Genre: Action/Comics
Director: Julius Onah
Cast: Anthony Mackie, Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson, Harrison Ford
Runtime: 1 hr 58 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: Walt Disney
Official Website:
Opening Day: 13 February 2025
Synopsis: After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross, Sam finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
Movie Review:
Sam Wilson isn’t Steve Rogers, but he is the new Captain America audiences have to embrace in the new Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson has huge shoes to fill, not just because Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers was a fan favourite. Will we be used to the new Captain America suit (with wings!), or will we ever see a super bulked up Sam Wilson?
The 35th movie in the MCU, which is also the fourth instalment in the Captain America film series, reportedly faced some hiccups during the post production stage. Besides a delayed release date from May 2024 to February 2025, there were also reports that reshoots had to be carried out due to the less than favourable reception during an early test screening.
Directed by Julius Onah, the movie plays like a political thriller. Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford playing the role like a pro) is a new President of the United States, and he wants to negotiate a treaty where all countries can have equal trade of a precious metal found on an island. Sam Wilson and the new Falcon, Joaquin Torres (played by an earnest Danny Ramirez), find themselves in a mission to intercept the illegal sale of the metal. The plot thickens as they uncover secrets along the way, and realise Thaddeus Ross may not be the leader he appears to be.
Thanks to marketing materials released before the movie, we already know Thaddeus Ross will become Red Hulk. We can’t think of a better way to do this, but the element of surprise in plot development is greatly reduced because viewers will be anticipating the moment the rash (and sometimes emotionally out of control) president literally turns red in fury to change into Red Hulk.
To fully appreciate the 118 minute movie, you would require prior knowledge from previous entries in the MCU franchise. Does the name Thaddeus Ross sound familiar? He was portrayed by the late William Hurt in The Incredible Hulk (2008), where Edward Norton played the titular character (before Mark Ruffalo took over in The Avengers in 2012). Other characters from the Louis Leterrier’s film show up in this movie as well.
Then there are characters from the series The Falcon And The Winter Soldier who also make appearances in this feature film. One prominent character is Isaiah Bradley (a dignified Carl Lumbly), who was one of the many soldiers experimented on with the super soldier serum. Marvel fans would know adamantium, the metal that the world is after, to be the material that coats Wolverine’s bones. The island is Celestial Island, which are the remains of the celestial Tiamut shown in Eternals (2021).
Phew, that’s a lot of things to know. But as a standalone superhero flick, this movie delivers the thrills you’d expect from a Marvel production. A sequence where Sam Wilson and Joaquin Torres try to intercept fighter planes is exhilaratingly executed. And the finale where Thaddeus Ross turns into Red Hulk before engaging in a showdown with Captain America is worth the wait too.
Mackie holds his own and then some as the new Captain America. As a human character who declined to be injected with the super soldier serum, he proves that he can be a Captain America that people look up to, even without superhuman abilities.
Movie Rating:
(Sam Wilson holds his own as the new Captain America in this superhero movie that is also a popcorn political thriller)
Review by John Li
SYNOPSIS: Two detectives struggling with their own needs, succumb to temptation when handling a large amount of cash.
MOVIE REVIEW:
Dirty Money is a gritty cop movie filled with shady people with their own agenda. By shady, it means a pair of corrupted cops, Myung-deuk (Jung Woo) and Dong-hyuk (Kim Dae-myung) as they frequently take bribes from crime bosses. Myung-deuk has a sick daughter in urgent need of surgery, his partner Dong-hyuk is mired in gambling debt though not exactly good excuses to do so.
The duo soon learned that the Chinese mafia is smuggling some “dirty money” out of the country and with a third accomplice, they decide to pull a heist. Unfortunately, the robbery went awry and ended in a shootout killing all the Chinese and an undercover cop. Though they manage to lay their hands on the loot in the end, their own unit is deployed to investigate the shootout causing more complications for the duo.
Dirty Money is a riveting crime drama that speaks of morality and greed. Both men has no rights to commit a felony despite one needing the money to save his daughter. The story will be familiar to those who love tales of corrupt cops. One mistake leads to another and leads to another. The bodies piled up along the way and suspicious begins to boil within the once two best friends. Eventually one must sacrifice to save the other.
