters also come together in unexpected ways in that climax, which further reinforces why vigilantism should never be encouraged and why murder is simply murder (without ever being a difference between “something like a right murder and a wrong murder”).

Even as he weaves in a rich dose of social commentary, Ryoo offers plenty of intense action laced with slapstick to satisfy fans of his original. From the opening fight scene, to an intense foot chase at a Christmas pageant, to a rain-soaked rooftop battle, and to the finale set within an abandoned highway tunnel, Ryoo shows he has not lost his penchant for tightly executed set-pieces that emphasise the crudeness of hand-to-hand combat without ever feeling over-orchestrated. It is also to Ryoo’s credit that the moments of levity as the characters slip and fall amidst their fights never comes across contrived, but simply part of the rough and tumble of real-life brawls.

So even though ‘I, The Executioner’ is of a different mould from its predecessor, Ryoo’s change in tone and style is ultimately an inspired one. While it may be less crowd-pleasingly entertaining than ‘Veteran’, this sequel proves to be a brainier follow-up that has a lot more than just being an irreverent mix of comedy and cop procedural; instead, in this day and age where public opinion is shaped too easily by online influencers, it warns against the dangers of populism, especially where violence and even murder are involved – and by that measure, it is a smart and satisfying movie that deserves its title to stand on its own right.

Movie Rating:

(Not quite the irreverent blend of comedy and cop procedural you might have been expecting, this sequel to 'Veteran' is a surprisingly clever dose of social commentary, wrapped in a twisty plot, lots of intense action and some good old-fashioned slapstick)

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Adventure
Director: Ant Timpson
Cast: Elijah Wood, Michael Smiley, Nell Fisher, Vanessa Stacey, Morgana O'Reilly, Millen Baird
Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Drug Use)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 31 October 2024

Synopsis: Mildred (Nell Fisher, EVIL DEAD RISE) is a precocious 11yr old Kiwi, an only - child raised by a solo mother, who escapes her humdrum existence by immersing into literary adventures. Her long - dreamed quest is to capture proof that the mythological beast know n as The Canterbury Panther exists, proof that would result in a substantial cash reward. When an accident occurs leaving her mother hospitalised, her long absent father and washed up illusionist Strawn Wise (Elijah Wood, YELLOWJACKETS) flys down to look after Mildred who he’s never met. This unlikely pair agree to go camping together while mum recuperates. A child who has read every outdoor guide but never been camping and a magician more comfortable inside Las Vegas bars are thrown together in the ultimate test of family bonding in the New Zealand wilderness.

Movie Review:

The best thing we can say about ‘Bookworm’ is that it is amiable, although in truth, we’re not sure if that’s enough reason to step into the cinema for this very slight New Zealand family drama.

The equivalent of an American road trip movie, ‘Bookworm’ sets an estranged father-daughter pair on a camping trip into the New Zealand wilderness. When her mother is left in a coma after an accident with the kitchen toaster, the precocious 11-year-old Mildred (Nell Fisher) comes face to face with her long-absent father, Strawn Wise (Elijah Wood).

Though not quite her first choice, Mildred settles for Strawn as her companion to brave the rugged south island in search of the legendary Canterbury Panther, whose video proof is worth a cool $50,000. As you can expect, the journey allows both father and daughter to rediscover their bond, amidst danger and setbacks.

Besides unexpected run-ins with the said Canterbury Panther, the pair have to contend with a sinister backpacker couple, who end up robbing them after befriending them. Otherwise though, there is nothing much in particular that happens on their trip that is noteworthy of mention; instead, director Ant Timpson and writer Toby Harvard let the duo engage in plenty of heart-to-heart talk to catch up on the years in between, their feelings towards each other, and ultimately to rekindle a heartwarming bond.

Thanks to heartfelt performances from Fisher and Wood, the relationship between Mildred and Strawn never feels contrived or over-orchestrated; rather, both are genuinely likeable in their own ways, and you’ll eventually get a warm, fuzzy feeling when they put aside the past to move on together as father and daughter. It is earnest all right, but like we said, that is as much praise we can shower on this otherwise tame and not quite engaging picture.

