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

Genre: Comedy/Action
Director: Kok Man Hon
Cast: Wang Weiliang, Long Lee, Ya Hui, Vithaya Pansringarm, Hayley Woo 
Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Sexual References)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 23 January 2025

Synopsis: A fantastical journey of unlikely heroes, compelled by fate and circumstances. Overwhelmed by the pressures of chasing his music dream, Sun (Long Lee) retreats to his hometown, Happy Village. At Happy Village, Sun’s family runs a small tourism business and Sun’s girlfriend, Leena (Hayley Woo), joins the tour group heading there, hoping to bring Sun back. Among the tour group is an infamous thief “Ah Jiu” (Wang Weiliang) sent to steal a magical statue from the village. The tourists from the group, each with unique personalities and intentions, have to rely on their fists and wits to resist the villains from stealing the magical statue. Together, they are forced to become heroes, protecting both the magical statue and Happy Village… 

Movie Review:

The first thing that we noticed about this CNY offering isn’t its ensemble cast, but its movie title. The English title “Baby Hero” suggests that the protagonist is some sort of an immature character. Then we looked at the Chinese title which literally means “a hero who is forced into becoming one”, and we applauded how the first two words of the title cleverly sounds like “Baby”. Kudos to whoever came up with this.

Then there is the movie poster which features many, many faces. Like a Hong Kong CNY movie which often stars countless celebrities in the spirit of prosperity, the promotional poster of this Thailand Singapore production gives the same impression as the many characters ‘rush’ towards you, as if they are going to deliver a series of new year greetings.

The huge ensemble cast includes familiar local faces like Wang Weiliang, Hayley Woo, Ya Hui, Chen Tianwen, Joshua Tan, Tay Zo En and Lim Yew Huat, as well as Thai names like former Muay Thai trainer Long Lee, veteran actor Vithaya Pansringarm (whom you may recognise from other movies like Only God Forgives, The White Storm and Operation Mekong), Chotpipat Suttijun and Kongkid Wisetsiri.

Lee plays Sun, an aspiring singer based in Singapore. And lucky him, because he has a girlfriend Leena (Woo) who is always looking out for him. But a man has got to do what a man has got to do. When he needs to head back to his hometown in Thailand to settle some family business, he jets back in a jiffy, leaving Leena bewildered.

We are then introduced to Happy Village, a scenic spot in rural Thailand where Sun’s grandfather (Pansringarm) needs to get rid of pesky bad guys who want to steal a magic artifact that supposedly allows its owner to have eternal happiness. This sounds like quite a stretch, but we continue going along for the ride.

Oh, Happy Village is also a tourist resort, and that explains why we next see a group of Singaporeans arriving. As expected, it is a motley crew and this group includes a small time burglar (Wang) who calls himself the “Southeast Asian God of Thieves”, a sad woman (Ya) who wants to end her life because she has been dumped by her boyfriend, a money minded businessman (Chen) and his nephew (Tan), an enthusiastic influencer (Tay), and not forgetting Leena who has flown to Thailand to find out what Sun is exactly up to.

What ensues is a series of events that cover both comedy and action, which are perfect for a CNY movie. Wang is on form here as the bumbling burglar who keeps interrupting the heartbroken lady’s suicide attempts. It shouldn’t be funny if this happened in real life, but the moments are chuckle worthy. Then there is the bit where he wriggles his butt because of a voodoo spell, and that made us laugh too. Elsewhere, the Thai cast are natural in their roles, especially Pansringarm who actually sounds convincing when he talks about the magical artifact’s powers.

The action sequences are well executed too. Watch out for a chase sequence through the forest where the good guys are trying to escape on a fumbling vehicle, as well as a one take drone led fight scene where the good guys are punching the bullies in their faces.

Given the number of characters in the story, is a 105 minute movie enough to give all their characters equal development? Obviously not, but we gladly go along for the ride anyway, because it is meant to be a CNY movie after all, and it’s no time to be a grouch.

Movie Rating:

(Let the cheerful ensemble cast of this CNY movie bring you along for a fuss-free ride to Happy Village)

Review by John Li

Genre: Biography/Drama/History
Director: Ellen Kuras
Cast: Kate Winslet, Andy Samberg, Alexander Skarsgård, Marion Cotillard, Josh O’Connor, Andrea Riseborough, Noémie Merlant 
Runtime: 1 hr 57 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Nudity and Coarse Language)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 16 January 2025

Synopsis: Oscar winner Kate Winslet stars in this fascinating portrait of the great American war correspondent Lee Miller, whose singular talent and ferocious tenacity gave us some of the 20th century’s most indelible images.