However director and co-writer Kim Min-so is not satisfied in simply telling the story of two corrupted cops and a bunch of ruthless Chinese mafia who are out to retrieve the lost loot. A tireless detective and ex-colleague of Myung-deuk, Seung-chan (Park Byung-eun) is introduced midway to spice up the proceedings. Honestly, Seung-chan is not a really well-placed character that is critical to the narrative. In fact, the twist in his character only adds some unnecessary weak dramatic effect.
Still, this cops and gangsters movie is unquestionable entertaining despite the lack of action. There’s lots of running, chases, plenty of shouting and fleeting moments of violence. While Jung Woo and Kim Dae-myung are not familiar faces especially to those who are not into Korean television dramas, the duo is at the top of their game playing sceptical cops with devious morals. Not a masterpiece for sure but clearly entertaining.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
SYNOPSIS: An artist who pauses her career to be a stay-at-home mum seeks a new chapter in her life and encounters just that, when her nightly routine takes a surreal turn and her maternal instincts begin to manifest in canine form.
MOVIE REVIEW:
First and foremost, kudos to Amy Adams for playing a woman who thinks she is slowly turning into a dog. She is at times primal, rageful and even edgy. After all, she has received six Academy Award nominations.
Writer and director Marielle Heller adapts the 2021 novel by Rachel Yoder into a full-length feature. We are not quite sure what to make out of this. Is this a movie made for parents to be? The newly-weds? The unappreciative husband who forgot totally about their stressful stay-at-home wives? Complicated for sure.
Adams plays “mother”, seriously her character is plainly named as mother. Her repetitive life revolves taking care of her toddler son, day in day out. Her husband (Scoot McNairy) is always on work trips. And even when he is back, he struggles to take proper care of his son without his wife.
We learned that mother sacrificed her art career to be a stay-at-home mom. But now, she is feeling frustrated, lonely and she frequently goes on a long angry tirade about her life in the supermarket, library but it’s all in her head. Worst of all, she finds that she is developing characteristics of a dog. In fact, she is slowly turning into one at night. Those dead animals on the doorstep? We aren’t sure who did that perhaps it’s their cat.
Whether it’s literally or metaphorically, Nightbitch never makes a clear stand. There’s intermittent flashbacks of mother’s mother having the same ability to turn into a dog at night. Again no satisfying answer. Some ongoing witchcraft perhaps? And if you are expecting Nightbitch to be some spinoff from Universal Monsters franchise, I’m afraid this is not a movie for it.
What meant to be smart, provocative messages about the demands and vulnerability of motherhood is totally lost in the movie adaptation. It’s neither funny nor a sly satire. The narrative is monotonous to the point of boredom. In short, Nightbitch has no feasible merits except a very gung-ho Amy Adams barking her way through.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Director: Jack Neo
Cast: Jack Neo, Henry Thia, Aileen Tan, Patricia Mok, Zhang Shui Fa, Dawn Yeoh, Ke Le, Terence Cao, Jae Liew, Joshua Tan, Maxi Lim, Collin Chee, Shawn Thia
Runtime: 2 hr 3 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Sexual References)
Released By: mm2 Entertainment and Golden Village Pictures
Official Website:
Opening Day: 24 January 2025
Synopsis: Dongnan (Henry Thia), long been known for his laziness and unreliability is demoted to a security guard by his boss. Struggling with poor career prospects, he dreams of becoming his own boss. With the help of Food Critic Influencer Queen (Dawn Yeoh) and Qiang (Jack Neo), he opens a restaurant and experiences success with his excellent culinary skills. Seeking to improve his home life and relationship with his wife Nan sao (Aileen Tan), he purchases an AI robot, Ling Ling (Patricia Mok) to help with household chores. However, things take a wrong turn when his apprentice Steven (Zhang Shui Fa) betrays him and opens his own restaurant offering similar cuisines, while his wife gets jealous and suspicious of him being unfaithful as he is surrounded by young and beautiful co- workers every day. With the support and help from his family and AI robot, can Dongnan overcome the new challenges that await?