As the opening film for the Fantasia Fest 2024, ‘Bookworm’ comes across, more than anything, as a safe choice. It is a genteel love letter to ‘80s kid cinema, told with utter sincerity and absolutely no condescension. Is it worth your time in the cinema though? Sadly, we think many will probably think not, especially when there are just as, if not more, engaging family fare on streaming. So unless you’re a cinephile, ‘Bookworm’ is probably best enjoyed on your TV screen at home.

Movie Rating:

(Amiable is about as much praise we can shower on this gentle family drama that is sincere, heartfelt, but not quite very engaging)

Review by Gabriel Chong

SYNOPSIS: Brothers tells the story of a reformed criminal (Josh Brolin) whose attempt at going straight is derailed when he reunites with his sanity-testing twin brother (Peter Dinklage) on a cross-country road trip for the score of a lifetime. Dodging bullets, the law, and an overbearing mother along the way, they must heal their severed family bond before they end up killing each other.

MOVIE REVIEW:

For a comedy starring Josh Brolin, Peter Dinklage, Glenn Close, Academy Award winners Brendan Fraser and Marisa Tomei, Brothers is officially to us the unfunniest comedy of the year and we still have two more months before the year ends.

Moke (Brolin) and his twinsie, Jady (Dinklage) leads a criminal life after their mom left them after committing a robbery. After Jady is being thrown into prison, Moke turns over a new life and settles down with a wife, Abby (Taylour Paige) who is currently pregnant.

Years later, Jady is released from prison and he proposed to Jady to work together to recover their mother’s abandoned stash. Also thrown into the mayhem is a crooked prison guard named Farful played by Fraser, the boys’ double-crossing mother played by Close and Jady’s supposedly old flame played by Tomei.

The comedy is written by Etan Cohen, the man responsible for one of the best comedies of all time, Tropic Thunder and also turds liked Get Hard and Holmes & Watson. The supposedly non-stop bickering between the siblings are supposed to be rib-tickling but nothing really stands out besides a joke about Wolf Man and Dracula.

The wacky but unnecessary physical comedy like Moke falling and hitting onto a car adds nothing to an already strained premise. Most of the time, the road trip offers tired, sub-standard laughs to justify for the comedy factors. End of the day, even an action chase on a golf course looks desperate.

Brolin and Dinklage tried their very best to be a pair of squabbling siblings. Jady is the manipulative one while Moke craves for family bonding and a mother’s love. At least, their performances are serviceable. Fraser on the other hand is wasted as a psychotic cop with daddy issues. Let’s hope it’s not affecting his second acting resurgence.

Brothers is a slapstick gone wrong for sure. With the exception of a very crude CGI orangutan, you can entirely forget about the existence of this shoddy mess.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Comics/Action
Director: Kelly Marcel
Cast: Tom Hardy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Juno Temple, Rhys Ifans, Clark Backo, Peggy Lu, Alanna Ubach, Stephen Graham
Runtime: 1 hr 49 mins
Rating: PG13 (Violence)
Released By: Sony Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 24 October 2024

Synopsis: In Venom: The Last Dance, Tom Hardy returns as Venom, one of Marvel’s greatest and most complex characters, for the final film in the trilogy. Eddie and Venom are on the run. Hunted by both of their worlds and with the net closing in, the duo are forced into a devastating decision that will bring the curtains down on Venom and Eddie's last dance.

Movie Review:

Tom Hardy returns yet again as the Jekyll and Hyde, anti-superhero Venom in the franchise so-called final outing. Writer Kelly Marcel who worked on Saving Mr Banks, Fifty Shades of Grey and the first two Venom entries stepped into the directing shoes helming yet again another hyperactive adventure featuring Venom fighting against forgettable symbiote creatures that simply won’t die.

After battling genius inventor Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed) and Carnage (Woody Harrelson), journalist Eddie Brock (Hardy) is now on the run from the authorities after the death of Detective Mulligan (Stephen Graham). The US army led by General Rex (Chiwetel Ejiofor) wants him and the wise-cracking symbiote dead while the symbiote creator, Knull (Andy Serkis doing his mo-cap thingy) is sending his armies of creatures to hunt for Venom and the codex which will free him from his jail.