Movie Review:

Lee Miller was a celebrated American war photographer and before that, she also worked as a fashion model in New York. In short, Miller was a remarkable woman who led a gusty, fascinating life.

Working from a biography by Miller’s son, Antony Penrose, we first see Miller (Kate Winslet in passable make-up effects) as an older woman in the 1970s, being interviewed by a young journalist (Josh O’Connor from Challengers). From there, we learnt how Lee met her future husband, surrealist artist and art dealer Roland Penrose (Alexander Skarsgard) in late 1930s, France and how she became a war correspondent for British Vogue.

As Europe slowly turned into a war zone, Miller formed a working partnership with Life magazine photographer Davey Scherman (Andy Samberg) as she starts venturing into battlefields documenting destruction, killings and the aftermath of the horrific wars especially the Nazi concentration camps.

Lee is a conventional if not a rather flat biography of an unconventional figure. Even with the involvement of screenwriters Liz Hannah (The Post), John Collee (Master and Commander), the narrative flows like a boring showcase of Miller’s key moments in her career. The approach is serviceable at best and arguably, the drama only picked up with Miller and Scherman visiting a corpse filled concentration camp and the playful reconstruct shot of Miller sitting in Hitler’s Munich bathtub.

Given the scope of the character on hand, the production values are of concern as well. Cinematographer turned director Ellen Kuras lensed the entire affair much akin to a television effort perhaps again due to budgetary concerns. The extended flashbacks and interviews with the journalist only adds to the banality. Winslet also in a producer role genuinely is the sole highlight with her class act. There’s no doubt Winslet can carry a movie and Lee is definitely one that benefited from her participation.

Samberg, a huge departure from his goofy onscreen persona is surprising capable with his dramatic acting chops. Other notable faces, Marion Cotillard and Andrea Riseborough suffers from weak characterisation and mostly fleeting portrayal of their real-life characters. We are pretty sure Miller had an extraordinary life in a male-dominated world. Unfortunately, this particular big-screen effort fails to capture the essence of her reducing it to a middling forgettable bio-pic.

Movie Rating:

(Too slow and too rush at times, Lee is a poorly made biography despite Winslet’s powerhouse performance)

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Comedy/Drama
Director: Ong Kuo Sin
Cast: Mark Lee, Jaspers Lai, Darius Tan, Kiwebaby Chang, Gadrick Chin, Gina Tan, Estovan Reizoo, Marcus Chin 
Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins
Rating: NC16 (Mature Theme)
Released By: mm2 Entertainment, King Kong Media Productions and Golden Village Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 28 January 2025

Synopsis: The Queens are back! Facing the prospects of being phased out with their old gags, the team engage in sideline odd jobs to keep their livelihoods afloat. Chee Beng, who is moonlighting as a property agent got into a bad altercation while being humiliated during one of his viewings. The result of this bad PR causes Chee Beng to be expelled from the drag community and barred from performing in Singapore. However, an opportunity arises, a drag competition in Thailand! Chee Beng pushes for the team to compete and regain their former glory while dealing with his rebellious teenage son, Mason.

Movie Review:

Local comedian Mark Lee has come a long way. From a supporting character on a weekly TV comedy programme to an award winning actor, Lee has proven himself to be a versatile personality in showbiz. In 2020, he starred Ong Kuo Sin’s Number 1, a drama comedy about a middle aged white collar worker who reluctantly joins the drag queen industry after being retrenched. It was a critical and commercial hit, with Lee getting a Best Actor nomination at the 57^th Golden Horse Awards. The local production was recognised with the Best Costume and Makeup Design prize at the ceremony.

It was naturally a big thing for Singapore, and that naturally calls for a sequel. While some may debate whether a second movie is necessary, we are happy to report that it is a bigger (thanks to the larger budget), bolder (in terms of production value and definitely splashes of gaudy colours) and campier production.

Aptly titled Number 2, Lee returns as Chow Chee Beng in this 95 minute movie. He is now a property agent who gets involved in a PR disaster when social media influencers pretending to be clients trick him into dressing up as a drag queen during a house viewing session. As a result, he loses his job and in a bewilderingly funny sequence, our protagonist goes through a trial (with Kumar as a judge) and is banned from performing as a drag queen in Singapore.