Movie Review:
We’ll start with the only compliment we have about Jack Neo’s latest movie – it isn’t a sequel to or spinoff from his signature ‘I Not Stupid’, or ‘Money No Enough’, or ‘Ah Boys to Men’ franchises.
Indeed, that is about the only good thing about this utter misfire that shows sparks of a satirical take on Singapore’s National AI Strategy (like how ‘I Not Stupid’ was for our education system) but completely implodes what potential it might have had.
We chuckled at the opening that had Singaporean radio deejay cum PM Lawrence Wong-lookalike Kenneth Chung talk about our country’s AI strategy and how that would transform our lives, jobs and economy; and then we sat shell-shocked at how unfunny, incoherent and hysterical the rest of the movie was.
Co-written by Neo and Link Sng, ‘I Want to be Boss’ sees Henry Thia play Nan, a 58-year-old employee of a catering firm that is given a choice by the company’s second-generation boss (Joshua Tan) to either accept a demotion to a security guard or early retirement. He chooses the latter, and after some to-ing and fro-ing with his ‘kopitiam’ buddies about how his wife Nan-sao (Aileen Tan) would ‘rob’ his retirement payout, he decides to put the tidy sum of $150,000 in a new single CIMB bank account (read: product placement).
When his neighbourhood ‘cai png’ stall loses one of his employees, Nam gets an opportunity to demonstrate his culinary skills at the stall, and thanks to its owner cum influencer-wannabe Queen (Dawn Yeoh), Nam gets a real shot at being the CEO of a restaurant. Nam also agrees to take on former colleague Steven (Zhang Shuifa) as his apprentice, although a combination of his own hubris and the latter’s arrogance will lead to a falling out that has regrettable consequences.
Where is the AI in all of this, you ask? That is the question in our minds throughout the first act of the movie, which spends an awfully long time setting up how Nam and his family, including his children (Ke Le and Shawn Thia) end up turning to AI Robot salesman Robert (Terence Cao) to get an AI assistant in the form of Ling Ling (Patricia Mok). Despite their initial skepticism, Ling Ling turns out to be not just domestic help but also domestic advisor, dishing out words of wisdom to Nam about not letting his anger get the better of help in a war of words against Queen and Steven and thereafter to Nan-sao to not get scammed by a young pretty boy who claims he can help her grow her investments.
If that sounds as if the whole AI premise is an afterthought, you’re absolutely right. Neo treats it as a lamentable gimmick – instead of ChatGPT, we get a robot who offers Nam a hug when he is upset and then suddenly loses power in the middle of it, so much so that Nan-sao comes home to catch them in a compromising position on the bed; and we haven’t even gotten started on the utterly deplorable jokes about how Ling Ling demands that Nan charge (æ’) her.
The other AI-enabled assistant in the movie is no better – nicknamed LMYT (or 烂命一æ¡, which translates to ‘Worthless Life’), the Jae Liew-headed robot (we mean this literally) first aids Steven in scamming Nan-sao and creating deepfake videos to sow discord, before turning on her owner because he had asked Robert to install pirated software within without ‘human protection protocol’. That Neo would even consider this worthy of a two-hour movie is jaw-dropping to say the least. Ditto the AI-robot that the Police’s Anti-Scam Centre deploys, which is played by Maxi Lim in a body-hugging shimmering silver police uniform.
There is no doubt we’d get a happily-ever-after ending (and on that note, thank goodness it doesn’t come about through some contrived car accident that renders one of the main characters in hospital and a whole lot of weeping), but there is no wit, wisdom or intelligence in any bit of Neo’s writing or directing. Equally shocking is how he has managed to assemble a who’s who of Singaporean actors and actresses in this dreadful effort, wasting the talents of such veterans as Thia, Tan, Cao and Shuifa (and no, we’re not counting Neo in, because he’s responsible for this mess).
Let us be clear – we are not a Jack Neo hater for the sake of it (in fact, we’d proudly say that we thoroughly enjoyed ‘The King of Musang King’), but ‘I Want to be Boss’ is so terrible on so many levels that the entire movie deserves to be on the cutting room floor. Even more inexcusable is how it is such a dumb portrayal of AI that it would cause outsiders to think how we could ever proclaim ourselves a Smart Nation! And if this is the state of Singaporean cinema today, we’d say it’s time to retire the industry and reskill the entire sector. Oh yes, ‘I Want to be Boss’ is that abysmal, so please do yourselves a favour and stay far, far away – you won’t want to ruin your Lunar New Year this way.
Movie Rating:
(Probably the worst Jack Neo movie ever - if this is what the state of Singapore cinema is, then it deserves to be taken over by AI indeed)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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HAVE A HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR 蛇年好è¿è¿žè¿ž!Posted on 28 Jan 2025 |
Genre: Comedy/Crime
Director: Chen Sicheng, Dai Mo
Cast: Wang Baoqiang, Liu Haoran, Chow Yun-fat, Bai Ke, Zhang Xincheng, Yue Yunpeng, Xiang Wei, Yin Zheng, Tai Bo
Runtime: 2 hrs 15 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Violence & Coarse Language)
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website:
Opening Day: 29 January 2025
Synopsis: In 1900, a white woman was murdered in Chinatown in San Francisco, and the suspect was a Chinese man. The murder caused social shock, and people demanded the closure of Chinatown.
Movie Review:
It has been 10 years since we were introduced to Qin Feng and Tang Ren, the protagonists of Chinese director Chen Sicheng’s Detective Chinatown series. The endearing duo played by Liu Haoran and Wang Baoqiang had their first adventure in Bangkok back in 2015, and the movie was a huge success. A sequel set in New York was released in 2018, and fans were treated to a third instalment in 2021 that saw the pair taking down baddies in Tokyo.
The Detective Chinatown universe was further expanded in 2020 with a web series which introduced new characters and cases to be solved. With positive reception, a sequel followed in 2024.
With all these released over the last decade, was there a need for a fourth Detective Chinatown movie? The filmmakers behind the hit franchise probably thought so, and here it is – a comedy mystery flick fighting for a place among the crowded Lunar New Year offerings.
Kudos to the filmmakers for coming up with a fresh concept. We are brought back in time to the year 1900 to meet Qin Fu (Liu) and Ah Gui (Wang). While they are not the Qin Feng and Tang Ren we are familiar with, the movie suggests that they are their ancestors, with a on screen chemistry that is just as winning.
After a funny sequence of how the two men cross paths and become fated to be buddy sleuths, they begin investigating the death of a white woman in San Francisco’s Chinatown. The victim is the daughter of a scheming US congressman (John Cusack), while the suspect is the son (Zhang Xincheng) of a well regarded Chinese businessman (Chow Yun-Fat slipping comfortably into the role).
The 135 minute movie then scurries Qin Fu and Ah Gui through a series of incidents, which range from bizarre to hilarious. Along the way, they also meet other characters like a haughty Chinese official (Yue Yunpeng), a popular magician (Xiang Wei) and a patriotic academic (Bai Ke).
Similar to its predecessors, this movie is constantly engaging and entertaining. There are no sluggish moments, and you will be looking out for clues with the protagonists and trying to crack the murder case ahead of them. There are many twists and turns, but directors Chen and Dai Mo make sure you can follow the story. Diehard fans of the Detective Chinatown franchise will have fun spotting several Easter eggs in the movie.
Having worked together previously. Liu and Wang effortlessly bring their personalities to screen. Yue’s portrayal of an arrogant official is comical and empathetic at the same time. Cusack is increasingly becoming the villain you love to hate, while Chow shows why he is one of the best actors in the business in a courtroom scene where he delivers an emotion speech.
As a production from China, the movie naturally features themes about Chinese patriotism. This fourth film also happens to have the most political elements in the franchise. The story weaves in a plot involving the Chinese exclusion bill (an actual federal law signed in 1882 that prohibits all immigration of Chinese labourers for 10 years), and ends on a note that will have nationalistic viewers feeling proud of how far China has come, and how much its people have achieved.