Venom: The Last Dance is the concluding chapter of Sony’s prized Spider-man related franchise considering the failure of Morbius and Madame Web. However, it doesn’t take the famous Marvel anti-hero anywhere in terms of narrative. At the very least, Eddie and Venom managed to make it outside San Francisco and into Las Vegas where Venom somehow has a disco dance with Mrs Chen (Peggy Lu), the convenience store owner in an out-of-place hilarious segment.

While on the run, Eddie also met an alien enthusiast, Martin (Rhys Ifans) and his family providing some warmth, heartfelt emotions between humans and our famous symbiote. Just to be clear, Martin is not going to to morph into the lizard anytime soon even though Ifans is playing both characters. Same goes to Ejiofor who is known for playing Karl Mordo. Probably it’s just a silly wink, wink kind of thing from Sony.

There’s also brilliant scientists Dr. Payne (Juno Temple) and Sadie (Clark Backo) working in Area 55 on the symbiote samples. Despite Marcel’s best efforts to give Payne a sad backstory, the end result simply doesn’t measure up. But longtime Venom fans are not here for the sentimental happenings and Marcel knows her fanbase. The fast bantering between Eddie and Venom results in a couple of funny jokes and gags, one involving Tom Cruise and high energetic action sequences with Venom turning into a horse, a fish and into a frog.

The CGI we must admit is far more impressive this time with the numerous CGI smackdowns looking insanely good on the big screen. Setting it in daytime is also a preferred option. Technicalities aside, these comic book movie adaptations continue to be a disservice to the villains they are introducing. Is there going to be a fourth entry consider Knull has yet set foot on earth 616 or Earth-199999 or wherever the filmmakers want the action to be. In other words, Venom: The Last Dance is a road trip buddy movie that doesn’t quite payoff.

Portraying Eddie Brock and Venom for the third time, Tom Hardy is as good as Ryan Reynolds playing Deadpool. We find it a tad hard not to find Hardy in this role ever because he is so amazing in this. Unfortunately, there is only so much madness and generic superhero antics you can stomach if the story lacks the magic to develop further. The mid and end credits hint of more so we are not exactly sure what Sony is planning to do with the IP. In the meantime, just enjoy the chaos and silliness from this odd couple.

Movie Rating:

(Love it or hate it, it’s yet another silly but entertaining entry in the Venom franchise)

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Action/Adventure
Director: Jake Kasdan
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, Kiernan Shipka, Bonnie Hunt, Kristofer Hivju, Nick Kroll, Wesley Kimmel, J.K. Simmons
Runtime: 2 hrs 3 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Warner Bros
Official Website: https://www.redonemovie.com.sg

Opening Day: 7 November 2024

Synopsis: After Santa Claus – Code Name: Red One – is kidnapped, the North Pole's Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) must team up with the world’s most infamous bounty hunter (Chris Evans) in a globe- trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas.

Movie Review:

It may still be a couple of weeks out before Christmas, but here we are with Amazon/MGM’s US$250 million attempt to create a franchise out of Santa Claus and everything else associated with him. Indeed, this is clearly a world-building play, birthed out of Dwayne Johnson’s business partner Hiram Garcia (who is president of production at Johnson’s Seven Bucks Production), and brought to life through Johnson’s franchise veterans Jake Kasdan (whom Johnson obviously thought was a lucky charm rebooting the ‘Jumanji’ franchise) and Chris Morgan (who had written the ‘Fast and Furious’ movies Johnson starred in, as well as the ‘Hobbs versus Shaw’ spinoff).

Despite what naysayers have said, ‘Red One’ is a perfectly watchable holiday movie, although we suspect hardly good enough to birth a franchise as it was intended to. Somewhat disappointingly, it has Johnson playing a strait-laced role in Callum Drift, the head of Santa’s security detail called E.L.F. (which stands for Enforcement, Logistics and Fortification) or basically the North Pole’s answer to the Secret Service. Callum has just tendered his resignation to Santa (J.K. Simmons) when the latter is kidnapped from right inside his residence within the domed, futuristic super-city under cloak of an iron dome at the North Pole.

As Callum explains to Nick, the reason he is resigning after centuries on the job is that he has lost his faith in grown-ups; still, Callum has nothing but respect for Nick, and jumps straight into action on an eventful chase across the North Pole to try to stop the kidnappers from getting away with Nick and when that fails, leading the mission outside their arctic base to rescue Nick. Not surprisingly, Nick is forced to team up with the very sort of person that has caused his crisis of faith, in the form of degenerate sports gambler and derelect divorced dad Jack O’ Malley (Chris Evans).

It was Jack who had hacked the International Seismic Surveillance System and gave the coordinates of an entry point into the city to Nick’s kidnappers, though in his defence, Jack had never believed in Santa even from when he was a tubby young boy (as a somewhat pointless opening scene informs us). Their team-up lets screenwriter Morgan exercise the sort of buddy-cop dynamic which he is most familiar with, and therefore the chance for Johnson and Evans to bicker and banter their way through the various set-pieces; and truth be told, both actors know what they are doing, what is expected of them, and deliver nothing less and little more.

Still, both veterans bring enough comic energy to make the trek from Philadelphia to Aruba to Bavaria to the Arctic sufficiently pleasing, aided by copious amounts of CGI to realise the re-imagining of a whole bunch of mythological creatures, including some violent snowmen that do not quite melt down even on a sunny beach, the giant goat-man troll Krampus (Kristofer Hivuju) from German Yuletide folklore who here also happens to be Nick’s estranged brother, and the Icelandic legend Christmas Witch (Kiernan Shipka) who is transformed here into a 900-year-old shapeshifter. It is an extremely busy two-and-a-quarter hours, which is probably why other supporting characters like Lucy Liu’s director of the M.O.R.A. (or Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority) and Bonnie Hunt’s Mrs Claus are relegated to thankless, one-note parts.

There are some fun moments in between the frenzied mayhem – Callum’s fight with the snowmen sees him display an Ant Man-like fighting ability that is pretty amusing; the globetrotting chase sees Callum turn Hot Wheels cars into actual vehicles not once but twice; and the Black Forest where Krampus makes his abode in a gloomy German castle guarded by hellhounds is intriguing. Like we said, this is a world-building exercise, and any one of the above is ripe for spin-off opportunity; that said, it is surprising that the practical sets and locations don’t look better than they do, especially considering the gargantuan budget of the movie.

In the end, there is nothing in particular that feels inspired: Johnson and Evans are likeable in their respective roles, and their dynamic feels familiar but not fresh; the supporting characters are good for a laugh, but do not quite gather enough depth to make a lasting impression; and though the manufactured poignancy does tug at your heartstrings at the end, it hardly feels authentic. For these reasons, ‘Red One’ ultimately feels like a missed opportunity to deliver genuine Yuletide cheer alongside big-budget spectacle. Even though it doesn’t deserve to be on the ‘naughty’ list, it doesn’t quite justify being on anyone’s ‘nice’ list, falling instead into a long list of middling list of Christmas movies that are watchable but ultimately forgettable.

Movie Rating:

(It ain't a blockbuster lump of coal, but this franchise-starter lacks genuine inspiration amidst its frenzied mayhem, and ends up being watchable but ultimately forgettable) 

Review by Gabriel Chong

Genre: Drama
Director: Sean Baker
Cast: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian, Vache Tovmasyan 
Runtime: 2 hrs 19 mins
Rating: R21 (Sexual Scenes and Coarse Language )
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 31 October 2024

Synopsis: Anora, a young sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.

Movie Review:

This movie tells the story of a stripper from Brooklyn who agrees to pose as the girlfriend of a very immature (but charming, as some may feel) Russian guy for a week at a cost of $15,000. The dude also happens to be the son of a very rich businessman. The relationship then becomes a marriage, before things turn wackily outrageous with the guy running away while the girl is stuck with a motley crew of Russian men who are hell bent on hunting down the coward.

On paper, the story written by American filmmaker Sean Baker is nothing to particularly spectacular to shout about. But it is an absolute joy to sit through the entire movie that Baker also directed and edited. There isn’t a single minute feels lethargic for a film that runs for more than two hours.

