Thursday, December 3, 2020

The Diam Diam Era 《我们的故事之沉默的年代》(2020)

Enjoyed it on a personal level for the most parts. Very patchy narrative, enjoyed some of the performances. There is a stereotype joke at the expense of a certain body type, which I didn't appreciate.  Some scenes are good at stirring certain basic emotions, but the uneven narrative doesn't really build on these strengths. 



Saturday, November 28, 2020

The Two Popes (2019)

Nice! Very strong performances from all. And a drama that unfolds like a thriller. Kind of.

Monday, November 23, 2020

Fathers (2016)

Didn't really take to the story or direction. Nat Sakdatorn has an infectious smile and looks good, IMHO.

Saturday, November 21, 2020

His House (2020)

Not bad. One of those thinking person horror films. Pretty much like the storytelling and the performances. It's on Netflix, but I thought this would look really nice on a big screen.

Sunday, November 1, 2020

The Trail of the Chicago 7 (2020)

Not too bad. Good performances.

Saturday, October 31, 2020

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (2020)

Politically incorrect feel-good film about a father and a daughter. Sort of enjoyed.

Sunday, October 25, 2020

Number 1 《男儿王》(2020)

Not too bad. Story really revolves around Mark Lee's character going through a hero's journey. Drag just happens to be part of that journey - but is not what this movie is really about. IMHO, Mark Lee performed well and is deserving of the Golden Horse nomination (ditto the Best Makeup & Costume Design nod).

Love most of the performances, including Cassandra See, Kiwebaby, etc. Love how the dialogue flowed so naturally from Mandarin to Hokkienn to Teochew to English, etc. Love the "tribute" to Good Morning, Sir! - that 1989 drama series with Chen Liping. Love the last bit with all the Singapore locations. Love the mid-credits sequence.

This one tries to be entertainment for the mainstream audience. In terms of delivery, I think it succeeded for the most part. I just dunno during this period and the social climate, whether enough of the mainstream audience will turn up to buy tix to make this very family friendly film a hit.