Movie Rating:
(Engaging and entertaining throughout, this fourth instalment of the Detective Chinatown series delivers thrilling mystery and humour while commemorating a decade of the franchise with a heartfelt tribute to Chinese patriotism)
Review by John Li
Genre: CG Animation
Director: Pierre Perifel
Cast: Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, Awkwafina, Danielle Brooks, Maria Bakalova, Natasha Lyonne, Zazie Beetz, Richard Ayoade, Alex Borstein, Lilly Singh
Runtime: 1 hr 44 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some) Violence
Released By: UIP
Official Website:
Opening Day: 31 July 2025
Synopsis: Everyone’s favourite felons are back, and this time, they’ve got company. In the new action-packed chapter from DreamWorks Animation’s acclaimed comedy smash about a crackerjack crew of animal outlaws, our now-reformed Bad Guys are trying (very, very hard) to be good, but instead find themselves hijacked into a high-stakes, globe-trotting heist, masterminded by a new team of criminals they never saw coming: The Bad Girls.
Movie Review:
The Bad Guys is an illustrated children’s graphic novel series by Aussie author Aaron Blabey. It really took off when DreamWorks Animation scooped up the rights for a big-screen adaptation. The concept? A group of misunderstood “bad” animals — think a sly wolf, a sneaky snake, and a grumpy piranha — team up to flip the script and become heroes. It’s like Ocean’s Eleven for kids, with plushie-worthy animals and family-friendly laughs.
The 2022 movie was a box office hit, raking in $250.4 million worldwide against a $69–80 million budget. Its success also spawned TV specials that kept fans laughing along with the motley crew of animal antiheroes. So naturally, with the sequel, we were curious—what new direction would the story take to keep the fun (and chaos) going?
We’re happy to report that this sequel directed by Pierre Perifel and JP Sans stays true to the spirit of the original. This time, the Bad Guys are pulled out of retirement to team up with an all-female criminal squad for a high-stakes heist. Why? Their ally, Governor Diane Foxington, is in trouble—her secret criminal past is on the verge of being exposed. So yes, watching the first movie definitely helps for some backstory and context.
Sam Rockwell, Marc Maron, Craig Robinson, Anthony Ramos, and Awkwafina return to voice Mr Wolf, Mr Snake, Mr Shark, Mr Piranha, and Ms Tarantula. Each character brings a unique quirk that makes the story a blast to watch. Rockwell effortlessly charms as the smooth-talking leader with a heart that's slowly turning good, while Maron is a delight as the lovelorn and snarky Mr Snake. Robinson delivers laughs as the unexpectedly hilarious master of disguise, and Ramos gets a standout moment with some toilet humor that’s sure to have kids howling. Meanwhile, Awkwafina’s distinctive voice fits perfectly as the sharp-witted hacker of the crew. Elsewhere, Zazie Beetz adds some female sass as the governor with a past.
Danielle Brooks, Maria Bakalova, and Natasha Lyonne join the cast as the formidable Bad Girls, voicing Kitty Kat — a no-nonsense, slightly menacing snow leopard; Doom — a raven who leaves Mr. Snake lovestruck; and Pigtail Petrova — a powerhouse wild boar who can easily outmuscle the Bad Guys.
We’re also thoroughly entertained by Alex Borstein’s Misty Luggins, the hot-headed human chief of police who’s now been promoted to police commissioner, and Richard Ayoade’s Professor Marmalade, the villainous guinea pig and former foe of the Bad Guys, now locked away in a maximum-security prison. The scene where the governor visits him and ends up playing Connect Four is pure comedy gold.
With such a lively mix of characters and personalities, it’s no surprise that the 104-minute film keeps the fun rolling from start to finish.
The sequel ups the ante with an out-of-this-world finale—literally—launching the characters into outer space. The sequence is gorgeously animated and, while delightfully over-the-top, delivers pure fun on the big screen. It’s the kind of wild swing that brings to mind the Fast & Furious franchise’s space detour—you know it’s ridiculous, but you can’t help but enjoy the ride.
A third instalment has already been announced, and here’s hoping it keeps the charm and chaos going strong.
Movie Rating:
(It’s double the fun and chaos as the Bad Guys team up with the Bad Girls in this entertainingly action-packed sequel)
Review by John Li
Genre: Fantasy/Action
Director: Wuershan
Cast: Huang Bo, Yu Shi, Naernaxi, Chen Muchi, Kris Phillips, Naran, Wu Xingguo, Han Pengyi, Ci Sha, Wu Yafan, Xia Yu, Senggerenqin, Ailiku, Zhang Yilong, Nayintai, Chen Kun
Runtime: 2 hrs 25 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Violence)
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website:
Opening Day: 29 January 2025
Synopsis: In the second instalment of the Fengshen Trilogy, "Creation of the Gods II: Demon Force", the Kingdom of Xiqi falls under attack by the Shang Dynasty army. Now Jiang Ziya and Ji Fa, with the help of the Kunlun immortals, must gather civilians of the entire country to defend their homeland. The two camps are engaged in a fierce battle of magic, and the competition for the Fengshen Bang (The Investiture of the Gods) continues...
Movie Review:
The last time we saw the villainous King Zhou, he was seriously hurt after engaging in a battle with Prince Ji Fa. The tyrant king’s beloved fox spirit was trying to heal him with her magic power, and the post credits scene marked the arrival of a mighty army led by Wen Zhong. With him are Deng Chanyu, a female general, and four brawly giants which look like they are going to cause some serious destruction.
More than a year after the release of the 2023 movie, we are now treated to the sequel where even more awesomeness awaits. And we are happy to report that we did not leave the theatre disappointed.
No idea what we are talking about, and scratching your head over who’s who? You may want to do yourself a favour by watching Chinese director Wuershan’s first instalment of an epic trilogy to fully appreciate this second part. But if you are familiar with the classic Chinese novel The Investiture of the Gods (more affectionately known by its Chinese names “Fengshen Yanyi” or “Fengshen Bang”), then these characters would ring a bell.
The frail King Zhou still wants to get his hands on Fengshen Bang, a divine decree that assigns titles to spirits, warriors and fallen heroes, transforming them into gods after they die. Essentially, it is a very powerful item that will make one invincible. Su Daji is getting increasingly feeble as she has used much of her strength to keep King Zhou alive. The couple is very much scowling in the background this time round, as the action is focused on Ji Fa as he tries to protect his hometown, the Kingdom of Xiqi.
Throughout the 145 minute runtime, Ji Fa finds himself engaged in battle after battle, and one worthy opponent is Deng Chanyu, and the story naturally gets the two of them to develop feelings for each other. Fighting alongside Ji Fa is the deity turned mortal Jiang Ziya, and also Yi Jiao, who was died in the first movie (no thanks to his father King Zhou) and has returned as a blue three headed demi god.
Yup, you read that right – a blue three headed demi god. And this is just one of the many out of this world creatures that you will come across in this fantasy movie, all created by a capable visual effects team. The movie successfully creates a world where gods and humans pit their wits and skills against each other, and it is a visual spectacle that you can immerse yourself in on the biggest screen possible.
The ensemble cast returns, with Kris Phillips exuding a commanding presence as King Zhou in every scene he is in, with Su Daji (Naran) hangs on to him seductively. You know these two are up to no good every time they appear. Yu Shi gets more screen time this time round as Ji Fa, and is a worthy protagonist you want to root for. The actor even finds time to show off his abs by appearing topless in some sequences.
But it is Naernaxi’s Deng Chanyu who will leave a deep impression in this sequel. We first see her as a no nonsense and fiercely loyal general of the antagonist army. The way she leads an army and engages in combat will put most guys to shame. As the movie progresses, she begins showing a softer humane side which moves the story forward in an unexpectedly emotional way.
Other returning actors include Huang Bo (Jiang Ziya), Chen Muchi (Yin Jiao), Ci Sha (Yang Jian), Wu Yafan (Ne Zha), Xia Yu (Shen Gong Bao) and Chen Kun in not one, but two different roles. Wu Xingguo’s portrayal as Wen Zhong is also a memorable one, as the actor channels his gravitas into a character that is committed to his cause of bringing down the enemy.
Wuershan does it again with this sequel, delivering a visually stunning saga that features extermely high production values and breathtaking larger than life battles. More importantly, he is telling an emotionally engaging story that has left us eagerly anticipating the explosive finale in the concluding chapter of the trilogy.
Movie Rating:
(Breathtaking in every way, this gripping second instalment of the trilogy brings the world of gods and humans to life on the big screen in the most epic way possible)
Review by John Li
SYNOPSIS: When two weddings are accidentally booked on the same day at the same venue, each bridal party is challenged with preserving their family’s special moment while making the most of the unanticipated tight quarters. In a hilarious battle of determination and grit, the father of the bride (Will Ferrell) and sister of the other bride (Reese Witherspoon) chaotically go head-to-head as they stop at nothing to uphold an unforgettable celebration for their loved ones.
MOVIE REVIEW:
You’re Cordially Invited is a comedy which Judd Apatow never made. Crude, convoluted and equally sentimental. Not a surprise consider it’s written and directed by Apatow’s once collaborator, Nicolas Stoller who brought us Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Neighbors.
For Stoller’s latest self-penned and directorial effort, stars Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon joins in the fun as an overprotective single dad, Jim and controlling TV executive, Margot. Both have booked the same venue for the wedding of Jim’s daughter, Jenni (Geraldine Viswanathan) and Margot’s sister, Neve (Meredith Hagner). And now, they have to make do sharing the same wedding location leading to expected mayhem, mishaps and misunderstandings.
Initially, Jim and Margot tries to get along but as the days go or as the movie goes, patience between the two starts to wane. There won’t be much fun if everything comes together right? Thus Stoller throws in a couple of hilarious gags including a rowdy collapsed dock sequence and Jim wresting an ultra-fake alligator for no reason. With that, unintentionally stretches the comedy to close to two hours.
There are plenty of well-meaning messages hidden between all the goofiness and hilarity. For example, Jim keeping secrets from her daughter and vice versa, Margot’s estranged relationship with her own mother and siblings, Jenni feeling unsure about getting married at a young age etc. At least the life lessons help to keep the comedy stay afloat since the constant squabbling between Jim and Margot starts to get weary by the end of the second act.
The fault of course doesn’t lies in Ferrell and Witherspoon who gamely plays off each other with much enthusiasm. Ferrell hasn’t been that active in recent years and it’s great to see him getting back to doing his chaotic humour acts. He evens puts in a more than decent vocal performance of Dolly Parton & Kenny Rogers’ Islands in the Stream. Similar to Ferrell, Witherspoon returns to the screen with a rejuvenated comedic energy.
You’re Cordially Invited is strictly a profanity-filled comedy although Stoller attempts to shoe in some romance in the very last minute. It’s not one of Stoller’s best and definitely merely a warm-up for the two stars. Yet the predictable humour and conflicts are enough to garner a chuckle or two in the comfort of your living room.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Comedy
Director: Wong Jing, Patrick Kong
Cast: Kenneth Ma, Samantha Ko, Dada Chan, Carlos Chan, Bob Lam, Hui Shiu Hung
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language And Sexual References)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 28 January 2025
Synopsis: Queen of Mahjong, a Chinese New Year Hong Kong movie set for release in 2025's Year of the Snake, follows the hilarious and heartwarming stories of love, family, and hidden secrets in the Long family – Village Chief Long with his 3 daughters and 1 son. With three couples navigating love and laughter in their own unique ways, how will it all end? Find out in The Queen of Mahjong—a festive comedy that promises to light up with waves of laughter in cinemas this 2025!
Movie Review:
We’ve lost count on the number of mahjong-themed movies that Wong Jing has written, produced or directed, but it is pretty obvious from the title that ‘Queen of Mahjong’ harks back to the sort of over-the-top mahjong comedies that Wong Jing is synonymous with.
