SYNOPSIS: Based on the charming trilogy of children's books by beloved multi award-winning writer/director Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually, Yesterday), That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys!
MOVIE REVIEW:
The latest Netflix’s Christmas themed animation is written by none other than Richard Curtis, the man behind the all-time Christmas holiday movie, Love Actually. In fact, That Christmas is based on three different English children’s books written by Curtis and directed by Simon Otto, a veteran animator.
While for sure it’s a Christmas animation, Santa (Brian Cox) and his sarcastic reindeer sidekick (Guz Khan) are not the main leads here. What we have here are three different heartwarming storylines reminiscent of a junior version of Love Actually.
In a small English town called Wellington-On-The-Sea, a massive snowstorm is arriving on Christmas Day. Danny Williams, the new kid in town has to spend the holiday season alone while her mother (Jodie Whitaker), a nurse has been called into work on Christmas Eve and Day. Twin sisters Samantha (Zazie Hayhurst) and Charlie (Sienna Sayer) are always on the lookout for each other. Sam is worried that Charlie is going to be on Santa’s naughty list giving her extroverted nature while Charlie is making sure things are going right for Sam. Spunky teenager Bernadette (India Brown) has to help look after a bunch of younger children including her toddler sister while their parents embarked on a trip to attend a wedding.
The narrative generously explores themes of loneliness, love and sharing through the perspectives of the various young leads. There is almost a bit of everything in That Christmas as each storyline has something meaningful to say. Serious topics are discussed liked Danny’s father supposedly left the family for a younger woman and her mother’s devotion to take care of her ailing patient while Ms. Trapper (Fiona Shaw), the stern teacher of Danny actually has a sad backstory of her own.
Despite the seriousness at times, Santa and his reindeer pops in with their silly antics to explain why it’s their toughest night ever. The parents who are stranded in a snowstorm after the wedding ceremony delivers some funny dialogue while waiting to be rescue. Not forgetting a bunch of turkeys who are running away from a hungry fox. Oh there is a new song by Ed Sheeran and other familiar tunes by Dua Lipa and Coldplay.
We get it. That Christmas might not appeal to everyone. Perhaps there simply isn’t enough Santa and reindeer. The storylines on the whole are not exactly light-hearted or pander to the younger crowds. Still, a different sort of Christmas animation is any day better than a conventional one. The animation produced by Locksmith Animation and DNEG Animation is amazing by the way if you are a fan of 3D animation.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Drama
Director: Edward Berger
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini
Runtime: 2 hrs
Rating: M18 (Mature Content)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 2 January 2025
Synopsis: CONCLAVE follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting the new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy and discovers a secret that could shake the very foundation of the Church.
Movie Review:
Not too long ago, we saw Ralph Fiennes in Uberto Pasolini’s The Return, where the English actor underwent physical transformation to achieve a sculpted physique in order to play the war weary Odysseus.
In this other film that has been gaining wider attention, we see a very different version of the 62 year old actor. Here, he plays a cardinal who has to oversee the election of a new Pope. The role requires him to be dressed in traditional clerical robes, and as you’d expect, the character is much more restrained.
Directed by Edward Berger and written by Peter Straughan, the film is based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Robert Harris. The story's protagonist is Cardinal Lawrence, played humanely by Fiennes. After the Pope dies from a sudden heart attack, he becomes responsible for managing a gathering of cardinals where the new Pope will be selected. This is a task that he has to undertake as the dean of the College of Cardinals.
“You are the manager. Manage.”
The seemingly insignificant line in one scene is actually an impactful one, as it sets the stage for Cardinal Lawrence to run the show smoothly. He becomes what we can otherwise regard as an event in charge. With the arrival of cardinals from all over the world, while the rest of humankind eagerly awaits who the new Pope will be, one can only imagine the burden on the main guy who is tasked to make sure that nothing goes wrong.
Cardinal Lawrence has a few challenges to manage. He is informed that one of the candidates was told to resign the night before the Pope dies. The unplanned arrival of a cardinal from Kabul brings questions. A commotion breaks out in the dining area when a nun confronts another candidate about an illegitimate romance. Then there is another candidate who is a staunch traditionalist that is causing a stir with his outspoken views.
And you thought your job was difficult.
The filmmakers have delivered an absorbing movie that also scores high in its production values. French cinematographer Stéphane Fontaine’s camerawork is beautiful, especially when he gets to paint the screen with a group of cardinals moving from one location to another. German musician Hauschka, who won the Academy Award for Best Original Score and the BAFTA Award for Best Original Music for his work on Berger's All Quiet on the Western Front (2022), composes a score which intensifies the suspense with its use of forceful strings.
Then there is Fiennes as Cardinal Lawrence. You can feel the weight the character has to carry and feel the dilemma he is facing. The much talked about performance is likely to gain even more attention during awards season. He is supported by other fine actors like Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini who command the screen every time they appear. Also, watch out for Mexican actor Carlos Diehz who plays the last minute guest to the papal conclave. It is interesting to note that after being an architect for over 30 years, Diehz pursued his original interest in acting and landed this breakout role.
This 120 minute movie takes the approach of a thriller to keep you at the edge of your seat. It’s also a wise decision to reach the mainstream crowd. As the film progresses, questions will keep popping up in your mind. What’s the next secret that will be spilt among the prim and proper cardinals? Who’s playing dirty to get votes? And of course, who’s going to become the Pope before the end credits roll?
Before long, you see how this is no different from politics. While there have been various published religious responses to the film, audiences can choose to regard this as a piece of entertainment or a perspective on the current state of things in the world. Is the movie manipulative and sensationalising matters, or a reflection on how religion is ‘operated’? You decide.
Movie Rating:
(Presented as a thriller, this absorbing drama that showcases fine acting from the cast, especially from the ever-reliable Ralph Fiennes, is gripping from start to finish)
Review by John Li
Genre: Erotic/Thriller
Director: Kim Dae-woo
Cast: Song Seung-heon, Cho Yeo-jeong, Park Ji-hyun
Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins
Rating: R21 (Sexual Scenes and Homosexual Content)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 9 January 2025
Synopsis: Locked, Observed, Revealed… Su-yeon (Cho Yeo-jeong), a cellist in an orchestra led by her fiancé and conductor Sung-jin (Song Seung-heon), disappears one day, leaving behind only a video recording. Sung-jin is devasted over the loss of Su-yeon, but feels a strong attraction to Mi-ju (Park Ji-hyun), a cellist who fills in for his fiancée. Then one rainy night, Sung-jin and Mi-ju get swept away by their mutual desires for each other and commit an unforgivable act at Su-yeon’s house. Meanwhile, Su-yeon, who is thought to have gone missing, remains trapped in a secret room inside her house, and watches the naked truth unravel before her.
Movie Review:
This South Korean movie is marketed as an erotic thriller, so it shouldn’t have problems drawing curious viewers into the cinema to find out how (s)exciting things are going to get on the big screen.
Cranking up the sizzle factor isn’t a new feat for director Kim Dae-woo, who has helmed other titles of similar genre. If you have watched movies like The Servant (2010) and Obsessed (2014), you would know what to expect. In fact, Song Seung-heon and Cho Yeo-jeong were co stars in the latter, which makes their latest work a reunion that took a decade to happen.
Adapted from a 2011 Spanish Colombian movie of the same name, this version sees Song taking on the role of Sung-jin, an established orchestra conductor. When we first see him in the movie, he is bewildered by a video message left behind by his fiancée Su-yeon, who also happens to be the star cellist in the orchestra. Saying that she’s not ready to settle down, Su-yeon mentions that she leaving home and heading to Berlin.
But the show has to go on. Enter Mi-ju (Park Ji-hyun), a cellist who also happens to be Su-yeon’s old friend. She fills in Su-yeon’s position in the orchestra. You know where this is going. After a few coy encounters, Sung-jin and Mi-ju are engaging in hot sex - and this doesn’t happen just once. We don’t mean to be a wet blanket, but this handful of sex scenes are about as erotic as things can get for the 155 minute drama. From then on, most of the plot is about the outrageous dynamics between the three protagonists.
The movie works best if you haven’t seen the original version. Without giving away too much, you will watch with bated breath as it is revealed that Su-yeon is actually stuck in a sealed room where she could clearly see her fiancé and good friend turning up the heat between the sheets.
The plot uses flashback sequences to explain how and why things have turned out the way they are. Although the story may feel ludicrous, you can’t help but wonder what if you are put in Su-yeon’s unfortunate situation. Trying to survive on expired instant noodles and having to bear with not being to shower aside, how does it feel to see your fiancé and friend indulging in steamy pleasures in your own apartment?
