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Yamato Kochi as “The Walking Man” in a still from Exit 8. Photo: Handout
Asian cinema: Japanese films

Review | Exit 8, live-action adaptation of cult Japanese video game

Protagonist ‘The Lost Man’ must spot the differences as he walks repeatedly down an underground passage. Expect jump scares and apparitions.

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American cinema

Review | Magellan, conqueror of Philippines, as we’ve never seen him before

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American cinema

Review | The Phoenician Scheme, Wes Anderson’s exquisite espionage caper

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European cinema

Review | Die, My Love: Jennifer Lawrence gives searing turn as unstable mother

Lynne Ramsay’s portrayal of a marriage coming apart pits Lawrence against Robert Pattinson. Nick Nolte and Sissy Spacek play his parents.

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Jennifer Lawrence as Grace in a still from Die, My Love, directed by Lynne Ramsay. Robert Pattinson co-stars. Photo: Handout
Asian cinema: Japanese films

Review | In Renoir, Plan 75 director paints picture of amorality in Japan

Chie Hayakawa’s story of a girl who, watching her father die, seeks kindred spirits in art has a message about greed-is-good 1980s Japan.

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American cinema

Review | Eddington: Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal in Ari Aster’s modern western

Joaquin Phoenix puts himself through the wringer as sheriff of a town gripped by Covid-19 and gradually enveloped by violence.

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Asian cinema: Japanese films

Review | A Pale View of Hills: Suzu Hirose, Fumi Nikaido in Kazuo Ishiguro adaptation

Premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, Kei Ishikawa’s film moves adroitly between the 1950s and 1980s as a writer probes her family history.

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Suzu Hirose as young bride Etsuko in a still from A Pale View of Hills, adapted from a 1982 novel by Kazuo Ishiguro and directed by Kei Ishikawa. Fumi Nikaido, Yoh Yoshida and Camilla Aiko co-star.
American cinema

Review | Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning is fun but no masterpiece

Tom Cruise plays agent Ethan Hunt, out to save the world, this time from a rogue AI, in an instalment that neatly wraps up the franchise.

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American cinema

Review | Final Destination: Bloodlines – horror franchise back after 14-year break

MRI scanners and vending machines are used to kill characters in creative ways in long-awaited gorefest that follows the franchise formula.

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Asian cinema: Japanese films

Review | Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon – sci-fi anime film is for diehard fans only

Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon offers a big-screen compilation of the anime, but character development and emotional nuance are stripped away.

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A still from Kaiju No. 8: Mission Recon (category IIA, Japanese), directed by Tomomi Kamiya and Shigeyuki Miya. Masaya Fukunishi and Asami Seto provide voices.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | A Gilded Game: Oho Ou, Andy Lau lead moralistic financial drama

Lau plays an equity analyst and Ou his protégé, a fresh-faced bank hire chasing a big deal, in Herman Yau’s financial drama.

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Andy Lau as equity analyst Todd Zhang in a still from A Gilded Game (category IIA; Mandarin), directed by Herman Yau Lai-to. Oho Ou co-stars.
Asian cinema: Korean films

Review | Holy Night: Demon Hunters – Ma Dong-seok can’t save tiring action horror

Ma Dong-seok fails to make a hit in this tale of a private detective who deals with cases of demonic possession by fighting spirits.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | ‎The Dumpling Queen: founding of a Hong Kong food brand

Andrew Lau’s rags-to-riches biopic streamlines and rather sugarcoats the story of the Wanchai Ferry brand’s Zang Jianhe, played by Ma Li.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Vital Signs: Louis Koo, Neo Yau play ambulance paramedics in wistful drama

Polar opposites come together and have changes of heart in Cheuk Wan-chi’s film. Seeing Koo without a gun in his hand is refreshing.

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Louis Koo Tin-lok as paramedic Ma Chi-yip in a still from Vital Signs, written and directed by Cheuk Wan-chi. Neo Yau and Angela Chan co-star.
American cinema

Review | Thunderbolts*: Marvel’s new team-up movie lacks a real sense of danger

Despite some good fight scenes and a great performance from Florence Pugh, Thunderbolts* just feels like a set-up for Avengers: Doomsday.

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(From left) Hannah John-Kamen, Florence Pugh, Wyatt Russell and David Harbour in a still from Thunderbolts* (category IIA), directed by Jake Schreier. Photo: Marvel Studios
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Montages of a Modern Motherhood: Hedwig Tam shines in bleak drama

Hong Kong writer-director Oliver Chan, a mother herself, paints a grim picture of maternity in a patriarchal Chinese society.

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American cinema

Review | The Accountant 2: Ben Affleck, Jon Bernthal back for illogical sequel

Ben Affleck returns as a mob-trained, autistic accountant in this convoluted sequel that, despite some good action, is disappointingly thin.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Smashing Frank: Hedwig Tam robs the rich and powerful in slick drama

Director Trevor Choi tries to explore Hong Kong’s generational and class divide with a film that sees the poor and young steal from the rich.

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Hedwig Tam in a still from Smashing Frank (category IIB, Cantonese), directed by Trevor Choi. Locker Lam and Sham Ka-ki co-star.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Once Upon a Lie: Irene Wan chases much younger man in unconvincing romance

Irene Wan plays a lovesick divorcee catfishing a much younger man, played by Bruce Hung, in a superficial film that lacks any chemistry.

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Asian cinema: Japanese films

Review | Bullet Train Explosion, nail-biting remake of Japanese disaster thriller

Shinji Higuchi’s new Netflix movie Bullet Train Explosion is a white-knuckle ride across Japan starring Tsuyoshi Kusanagi and Non.

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American cinema

Review | Drop: date night dilemma in Happy Death Day director’s new thriller

The White Lotus’ Meghann Fahy plays a widow on a first date who faces a terrifying quandary in Christopher Landon’s implausible film.

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Meghann Fahy as Violet in a still from Drop. Photo: Universal Pictures
American cinema

Review | The Amateur: Rami Malek, Laurence Fishburne in muddled revenge thriller

This story of a CIA analyst looking for vengeance has all the elements necessary for success, but somehow fails to pull them together.

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Rami Malek as Heller in a still from The Amateur. Photo: John Wilson/20th Century Studios
American cinema

Review | A Minecraft Movie: video game adaptation is nonsensical but fun

Jack Black, Jason Momoa and Jennifer Coolidge bring the laughs in this zany adaptation of the world’s most successful video game.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | The Last Dance (extended version): what the deleted scenes entail

The highest grossing Hong Kong film ever returns with 12 minutes of extra scenes that add some comedy, but do they warrant a re-release?

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American cinema

Review | Warfare, one of the most authentic combat movies of modern times

Alex Garland teams up with his military supervisor from Civil War for this survival tale based on the latter’s experience of the war in Iraq.

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Will Poulter in a still from Warfare. Photo: A24
Asian cinema: Japanese films

Review | Grand Maison Paris: Takuya Kimura goes to France in Japanese chef drama

TV show La Grande Maison Tokyo spin-off with Ok Taec-yeon and Kyoka Suzuki a feast for the eyes but not the ears as Kimura butchers French.

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Takuya Kimura in a still from Grand Maison Paris.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Peg O’ My Heart: great visuals, awful story in Nick Cheung horror thriller

Andy Lau cameo can’t save Cheung’s film starring himself, Fala Chen and Terrance Lau that is heavy on style but lacks convincing backstories.

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Asian cinema: Japanese films

Review | In 1st Kiss, Japanese time-travel romance, Takako Matsu woos a younger man

Director Ayuko Tsukahara’s story follows a middle-aged woman who travels back in time to save her marriage and her husband’s life.

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