The titular character is Elsa (Samantha Ko), a top insurance agent whose love for mahjong began when her mother went into labour while playing the game; and although her mother had passed away when she was seven, Elsa subsequently became a pro. Unfortunately, as fate (or scriptwriting convention) would have it, Elsa’s high school crush Martin (Kenneth Ma), whom she has a chance reunion one day and immediately falls back in love with, detests mahjong because of his mother’s gambling addiction and consequent neglect.
While trying to conceal her skills from Martin, Elsa finds her mahjong competencies uncannily useful in winning back an important client named Mama Mia (Rainbow Ching) that her team member has inadvertently offended, after mistaking the latter for asking for Maria Condero instead of Mariah Carey concert tickets (no spoilers; this is in the trailer). It isn’t hard to guess that Martin will eventually find out that Elsa is great at the game, nor that the movie will end with an ultimate showdown at a mahjong tournament, where Elsa will prove indeed to be the queen of mahjong.
On his part, Martin is an inventor, whose latest creation is an AI-enabled helmet called Regret Vision Pro that can help its user visualise things from his or her past or simply his or her own fantasies. Let’s just say there isn’t much coherence to it, not when the helmet can help Elsa recall her meet-cute with Martin during their high school days, as well as help Martin’s assistant watch 3D porn (lest we forget, this is still a Wong Jing movie).
Besides Elsa and Martin, the movie also splits its time with Sammy (Dada Chan) and Winnie (Kris Cheung). A former primary school drama teacher who gets fired after getting a kid to admit that he would weep if he had lost his helper than his mother, Sammy signs up to be an intimacy instructor for movie star Tony’s (Carlos Chan) latest endeavour, an arthouse movie meant to restore his goodwill with audiences after his latest abusive on-set behaviour goes viral.
Truth be told, Sammy largely ends up playing second fiddle to Tony, whose exaggerated over-acting is one of the running jokes of this subplot. It also gives fans of Carlos the chance to see him in a comedic role, which the actor pulls off relatively well. Before we forget, there is also within this story a young, up-and-coming starlet called Coco (Mizuki Lin), who is Tony’s co-star but whose significance onscreen goes no further than as eye candy.
Last but not least, there is Winnie, who gets her shot at love with a hustler named George (Jiro Lee), whose sexist nature is taught a lesson after being put under a spell by Master Hypnotist Ng. For those who have seen the trailer, this is the subplot that has George seeing the opposite in women because of the spell, thinking that the overweight Winnie is in fact a voluptuous beauty, and the same subplot which sees George’s uncle call Winnie an ‘ape’ that eats dim sum (again, this is a Wong Jing movie).
If it seems all over the place, then you should know too that Wong Jing and his co-director Patrick Kong try to tie these disparate stories together with a loose parody of ‘Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In’, what with Elsa, Sammy and Winnie being summoned by their father Twister (Benz Hui) after the latter finds out that each of them has found a new partner. It is no secret that Twister is modelled after Louis Koo’s character Cyclone, and even Hui makes no apologies for saying that everyone in his village knows him as ‘Louis Koo’.
Frankly, regardless of how they try (and perhaps at least they do), this is really a scattershot bag of half-baked jokes that only occasionally raise a chuckle. Despite an entire roster of TVB stars, none of them gets to do anything more than they probably would in a 45-minute TVB episode, and for some like Ma, fans may even say that their time here is utterly wasted. We shan’t even start about the political correctness of the sexism on display here, in part because it is a sign of the times that what used to be a staple formula for Wong Jing’s comedies now seem antiquated.
We’d say though that there is hardly any reason to spend your time with the ‘Queen of Mahjong’, except if you’re looking to kill some in between visiting during this Lunar New Year. Wong Jing talks about how there has been a dearth of comedies in Hong Kong cinema these few years, and how he hopes to revive that with his latest; unfortunately, like he has also acknowledged, even successful formulas last but 5 – 6 years, and while ‘Queen of Mahjong’ could have been a modest success in the 1990s, it is simply way past its sell by date in this day and age.
Movie Rating:
(Scattershot, largely infantile, and never quite amusing, this mahjong-themed slapstick comedy hardly has a winning hand)
Review by Gabriel Chong
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