Things aren’t going well for Chee Beng at home too. While the relationship with his wife (Gina Tan) isn’t rocky anymore, his English speaking son (Estovan Reizo) is giving him a headache. The young boy’s ambition is to be a social media content creator, so you can imagine how things aren’t exactly aligned between the bickering father and son pair.

A man has got to do what a man has got to do. With a need to pay for expenses, Chee Beng gathers The Queens (returning cast members Jaspers Lai, Kiwebaby, Darius Tan and Gadrick Chin) and they jet off to Thailand for a drag queen competition where a huge prize money prize awaits the winning group. To make things interesting, Chee Beng’s son follows along (it’s the school holidays) because he manages to convince his father to document The Queen’s journey.

As expected, The Queens run into a series of hilarious setups and disasters. And they are truly funny, thanks to a game ensemble cast led by Lee, who delivers another heartfelt and winning performance that reminds us why he is one of the best actors in Singapore.

You see The Queens painstakingly get ready for a performance which puns Thai pop duo China Dolls’ “Sawadika” – we found ourselves tapping our feet along to the infectious tune. Alas, the show they put up ends on a catastrophic note, and it is time to cue the touching scenes. The story co written by Ong and Lai explores father and son dynamics this time round, and while the emotions are not as poignant as the first movie, the plot still does a decent job at pulling your heartstrings.

With more elaborate costumes, choreography and production values, this is an immensely enjoyable sequel. There are even original songs with cleverly written lyrics sung by The Queens that you want to see performed live.

Movie Rating:

(You will cheer The Queens on as they deliver bigger and bolder performances in this entertaining sequel)

Review by John Li

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Leigh Whannell
Cast: Christopher Abbott, Julia Garner, Matilda Firth, Sam Jaeger 
Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins
Rating: NC16 (Horror and Violence)
Released By: UIP
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 16 January 2025

Synopsis:  What if someone you loved became something else? From Blumhouse and visionary writer-director LEIGH WHANNELL, the creators of the chilling modern monster tale The Invisible Man, comes a terrifying new lupine nightmare: Wolf Man. Golden Globe nominee CHRISTOPHER ABBOTT (Poor Things, It Comes at Night) stars as Blake, a San Francisco husband and father, who inherits his remote childhood home in rural Oregon after his own father vanishes and is presumed dead. With his marriage to his high-powered wife, Charlotte (Emmy winner JULIA GARNER; Ozark, Inventing Anna), fraying, Blake persuades Charlotte to take a break from the city and visit the property with their young daughter, Ginger (MATLIDA FIRTH; Hullraisers, Coma). But as the family approaches the farmhouse in the dead of night, they’re attacked by an unseen animal and, in a desperate escape, barricade themselves inside the home as the creature prowls the perimeter. As the night stretches on, however, Blake begins to behave strangely, transforming into something unrecognizable, and Charlotte will be forced to decide whether the terror within their house is more lethal than the danger without. 

Movie Review:

The Universal Classic Monsters were a big thing. Creatures like Dracula, Frankenstein and The Mummy were making a name for themselves as a media franchise based on a series of horror movies produced by Universal Pictures between the 1910s to 1950s. Just mention any of these monsters and you will have a mental image of their forboding presence.

In 2017, the Universal Monsters characters were supposed to be part of Dark Universe, a shared cinematic universe (no prizes for guessing that the successful Marvel Cinematic Universe was a big influence). It was an exciting idea – imagine Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, The Invisible Man and Creature from the Black Lagoon fighting it out on the streetscapes of London.

The studio had big plans. With the introduction of Alex Kurtzman’s The Mummy (2017) starring Tom Cruise (as the hero, of course) and Sofia Boutella as the titular monster, Universal also announced that big stars like Javier Bardem and Johnny Depp were slated to join the franchise. But alas, The Mummy flopped both commercially and critically and all plans were put on hold.

All’s not gone though, because Leigh Whannell delivered a well received The Invisible Man in 2020, there seemed to be interest in bringing back the Dark Universe. And so we have this reboot of George Waggner’s The Wolf Man (1941) After some shuffling of the original cast and crew, Whannell eventually became the director, with Christopher Abbott howling it up to play the hairy monster.