Audiences may remember Song as the thorn among the roses in Corey Yuen’s So Close (2002) starring Shu Qi, Zhao Wei and Karen Mok. The guy may be 48 years old now, but he confidently shows off what he’s got with his sculpted body. His on screen sex partner Park (Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum) has no qualms about nudity, which also contributes to the movie’s R21 rating. Elsewhere, Cho (whom many will recognise from the award winning Parasite) stands out with her portrayal of a woman that is loud and borders on being obnoxious. It is a nice contrast with the sweet and demure persona Park brings to her character.
You know something is not right with these three people, and the movie is engaging enough to keep your eyes glued to the screen till the end to find the truth.
Movie Rating:
(Come for the steamy intrigue, stay for the delicious melodrama)
Review by John Li
SYNOPSIS: Inside of his book, adventurous Harold (Zachary Levi) can make anything come to life simply by drawing it. After he grows up and draws himself off the book’s pages and into the physical world, Harold finds he has a lot to learn about real life—and that his trusty purple crayon may set off more hilarious hijinks than he thought possible. When the power of unlimited imagination falls into the wrong hands, it will take all of Harold and his friends’ creativity to save both the real world and his own. Harold and the Purple Crayon is the first film adaptation of the beloved children’s classic that has captivated young readers for decades.
MOVIE REVIEW:
It’s only right that an animated director, Carlos Saldanha (Ice Age: The Meltdown, Rio) gets to helm a live-action movie inspired by one of the famous works of America illustrator and writer Crockett Johnson. The reason is simple. Saldanha knows exactly on how to bring Johnson’s work to the big screen.
Harold (Zachary Levi) is a man with a magical purple crayon that makes everything he draws come to life. He lives in a book with his friends, Moose (Lil Rel Howery) and Porcupine (Tanya Reynolds). In short, they are basically the creations of the narrator (voice of Alfred Molina) dubbed the “old man”. One day, Harold decides to head to the real world to look for the “old man” and incidentally befriended a single mum, Terri (Zooey Deschanel) and her son Mel (Benjamin Bottani).
The original being a children’s book seems more suitable to be adapted to a brief animated series. Thus Hollywood being Hollywood has to turn this feature into one big massive adventure with Harold and Mel going on one rousing trip after another with the help of Harold’s magical purple crayon.
The good thing is the gags here are not that cheesy or corny. Even the usual fart jokes are noticeably missing. Saldanha and his screenwriters littered the relatively short runtime with a decent amount of family-friendly chaotic fun and well-meaning messages throughout. There’s even a genuine level of fantasy adventure that will appeal to the children especially with the appearances of out-of-this-world CGI creatures.
Levi no stranger to acting as a man-child readily accepts the mission as a pro. Howery and the former delivers some goofy comic relief as their two characters are fishes out of water when it comes to the real world. The hypermarket sequence probably stood out as one of the highlights of the movie. New Zealand actor Jemaine Clement (What We Do in the Shadows) plays a nasty librarian out to steal Harold’s crayon turning in a silly climax that features some good old medieval fun.
While Harold and the Purple Crayon is not exactly a good interpretation of Johnson’s creation, it is still a fitting tribute to his material. Simply, it’s a movie about hope and dreams and most importantly, never forget the power of imagination. There’s nothing wrong in enjoying a non-offensive, non-complicated kiddish movie at times and Harold marks one of those rare ones.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Erotic/ Thriller
Director: Halina Reijin
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas
Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins
Rating: R21 (Mature Theme and Sexual Scenes)
Released By: Encore Films
Official Website:
Opening Day: 2 January 2025
Synopsis: A high-powered CEO puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much-younger intern.
Movie Review:
‘Babygirl’ begins and ends with an orgasm. Lest you think that writer/ director Halina Reijn is out to challenge the ‘wokeness’ of our times with a sexually prurient thriller, let us reassure you that as erotic as it may get, this dramedy has a larger social message, although what you take away depends very much on your own worldview.
It says a lot about our times that ‘Babygirl’ would probably be roundly criticised had it been from a male director, so if it isn’t yet obvious, this is a movie that is cast entirely from the female gaze. Indeed, it is Nicole Kidman’s tech-company executive Romy whom we first see onscreen, faking her way through an orgasm with her devoted stage director husband Jacob (Antonio Banderas) before tiptoeing off to the next room, and with the help of a porn video, finishes the job herself.
As you might imagine, though she is very much the dom in her marital relationship, Romy has a different side to her, and it is when she encounters Samuel (Harris Dickenson) that she begins to let loose her carnal desires. On their first encounter, she watches with a mix of horror and awe as Samuel saves her from being almost attacked by a dog while on a public street, something about the way he bends the wild animal to his will that makes her take notice; and later when she asks how he did it, he simply says he keeps biscuits in his pocket.
Their meet-cute happens at an office Christmas party, where Samuel catches Romy smoking on the balcony, reminds her of their upcoming coaching session (which she had hitherto been unaware of) and returns to the office floor to dance with abandon after removing his tie. It only gets a lot more intimate from that point on, and like we said, if it wasn’t for Reijn, these subsequent encounters would most definitely have been criticised for being exploitative.
Yet with a no-holds-barred performance from Kidman, ‘Babygirl’ walks a fine line to stay on the right side of being provocative without ever becoming lascivious. Kidman has never been timid, but even then, she goes full on raw for one of her riskier acts. It is a journey of sexual liberation she readily and openly shares with us, one that starts with reticence and confusion, cycles through humiliation, shame and satisfaction, and ends full circle in self-loathing, reconciliation and ultimately empowerment.
It is somewhat refreshing that neither Romy nor Samuel fully know what they want or are prepared to get up to. Oh yes, Samuel isn’t out for some promotion, or for that matter to satisfy his own ego; indeed, it is telling that both of them are fumbling and funny in their early interactions together, discovering just how far they would like to take their unlikely but irresistible tryst. These scenes are no doubt riveting to watch, and we recommend seeing this with a partner you won’t feel squeamish or self-conscious with.
Their lurching rhythm plays out like a game of sexual domination and subjugation. In a seedy Lower East Side hotel room, Samuel asks Romy to crawl on all fours towards him to beg for a piece of candy in his hand. At a after-work drinks session, Samuel orders a glass of milk for Romy, and after defiantly downing the glass, he murmurs ‘Good girl’ to her. A subsequent encounter has her lapping up milk from a dish like a cat, before he lifts her in his arms dancing to George Michael’s ‘Father Figure’. It is a torrid affair all right, with a sado-masochistic charge that again attests to Kidman’s willingness to go bold and even naked (pun intended).
Amidst their back and forth, it is only in the last act that the movie widens its circle to include Jacob, albeit in ways that you probably weren’t expecting. Banderas, to his credit, never breaks with his supporting and supportive act, ever the loving husband and devoted father who remains the pillar of the family notwithstanding Romy’s indiscretions. There is also an interesting subplot that unfolds when Romy’s young assistant Esme’s (Sophie Wilde) discovers their illicit behaviour; we won’t spoil it for her, but suffice to say that it again is a reflection of our times that it doesn’t go the way you expect to – that is, for Esme to simply blackmail Romy for a promotion.
‘Babygirl’ is daring all right, but it never takes a gamble or pushes the boundaries just for the sake of doing so; rather, for us, it isn’t afraid to take apart the social correctness of feminism, to reveal the nuance, desire and vulnerability underneath the façade, as well as the inevitable consequences of succumbing to our inner carnal pleasures. Like we said, what you take away from it depends very much on your own worldview, but thanks to the honesty, stylishness and empathy in front and behind the camera, it is a compelling portrayal of gender and power dynamics.
Movie Rating:
(A no-holds-barred performance from Nicole Kidman powers this sexually charged thriller about desire, liberation and empowerment that will truly get under your skin)
Review by Gabriel Chong
SYNOPSIS: From the brilliant Aardman and four-time Academy Award®-winning director Nick Park and Emmy Award-nominated Merlin Crossingham comes Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. In this next installment, Gromit’s concern that Wallace is becoming too dependent on his inventions proves justified, when Wallace invents a “smart” gnome that seems to develop a mind of its own. When it emerges that a vengeful figure from the past might be masterminding things, it falls to Gromit to battle sinister forces and save his master… or Wallace may never be able to invent again!
MOVIE REVIEW:
Almost two decades later after their first feature length movie, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, Wallace, the good-natured inventor and his pooch pal, Gromit returns to knock our socks off once again.
Nick Park, an Aardman Animations regular (with Park getting a co-story credit) and Merlin Crossingham helmed this latest adventure involving a recurring villainous penguin Feathers McGraw. With the help from Wallace and Gromit, Feathers was apprehended by the police for stealing a precious blue diamond. And now the said penguin is out for revenge.
While being imprisoned, Feathers manages to hack into Wallace’s computer (don’t ask how tech works here). Anyway Wallace’s latest invention, Norbot, a smart, high-tech Gnome (Reece Shearsmith) who specialises in home improvement is thus being turned into an evil destructive robot capable of more than just trimming bushes and alleviate household chores.
Even with the help of some modern CGI, Aardman’s stop-motion and clay animations remain their bread and butter as the animation consistently entertains in their own unique ways. The trademark silent Brit comedy is old-school yet manages to ignite more chuckles than the typical Hollywood comedy. Take for instance a prolonged scene involving a non-verbal Gromit on a journey to stake out the evil gnomes and Feathers.
Two other side characters, the fumbling Chief Inspector Mackintosh (Peter Kay) and his deputy, Police Constable Mukherjee (Lauren Patel) provided additional whimsical laughs especially an exhilarating boat chase in the finale.
Despite the brisk 70 plus minutes runtime, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is a wonderful madcap affair only Aardman can deliver. On the surface, its a hilarious children movie but hey, it seems that Park and his team has something to say about AI and technology beneath the claymation.
In short, we really can’t wait for more Wallace & Gromit adventures, let’s hope it’s not in another two decades.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: Starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, FLY ME TO THE MOON is a sharp, stylish comedy-drama set against the high-stakes backdrop of NASA’s historic Apollo 11 moon landing. Brought in to fix NASA’s public image, sparks fly in all directions as marketing maven Kelly Jones (Johansson) wreaks havoc on launch director Cole Davis’s (Tatum) already difficult task. When the White House deems the mission too important to fail, Jones is directed to stage a fake moon landing as back-up and the countdown truly begins…
MOVIE REVIEW:
We can’t believe a title liked Fly Me to the Moon went under the radar without much notice from the audiences and critics. I mean nobody actually talked about a romance comedy starring two of the hottest A-listers, Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum. Blame it on Netflix then because nowadays nobody gives a hoot about theatrical releases.
Talking about Netflix, Fly Me to the Moon was produced by Apple Original and released theatrically by Sony. Well, we must add that the latter never seems to be doing a good job marketing the title.
Anyway, Fly Me to the Moon has a brilliant narrative combining real-life historical events with fictional ones. Set in the 1960s, a highly-successful marketing executive from New York, Kelly (Johansson) is hired by a government covert agent, Moe (Woody Harrelson) to help market the NASA space program after the tragic incident of Apollo 1.
But first, Kelly needs to work with Cole Davis (Tatum), the by-the-book, former war pilot turned launch director for Apollo 11, the one where Neil Armstrong (Nick Dillenburg), Buzz Aldrin (Colin Woodell) and Michael Collins (Christian Zuber) went into space for the first landing on the moon. If that’s not enough, Kelly is also tasked by Moe to create a “fake” moon landing to be broadcast on television network in case the real astronauts fail to do so.
Fly Me to the Moon cleverly reminisces one from the good old days of Hollywood romcoms. A time where the late Nora Ephron, Garry Marshall and Nancy Meyers gave us classics liked When Harry Met Sally, What Woman Want and Pretty Woman. Greg Berlanti (Love, Simon) cleverly creates a totally implausible scenario despite the actual happening of Apollo 11.
The romance between the two leads are perfect without being too mushy or cringing at the very least. Johansson and Tatum has genuinely pretty good chemistry together. On hindsight, Tatum indeed works better than Chris Evans who was originally cast as the male lead.
Additionally, the story has more to offer than just a plain old rom-com. It’s set in a time where then President Nixon needs something to show the nation rather than answering for the failing Viet war. Davis on the other hand is still living with the pain of watching the men from Apollo 1 being burned alive in the failed mission. Kelly is also portrayed as a woman with a criminal past rather than a mere pretty high-flyer executive from Manhattan.
Veterans liked Harrelson, Ray Romano, Jim Rash and a recurring black cat provide extra winning points to the end result. Nepotism aside, the offspring of famed screenwriter Dan Gilroy and Rene Russo, Rose who contributes to the screenplay manages to churn up a rom-com that’s worth the time. A tale of love and clash of the genders set in NASA? Come on, it deserves all the attention it needs especially in a time where people keep complaining the lack of originality in Hollywood.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
|
GOLDEN GLOBES WINNERS 2025Posted on 06 Jan 2025 |
Genre: Drama
Director: Sha Mo
Cast: Lay Zhang, Li Luoan, Huang Yao, An Tian, Ai Liya, Zhang Ruonan
Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins
Rating: PG (Some Disturbing Scenes)
Released By: Golden Village
Official Website:
Opening Day: 10 April 2025
Synopsis: The birth of their daughter Mumu gives new hope to the young deaf couple - Xiaoma and Xiaojing. Their common wish is for Mumu to grow up healthily and happily like an able-bodied person. But even when Mumu is about to enter elementary school, she does not utter a word. Mumu’s reason for not speaking is something no one could have imagined…
Movie Review:
The English movie title Mumu has no meaning or context for the uninitiated. In actual fact, it’s the name of a precocious seven-year-old girl whose dad, Xiao Ma (Lay Zhang) is a hearing-impaired individual. Mumu and her dad who lives on odd jobs leads a simple life and stays in a room housed within a mahjong parlour. Life might be tough but Mumu has the love from his dad and his bunch of hearing-impaired friends.
One day, Mumu’s biological mother returns from her “overseas working trip” and tries to fight with Xiao Ma over the custody of Mumu. In order to raise money for the court case, Xiao Ma is misled into committing a felony. Promising him thousands of dollars and an asset to prove he is able to provide for Mumu, Xiao Ma risked his life nightly in an insurance scam which involves faking dangerous car accidents.
After his stunning performance in No More Bets, we got to say ex-EXO member Lay Zhang has certainly grows as an actor. And Mumu has proven he is more than a pretty face as Xiao Ma, a character that is unable to express himself through words. Zhang completely immersed himself in the role, delivering a spectacular performance that not only uplift the narrative but pays a powerful tribute to the real-life disabled individuals who struggles to blend into our daily world.
Newcomer child actress Li Luoan is another gem. Not only she is as cute as a button, she emotes and cries on cue without being too manipulatively. She is a natural in other words. Watch for the scene between her and Xiao Ma in a playground in which she attempts to play the recorder to her deaf dad. In this particular scene where Mumu tries to explain to her dad about the sound of a whale prior, the simple interaction between father and daughter speaks volumes about their relationship. If you are not tearing by the end of it, I’m not sure if you are in the right mood for a good weepie.
All things considered, Mumu might be subjected to a few criticisms especially the final act which contains soggy schmaltz and lots of balling out. Even contrived perhaps. A grown-up Mumu (Zhang Ruo Nan) who now works as sort of an interpreter also appears as and when detailing the vulnerabilities of the deaf in a probably a shove-in-your-face kind of social lesson.
Needless to say, Mumu is a predictable drama in terms of plotting. It’s more or less moulded in the same vein as I Am Sam, the 2002 movie that stars Sean Penn as an intellectual disability dad and Dakota Fanning as his precocious daughter. Lots of drama, lots of tears and lots of good acting. Mumu tells audiences right from the start, it is a fictional story. Yet Zhang and Li are so convincing that we want to believe that there is a pair of hearing impaired father and his daughter out there who has a happy ending like them after all.
Movie Rating:
(A tearjerker with outstanding performances, Mumu is predictable yet touching and emotional)
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Crime/Action
Director: Christian Gudegast
Cast: Gerard Butler, O’Shea Jackson Jr, Evin Ahmad, Salvatore Esposito, Orli Shuka, Cristian Solimeno, Nazmiye Oral
Runtime: 2 hrs 10 mins
Rating: M18 (Coarse Language and Some Drug Use)
Released By: Golden Village and Encore Films
Official Website:
Opening Day: 9 January 2025
Synopsis: Gerard Butler (Plane, Has Fallen series) and O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Straight Out of Compton, Godzilla: King of the Monsters) return in the sequel to 2018’s action-heist hit Den of Thieves. In DEN OF THIEVES: PANTERA, Big Nick (Butler) is back on the hunt in Europe and closing in on Donnie (Jackson), who is embroiled in the treacherous and unpredictable world of diamond thieves and the infamous Panther mafia, as they plot a massive heist of the world’s largest diamond exchange.
Movie Review:
Few were expecting a sequel to Gerard Butler’s 2018 cops-versus-robbers thriller, but then again the same could have been said of Butler’s ‘… has Fallen’ series, and after likewise becoming a modest hit, Butler and Shea O’ Jackson have decided to give their respective characters another go-around, reprising their roles as Los Angeles sheriff Big Nick and expert thief Donnie Wilson respectively.
Those who love its predecessor for its meat-and-potatoes B-movie thrills might recall that Nick found himself outsmarted by Donnie at the end of that movie, when the latter revealed himself to be the mastermind behind the Federal Reserve robbery (instead of just being Nick’s informant). After that humiliation, we catch up with Nick as a down-and-out lawman whose sense of invincibility and pride has been inexorably pierced by Nick’s actions. Unable to put things down, Nick decides to go rogue in pursuit of Donnie, especially after his superiors decide against the risk of exposing the fact that the Federal Reserve was robbed in the first place.
On the other hand, emboldened by his triumph, Donnie now works for hire as a master planner for other robberies in Europe – and the opening scene sees him execute a well-orchestrated theft of a cache of rare diamonds at Antwerp airport from a jet that had just flown in from South Africa. That theft also triggers the Sicilian mafia after Donnie, whose presence will become significant late into the movie. Suspecting that Donnie is behind the Antwerp robbery, Nick sets off on his own to go after Donnie.
To his credit, writer-director Christian Gudegast does not simply rehash the formula of the previous movie; instead, with the change of scenery, Gudegast goes with a change of pace and style, such that the sequel feels more like a Euro-thriller than it does a typical shoot-em-up action movie. Rather than go in guns ablazing, Nick offers to join Nick in his next criminal enterprise – that is, to rob the impenetrable World Diamond Centre. Oh yes, Nick and Donnie become crew, alongside a French thief named Jovanna (Evin Ahmad) and a Serbian crook named Slavko (Gomorrah’s Salvatore Esposito).
Has Nick indeed decided to give up his law enforcement credentials, or is it simply a front to reel in Donnie? Indeed, Donnie is at first highly suspicious of Nick’s intentions, although over the course of the movie, the pair will strike up a buddy dynamic that goes deeper than you’d probably imagine. We won’t spoil the surprise for you, but suffice to say that Nick is as loyal a member of Donnie’s crew as any other partner, and ends up saving both their lives in a thrilling getaway car chase through the mountains.
It is a pretty satisfying slow-boil we must say, built on a surprisingly engaging back-and-forth between Nick and Donnie as well as meticulous planning and execution of the piece de resistance (i.e. the WDC heist). There is palpable tension in the staging of the heist itself, which we see unfold with clockwork precision and nail-biting tension. Kudos to Gudegast for not overdoing the theatrics, emphasising instead on the importance of homework, ingenuity and plain luck as the titular den of thieves penetrate the fortress from the top, work their way down the elevator shaft, and past the myriad of security cameras within the building to get to the vault.
Like we said, this is not the shoot-em-up some might be expecting, but it is a refreshing change of pace and style that sets the sequel apart from its predecessor. It also allows us to bask in the easy chemistry that Butler and his co-star O’Jackson share, not only because they are more familiar with their roles the second time around, but also because it allows us to probe their motivations, such that the twist at the end is well-deserved (even if it does seem intentional to set up another sequel and turn ‘Den’ into yet another franchise for Butler).
So even though few were expecting a sequel, ‘Den of Thieves 2: Pantera’ is an unexpectedly satisfying watch that offers some solid character work between Butler and O’Jackson, as well as a series of slick set-pieces that are an equal mix of brains and brawn. And for fans of the 55-year-old Scottish actor, it offers a welcome change for the action star who will soon need to rely more on his wit and less on his muscles to get the job done.
Movie Rating:
(Not quite the shoot-em-up its predecessor was, this sequel trades firepower for wit, ingenuity and good old buddy dynamics for a less showy but surprisingly satisfying Euro-thriller)
Review by Gabriel Chong
| « Prev | 523 | 524 | 525 | 526 | 527 | 528 | 529 | 530 | 531 | 532 | 533 | Next » |
Most Viewed
No content.