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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.
(From left) Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Mehcad Brooks as Jackson “Jax” Briggs, Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade and Karl Urban as Johnny Cage in a still from Mortal Kombat II (category III), directed by Simon McQuoid. Photo: Warner Bros
American cinema

Review | Mortal Kombat II: Karl Urban leads brainless, outdated action sequel

Little more than a series of cartoonish ultra-violent vignettes, Mortal Kombat II feels as antiquated as the amulet the characters chase.

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Asian cinema: Japanese films

Review | Milky Subway: The Galactic Limited Express is a riotous sci-fi anime ride

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European cinema

Review | Sound of Falling: Cannes Jury Prize winner is a beautiful tale of trauma

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American cinema

Review | The Devil Wears Prada 2: iconic fashion comedy gets a slick but muted update

The Devil Wears Prada 2 tackles journalism’s digital shift and changes within the fashion industry since the first film came out in 2006.

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Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs in a still from The Devil Wears Prada 2 (category IIA), directed by David Frankel. Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt co-star. Photo: Macall Polay/20th Century Studios
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Cold War 1994: Hong Kong crime thriller prequel is a star-studded blast

Terrance Lau leads this unrealistic but fun 1990s-set actioner that’s stuffed with stars including Aaron Kwok, Chow Yun-fat and Louis Koo.

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American cinema

Review | Michael: ‘King of Pop’ biopic features all the hits, none of the controversy

While the film is packed with great performances, it is an utterly sanitised view of Michael Jackson’s life and the allegations he faced.

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European cinema

Review | Arco: Annecy winner is a charming Peter Pan-esque sci-fi fable for our times

Featuring voices including Natalie Portman and Mark Ruffalo, Ugo Bienvenu’s directorial debut Arco delivers a powerful ecological message.

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Iris (left, voiced by Romy Fay) and Arco (Juliano Krue Valdi) in a screen grab from Arco (category I), directed by Ugo Bienvenu. Natalie Portman and Mark Ruffalo co-star.
Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | Pegasus 3: Shen Teng roars back in Han Han’s blockbuster racing sequel

Shen Teng stars as a former rally champion who has fallen on hard times in Pegasus 3, which really takes off in its exhilarating third act.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | We’re Nothing at All: Herman Yau’s grim social critique lacks all subtlety

A gripping drama, We’re Nothing at All explores societal apathy through a tragic bus blast – but its heavy-handed approach may deter viewers.

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American cinema

Review | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie: Nintendo sequel looks great but lacks laughs

Donald Glover, Brie Larson and Benny Safdie join the cast in this sequel to 2023’s hugely successful The Super Mario Bros Movie.

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(From left) Yoshi (voiced by Donald Glover), Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) in a screen grab from The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (category 1), directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic.
Asian cinema: Korean films

Review | Humint: dynamic Korean spy thriller from Ryoo Seung-wan on Netflix

Starring Zo In-sung, Park Jeong-min and Park Hae-joon, Humint rewards patient viewers with some of the best heroic bloodshed in recent times.

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Zo In-sung (right) in a still from Humint, a Korean spy movie from director Ryoo Seung-wan that is now streaming on Netflix.
American cinema

Review | They Will Kill You: Zazie Beetz leads a delicious slice of midnight madness

They Will Kill You delivers dark comic madness, with Zazie Beetz taking a magnetic turn as an ex-con battling satanic elites in New York.

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American cinema

Review | Ready or Not 2: Here I Come – Samara Weaving back for stale horror sequel

Good casting and funny moments aside, this horror sequel with Sarah Michelle Gellar is heavier on bloodshed than on new ideas.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Ciao UFO: Charlene Choi leads nostalgic trip through Hong Kong history

Chui Tien-you and Wong You-nam join Charlene Choi in Patrick Leung’s poignant character drama that finally arrives at cinemas after debuting in 2019.

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Charlene Choi in a still from Ciao UFO (Category: IIA, Cantonese), directed by Patrick Leung and co-starring Chui Tien-you and Wong You-nam.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Gamer Girls: Angela Yuen leads beguiling Hong Kong esports drama

This engaging tale of an all-female esports team delivers an underdog story with a light touch and punches well above its modest budget.

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Angela Yuen as online gamer Summer in a still from Gamer Girls (category IIB, Cantonese), directed by Veronica Bassetto and Sophie Yang.
American cinema

Review | Project Hail Mary: Ryan Gosling is stranded in dull Martian clone

Ryan Gosling plays an astronaut on a mission to save Earth in this film directed by The Lego Movie’s Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Girlfriends: Fish Liew and Jennifer Yu reunite for tender lesbian romance

Tracy Choi’s semi-autobiographical, episodic drama gives an intimate portrait of a woman searching for her place at different stages of life.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Ultimate Revenge: Hong Kong crime thriller is all brawn and no brains

Loud, action-packed and completely chaotic, Terry Ng’s Ultimate Revenge is packed with thrills but fails to deliver on plot.

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Alex Fong in a still from Ultimate Revenge.
American cinema

Review | Hoppers: Pixar’s new animation is a hilarious, heartfelt animal Avatar

Pixar’s Hoppers sees a young animal-lover use secret technology to pilot a robot beaver to recruit real ones and stop a construction project.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | Scare Out: Zhang Yimou tackles national security in subpar Chinese spy thriller

A story of a mole inside a state security team in China, Scare Out is slickly executed but narratively muddled, and far from Zhang’s best.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | Double Happiness: Liu Kuan-ting, Jennifer Yu lead clever wedding comedy

A couple have two simultaneous wedding ceremonies to keep their parents apart in Double Happiness, an ingenious comedy of errors.

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Jennifer Yu (left) and Liu Kuan-ting in a still from Double Happiness.
Asian cinema: Japanese films

Review | A New Dawn: climate crisis meets fireworks in confusing Japanese anime

Yoshitoshi Shinomiya’s beautiful debut feature is sure to excite fans of Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki, even if a muddled plot lets it down.

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A still from A New Dawn, directed by Yoshitoshi Shinomiya. Lead characters voiced by Riku Hagiwara and Kotone Furukawa. Photo: A New Dawn Film Partners
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Blades of the Guardians: Wu Jing leads star-studded Chinese martial arts epic

Starring Wu Jing, Nicholas Tse and Chen Lijun, the visually stunning Blades of the Guardians is one of the fiercest wuxia films in years.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Jackie Chan’s hot streak continues with Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe

Panda Plan: The Magical Tribe manages to overcome its previous instalment’s failings to become a fun, wholesome family adventure.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | We Are All Strangers: Anthony Chen’s epic look at fatherhood in Singapore

A beautiful conclusion to Anthony Chen’s ‘Growing Up’ trilogy, We Are All Strangers is a study of family and love in all its forms.

(Standing, from left) Yeo Yann Yann and Andi Lim in a still from We Are All Strangers, directed by Anthony Chen. Photo: Giraffe Pictures
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Night King: Dayo Wong, Sammi Cheng lead enjoyably fluffy nightclub comedy

While slightly disjointed and overlong, Night King delivers a fun blend of romance and nostalgic glamour set in Hong Kong’s nightclub scene.

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Sammi Cheng (left) and Dayo Wong in a still from Night King (category IIB, Cantonese), directed by Jack Ng. Louise Wong co-stars.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | The Snowball on a Sunny Day: Mark Six miss turns into mayhem in family comedy

This witty Lunar New Year film follows a woman pretending to have won the Mark Six lottery after failing to buy the winning ticket.

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American cinema

Review | Wuthering Heights: Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi sizzle in modern moorcore

Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights captivates with stunning visuals in the Yorkshire Moors and sizzling chemistry between Elordi and Robbie.

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