The female protagonist is Anora Mikheeva (Mikey Madison in a role that allows her to light up the screen in every scene she is in), a stripper who prefers to be known as “Ani”. Ivan “Vanya” Zakharov (Mark Eydelshteyn), a childish Russian guy who is studying in America, visits her at the club and pays her for sex. The two grow closer and gets married in Las Vegas during a getaway. Naturally, this part of the film has many sexual scenes, earning it a R21 rating in Singapore.

Up till this point, the movie plays like a romantic comedy where you will laugh at the rash decisions made by Ani and Vanya. It is clear that Vanya is unable to be a responsible adult, let alone a sensible husband. But you may just swoon in envy at the romantic idealism from the two youngsters, and wish your love life was as impulsive as theirs. Of course, taking into consideration that Ivan is filthy rich, you know that things will take a turn.

When Vanya’s parents learn about his marriage to a “hooker”, tempers fly and they make immediate plans to head to America to put a stop to the nonsense. In the meantime, it is up to Vanya’s godfather Toros (Karren Karagulian), together with two henchmen (Yura Borisov and Vache Tovmasyan), to confront the guy who is just spending time playing video games. This sequence is a hoot to watch as the three men spring a surprise visit to Vanya’s mansion, which ends with Vanya fleeing the scene while Ani gets gagged. In between, there is lots of running around, screaming, punching and kicking. The amount of choreography put into executing this scene is underrated.

We then follow Ani and the three men as they drive around Brooklyn looking for Vanya. This segment is very fun to watch as well, and it is just as exciting as any adrenaline filled action caper. On top of that, there are hilarious setups which make sure that this doesn’t feel like an average chase flick.

Much of the credit goes to the ensemble cast, who effortlessly bring the characters to life on screen. These are characters you actually feel for. There’s the vivacious Ani who almost thought she can have a fairytale life, the lily livered Vanya who doesn’t want to be burdened by any responsibilities, the exhausted Toros who just wants to do a proper job of looking after his godson, and the two henchmen who provide a surprisingly heartfelt presence in a movie that charmed the jury at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where it was recognised with the festival's Palme d'Or.

Movie Rating:

(This movie is a comedy, a cat-and-mouse chase flick, and ultimately, a human drama that sizzles with energy on screen, thanks to the ensemble cast's heartfelt performances)

Review by John Li

SYNOPSIS: An aspiring actress crosses paths with a prolific serial killer in '70s LA when they're cast on an episode of "The Dating Game." Based on a true story.

MOVIE REVIEW:

David Fincher’s Zodiac tops the list when it comes to epic movie adaptations of real-life serial killers. But how about meeting a serial killer on a live dating game show? No, this is not a joke. This true story is based on serial killer and sex offender Rodney Alcala who went on a murder spree in the 1970s and was a contestant on the popular game show, The Dating Game.

Woman of the Hour is obviously loosely based on the true crimes committed by Alcala as the narrative jumps back and forth in time and instead of focusing on the killer spent most of its runtime on a struggling actress named Cheryl Bradshaw played by Anna Kendrick.

Bradshaw is what most online critics called a strong female character. She is feisty, confident and smart though she has not much of a luck being cast in a movie or a TV show so one day, her agent recommend her to appear on a dating show in which she is mesmerised by the charming Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto).

And because the movie only showed snippets of Alcala’s killings of several women, we knew very little of this creepy man except he is tremendously skilled in luring unsuspicious women into some vast desert space and mercilessly raped and killed them. The crime nature of the movie is firmly established no doubt and Alcala is shown as a disgusting sick animal capable of destroying every single innocent women even a runaway teenager.

However, the lack of focus makes Woman of the Hour a rather wasted effort. For the most part, Alcala is mostly treated as an afterthought. The entire movie belongs to Kendrick who delivers a powerhouse leading actress performance as Cheryl Bradshaw and also did we mention a solid directorial debut.

Instead of relying on gruesome violence acts, Kendrick cuts away at the most critical moments leaving the true horrors to your own imagination. The cinematography by Zach Kuperstein also emerges as one strong aspect of the movie peppering the viewing experience with absolutely stunning landscapes shots and true artistic beauty.

We can only recommend Woman of the Hour purely because of Kendrick’s immensely talents on and behind the camera and of course, Zovatto’s chilling performance. As a movie on serial killer, there’s other similar sensational and well-crafted movies out there that are way more satisfying.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee