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Film reviews
Hollywood blockbusters, local greats, European movies, Japanese and Korean dramas, animation, art house films, you can find them all here.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
Park Ji-hyun as Mi-ju (left) and Song Seung-heon as Sung-jin in a still from Hidden Face.
Asian cinema: Korean films

Review | Hidden Face, a Korean erotic thriller, serves up scandalous fun

This sexy K-movie follows a conductor who sleeps with the replacement player for his cellist fiancée, who seems to have disappeared.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | The Prosecutor: Donnie Yen literally fights for justice in court drama

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Last Song for You: Natalie Hsu melts hearts in poignant fantasy romance

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Haunting Call: Lin Min-chen sees ghosts in subpar Danny Pang horror

A live streamer steals a mobile phone that serves as an instrument of revenge for a ghost she befriends. Intriguing, but don’t expect scares.

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Lin Min-chen in a still from Haunting Call.
American cinema

Review | A Complete Unknown: Timothée Chalamet aces Bob Dylan role in biopic

Timothée Chalamet excels in this reverential take on Bob Dylan’s rise to fame and electric-guitar performance at the Newport Folk Festival.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | Daughter’s Daughter: Sylvia Chang anchors intricate women’s drama

Hou Hsiao-hsien acolyte Huang Xi’s second feature is an absorbing, skilfully crafted family drama anchored by Chang’s nuanced performance.

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Asian cinema: Japanese films

Review | Anime The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is an exciting prequel

Kenji Kamiyama directs this animated film set 200 years before LotR and starring the voices of Gaia Wise, Brian Cox and Luke Pasqualino.

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Héra (voiced by Gaia Wise) in a still from The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Papa: Lau Ching-wan shines in haunting true-crime family drama

Lau’s character experiences a maelstrom of emotions after his son kills his wife and daughter in Philip Yung’s sublime human drama.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | Fresh Off Markham, second-rate comedy about Chinese immigrant experience

Despite interesting cultural observations in the first third, this comedy thriller is let down by poor writing and very stilted performances.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | An Abandoned Team, feel-good dog rescue drama led by Lawrence Cheng

Get ready for a corny but wholesome story about a cantankerous old man whose bond with a dog opens a door to more new connections.

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Lawrence Cheng in a still from An Abandoned Team.
American cinema

Review | Moana 2, Disney animated sequel, is beautiful but basic

Disney’s Polynesian heroine and Maui the demigod, voiced by Dwayne Johnson, meet again in a sequel that looks spectacular but lacks suspense.

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Moana, voiced by Auli’i Cravalho, in a still from Moana 2 (category: I), co-starring Dwayne Johnson. Directed by David Derrick Jnr, Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller. Photo: Disney
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Blossoms Under Somewhere: Collar’s Marf Yau impresses in film debut

Cantopop star Marf Yau gives a charismatic performance in a dubious coming-of-age tale of two teenaged girls who sell their underwear online.

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SCMP Highlights

Recap | Gladiator II, Love in the Big City, Cesium Fallout: our latest film reviews

We review six diverse films, from Ridley Scott’s epic Gladiator II and the empowering tale of The Last Dance, to the stellar Love in the Big City and Hong Kong blockbuster Cesium Fallout.

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American cinema

Review | Gladiator II: Paul Mescal in Ridley Scott’s gory swords-and-sandals epic

Pedro Pascal and Paul Mescal star in Ridley Scott’s violent sequel to his 2000 tale of ancient Roman slaves and emperors.

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Paul Mescal as Lucius in a still from Gladiator II. Photo: Paramount Pictures
Asian cinema

Review | My Boo: gamer falls for beautiful ghost in Thai romcom on Netflix

Starring Sutthirak ‘Gee’ Subvijitra and Maylada Susri (Bow), My Boo is best as an unabashed romance as much of the humour misses the mark.

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Sutthirak Subvijitra (left) and Maylada Susri in a still from My Boo.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | The Last Dance: Dayo Wong, Michael Hui in exquisite funeral drama

Comic actors excel in purely dramatic roles, but Michelle Wai steals the show in an engrossing film that champions female empowerment.

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American cinema

Review | Red One: Christmas with Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans is no fun

The Rock gets knocked silly by monsters and murderous snowmen in his bid to save Santa Claus in a festive film devoid of Christmas cheer.

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European cinema

Review | Weekend in Taipei: Luke Evans, Gwei Lun-mei in dull action quickie

Sung Kang is tame as a tycoon fighting Evans’ drug cop to get at his estranged wife and her son, in a film that has action but lacks panache.

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Luke Evans in a still from Weekend in Taipei.
European cinema

Review | Paddington in Peru: third time’s still a charm for beloved series

Movie sees Paddington bear and his adoptive family fly to the rescue of his aunt in South America, where they have some knockabout fun.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Cesium Fallout: Andy Lau leads Hong Kong radiation disaster drama

Implausible? Yes. A flimsy set-up? Also true – but this mega-budget film starring Andy Lau, Bai Yu and Karen Mok is immersive and engaging.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | In Possession Street, zombies terrorise old Hong Kong shopping mall

Starring Philip Keung, Yeung Wai-lun and Candy Wong of girl group Collar, Possession Street is a grim and claustrophobic experience.

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Philip Keung in a still from Possession Street. Photo: Mei Ah Entertainment.
Asian cinema: Korean films

Review | Love in the Big City: Kim Go-eun shines in 5-star romantic comedy

Korea’s rampant misogyny and homophobia are highlighted in this intelligent romcom, boosted by a fine performance from Kim Go-eun.

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Kim Go-eun as Jae-hee in a still from Love in the Big City.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Inexternal, martial arts fantasy without a watchable fight scene

Martial arts clichés, clumsy storytelling and terrible fight scenes all add up to a fantasy that is less than fantastic.

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Asian cinema

Review | Uranus 2324, Thai sci-fi girls’ love film with LGBTQ stars FreenBecky

‘GL’ fans will love watching lesbian stars Freen Sarocha Chankimha and Rebecca Patricia Armstrong, but Uranus 2324 offers little to others.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | Jackie Chan falls flat in CGI family action flop Panda Plan

Jackie Chan stars as himself as he jets off to adopt a panda cub and has to fight off kidnappers in this terrible family film.

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The CGI panda Hu Hu in a still from Panda Plan.
American cinema

Review | Smile 2, brutal horror movie sequel starring Naomi Scott

Directed by Parker Finn and with a cast including Rosemarie DeWitt and Lukas Gage, Smile 2 will make you wince but won’t leave you grinning.

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Naomi Scott in a still from Smile 2 (category III). Director: Parker Finn; cast includes Rosemarie DeWitt and Lukas Gage.
American cinema

Review | Didi, Asian-American coming-of-age drama that’s a real gem

Izaac Wang and Joan Chen star in Sean Wang’s Sundance winner about a teen navigating adolescence as kids begin living their lives online.

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European cinema

Review | Blitz, a Dickensian wartime drama, blends the intimate with the epic

Steve McQueen’s Blitz places a young black boy at the centre of this second world war-set film as he makes his way back to his mother.

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