Abbott plays Blake Lovell, a man who grew up in the remote mountainous region of Oregon. The movie begins with a young Blake going on a hunting trip with his father, which ends with a sighting of a mysterious animal like human creature. Next time we see Blake, he is married to Charlotte (Julia Garner) and has a cute daughter. Things are not going well for Blake, as he has anger management issues and his relationship with Charlotte isn’t too good either.

When Blake receives a notification that his father is dead and gets a chance to visit his home in Oregon, he suggests a family trip with the intention of bringing the family closer. However, a road accident happens, triggering a series of events that will lead to, yes you’ve guessed it, Blake becoming a Wolf Man.

Viewers who are expecting campy horror would need to look elsewhere. Whannell’s reboot of the classic takes a slow burn approach to explore the psyche of the movie’s characters. You will sympathise with Blake as the poor guy slowly turns into a creature that cannot communicate with his wife and daughter. First he loses his teeth, then he vomits a severed finger, and at one point he begins chewing off flesh from his arm. He becomes ultra sensitive to light and noise in the dark, and the filmmakers presents this in a very interesting way. Of course, our protagonist also starts turning into a hideous creature, thanks to the makeup team.

While the transformation sounds grotesque, the movie restrains itself to exploit scares, and that perhaps is the best part of the monster movie, as it focuses on the human element instead of bombarding audiences with loud and showy computer generated effects.

Movie Rating:

(A slow-burning horror movie that takes its time to transform the sympathetic protagonist into a Wolf Man)

Review by John Li

Genre: Adventure/Family
Director: Dougal Wilson
Cast: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonnevile, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Imedla Staunton, Carla Tous, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas 
Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins
Rating: PG
Released By: Sony Pictures
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 16 January 2025

Synopsis: Full of Paddington’s signature blend of wit, charm, and laugh-out-loud humor, Paddington in Peru finds the beloved, marmalade-loving bear lost in the jungle on an exciting, high-stakes adventure. When Paddington discovers his beloved Aunt Lucy has gone missing from the Home for Retired Bears, he and the Brown family head to the wilds of Peru to look for her with the only clue to her whereabouts; a spot marked on an enigmatic map. Determined to solve the mystery, Paddington embarks on a thrilling quest through the rainforests of the Amazon to find his aunt…and may also uncover one of the world’s most legendary treasures.

Movie Review:

Britain’s most famous Peruvian bear, Paddington returns to the big screen after an absence of nearly eight years. Only this time, a slightly different approach to the London based bear. Instead of downtown London, Paddington is going on an adventure to Peru. Behind the scenes- music video director Dougal Wilson replaces Paul King as the franchise director although the latter retains his story credit while Emily Mortimer replaces Sally Hawkins as Mrs Brown.

Paddington (voice of Ben Whishaw) and the Browns decide to visit his Aunt Lucy in his home country after learning that his aunt misses him. Mrs Brown on the other hand feels it’s a good chance to bond as a whole family before Judy goes to university and thus after touching down in Peru, the whole family decide to hire a boat to a place called Rumi Rock based on an old Aunt Lucy’s map.

The riverboat is manned by a certain captain, Hunter Cabot (Antonio Banderas) and his daughter, Gina (Carla Tous). Unfortunately, Cabot has plans of his own after learning that Paddington possessed a bracelet that could possibly leads him to some ancient treasure.

Paddington in Peru continues the franchise tradition of flawlessly blending CGI into the live-action surroundings. With parts of principle photography taking place in Peru and Columbia, Norwegian cinematographer Erik Wilson ensures the picture is constantly vivid and colours popping out like the Michael Bond’s storybooks. There’s a couple of close-ups that emphasised on Paddington’s fur and we can say that it indeed matches to a real bear. At least on the big screen.

While the first two Paddington movies focused on heavily on the bear’s mishaps and quirkiness, Paddington in Peru goes big. Goes way big like a modern-day Jumanji and Indiana Jones kind of Hollywood adventure. We have first a genuinely chaotic action scene involving the capsizing of the riverboat that provides some visual spectacle and comedy. Then there is a plane crash and some funny chases between Paddington and Hunter. All in all, delivering madcap energy and moments of hilarity making sure children and adults alike are amused and immersed.

The franchise has its typical cartoony villains in the form of A-list celebrities such as Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant in the previous two. In Peru, it’s Zorro aka Antonio Banderas. Obviously not a spoiler if you are familiar with how things work in Paddington. His role as the captain with the ghost of his ancestors constantly haunting him adds to the fun. English actress Olivia Colman is also another standout as a shady Reverend Mother who has her very own “sound of music” moment. Mr Brown (Hugh Bonneville) also has his own brushes with danger as he wrestles with a gigantic spider making him the most memorable onscreen Brown family member in the entire movie.

If you are looking for some intelligent messages about immigration and racism in which author Michael Bond originally meant his works to be then Peru is possibly the least metaphorical of all three. Even the hint of the Brown family being slowly disintegrated because of the children leaving the household turned out to be a forgettable chapter. This outing which took place in the Peruvian jungle is more of Paddington discovering his roots. Factoring in all the wholesome, family friendly gags and fun, it’s still not particularly impressive yet it exudes effortless warmth and blockbuster action.

Movie Rating:

(No one in the right mind will hate the marmalade loving bear delivering moments of peril in Peru in this threequel)

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Mel Gibson
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Michelle Dockery, Topher Grace
Runtime: 1 hr 31 mins
Rating: NC16 (Coarse Language and Some Violence)
Released By: Encore Films
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 23 January 2025

Synopsis: In this high-stakes suspense thriller, Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg (Best Supporting Actor, The Departed, 2006) plays a pilot transporting an Air Marshal (Michelle Dockery) accompanying a fugitive (Topher Grace) to trial. As they cross the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar and trust is tested, as not everyone on board is who they seem.

Movie Review:

Mark Wahlberg and Mel Gibson stars together in a faith-based drama, Father Stu back in 2022. But for Flight Risk, they are collaborating on something entirely different. Something far more intense and suspenseful.

The plot by newcomer Jared Rosenberg is simple even barebones to a certain extent. U.S. Marshall Madolyn (Michelle Dockery from Downtown Abbey) is tasked to escort a witness, Winston (Topher Grace) to trial for doing some shady accounting for a mob boss. Madolyn and Winston has to board a small chartered plane to take them from Anchorage to the mainland. In comes Daryl Booth (Wahlberg), their pilot for the hour plus journey.

If you have not watched the trailer or prefer to walk into Flight Risk blindfold. I suggest you stop reading this review asap. I mean right now.

Because Mark Wahlberg plays a bald, psychotic hitman since we can’t have an action thriller without a bad guy.

Anyway, the movie kicks into high gear the moment the plane takes off across the Alaskan snowy wilderness. Booth might know how to pilot a plane but he is sure no ordinary pilot. In short, he is out to eliminate Winston and Madolyn. Winston on the other hand might be an ordinary corrupted accountant who just can’t keep his mouth shut. That leaves Madolyn. Is she a U.S. Marshall with a tortured past or is there more sinister backstabbing and happenings at her agency?

Despite the efficient runtime, Rosenberg’s script keep everyone guessing right till the end. Who is the actual bad guy? Is he who he is? Or is she who she is? Having set an entire movie in an enclosed tiny plane allows the tension heart-stopping action to take place in a straight forward manner. There are plenty of movies out there that showcased ridiculous crashes and bumps in the air (Con Air and Air Force One just to name a few) but we guarantee Flight Risk at least stay “grounded” for most of the running time.

Wahlberg is relentless as the psychotic villain. Finally, we get to see a different side of him on the big screen. His character is twisted and hints of being a serial murderer or killer. We truly love to see more of him in these sort of roles rather than a plain old heroic cop or agent. Michelle Dockery is surprisingly believable as a tough marshal and Grace is honestly not that bad in a supporting role.

The biggest credit got to go to Mel Gibson who is back in the directing chair after his award-winning Hacksaw Ridge. The man himself has starred in a couple of 90’s action movies and he for sure knows how to deliver an exciting action thriller without resorting to lots of unnecessary violence, shaky cam and choppy jump cuts.

Flight Risk delivers exactly what the title promises. It’s on par with a typical Jason Statham and Gerald Butler’s action flick even better than the recent Liam Neeson vehicles I must say. If you want a satisfying movie outing with your dad, then hop on to this flight. Seatbelts not included.

Movie Rating:

(Flight Risk is made for people who love the 80’s and 90’s action flicks)

Review by Linus Tee

SYNOPSIS: Years after giving up life as CIA spies to start a family, Emily (Cameron Diaz) and Matt (Jamie Foxx) find themselves dragged back into the world of espionage when their cover is blown.

MOVIE REVIEW:

After Taron Egerton’s starrer Carry On being critiqued as one of the best action thrillers of all time, Netflix is back to normal programming. Back in Action is another action comedy probably written by Netflix’s in-house algorithm or AI and stars Cameron Diaz who made a comeback after being absence for a decade and Jamie Foxx who nearly died of a stroke during the filming process.

The spy action comedy brings to mind Mark Wahlberg’s Family Plan, another one of Netflix releases which sees the main character as an ex-assassin on the run with his family. Swop out Wahlberg and Michelle Monaghan (to be fair, Monaghan’s character is not an ex-spy) with Diaz and Foxx, reduced the children from three to two and we have Back in Action.

We shall not bore you with the a long synopsis of the movie but anyway, spies Matt (Foxx) and Emily (Diaz) decides to call it quits after the latter is pregnant. The two got married and fifteen years later, their enemies are back to reclaim a lost “key” from their last mission that could controlled every system in the world. Like seriously.

Director and co-writer Seth Gordon known for his comedies, Horrible Bosses and Identity Thief brought every conceivable comedy trope and cliché to the table including forced family awkward situations, family drama and parents singing to outdated pop songs. The jokes and gags are often banal and repetitive despite Diaz and Foxx having an incredible chemistry together.

Fortunately there is Glenn Close who appears midway as Emily’s estranged, absentee mother who coincidentally also is a retired spy with a much younger live-in boyfriend, Nigel (Jamie Demetriou). These two at least adds some energy to the monotonous of things with their silly antics and dialogue. And then there is also Kyle Chandler who plays Matt and Emily’s friend and colleague at CIA and Andrew Scott again playing a high-level officer at MI6 after Spectre.

Globetrotting is a must for any spy action comedy so London has to answer the call. The action set pieces are generally over the top especially the prologue and the overall quick cuts and dizzying choreography qualifies more of a sub-par John Wick. Credit however goes to the several vehicle chases which at least look like it’s shot practical. Nowadays, a rarity in Hollywood. Not truly a shock, Back in Action is yet another forgettable action output from Netflix. Maybe Diaz should on hindsight consider a better comeback effort.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

SYNOPSIS: With his life unraveling around him, Bernard dusts off a jewelry box and unintentionally releases genie Flora, who might just be able to help him.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Honestly, writer Richard Curtis hasn’t had a massive hit for a while although the 69 year old is still pretty prolific in the Hollywood circle. The 2023 television movie, Genie is adapted from his 1991 television film, Bernard and the Genie and stars Melissa McCarthy as the titular character.

Bernard Bottle (Paapa Essiedu) is a hardworking man working at a New York auction house. However, his stressful job left him with little time to spend with his wife, Julie (Denée Benton) and nine year old daughter, Eve. Disappointed with Bernard missing his daughter’s birthday celebration, Julie decides to leave Bernard and instead spends the festive season with her mother.

With no one around to spend the holidays with him, Bernard starts dusting an old jewelry box only to release a 2000 year old genie named Flora (Melissa McCarthy). With unlimited wishes at his beck and call, Bernard teams up with the cheeky Flora hoping to win over Julie and Eve. Will there be a happy ending for Bernard?

McCarthy’s Genie in some ways are similar to Will Ferrell’s Elf. Both experiencing silly fish out of water situations in the big city of New York, navigating modern technology and stuff. If you are concerned about McCarthy overdoing her comedy stints, she is charming and engaging, very much rein in for this PG13 comedy. There’s some genuinely funny gags liked the Genie eating hand sanitizer and developing a soft spot for Tom Cruise. In short, Genie works for the most time because of McCarthy’s humorous seemingly innocent antics.

Genie is more of a Christmas, holiday movie than a Richard Curtis one. There is this whole story arc of redemption and messages of being kind and hopeful which is pretty decent and educational for the family. However, it’s not that sufficient to fill up a 90 minutes movie so there is a silly subplot of the Mona Lisa being stolen by Bernard just because he makes a wish to replace his framed Messi jersey with the famous painting.

Bear in mind, this is made for television so you get a chance to see some 80s and 90s visual effects like the magic carpet flying scene. Genie is definitely forgettable but is it worth catching? Well for a start, McCarthy isn’t that annoying. Her chemistry with Essiedu is sweet and emotional. Familiar faces liked Luis Guzman cameos as Detective Perez and Alan Cumming plays Bernard’s selfish boss, Oliver. If you missed this during last Christmas maybe just watch it come November 2025. Just ten more months to the festive season.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee