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Lau Ching-wan as Nin Yuen and Lainey Hung as his daughter in a still from Papa, directed by Philip Yung. Dylan So and Jo Koo co-star. Photo: Golden Scene
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

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

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

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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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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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Chris Evans (left) and Dwayne Johnson in a still from Red One (category IIA), co-starring Lucy Liu and directed by Jake Kasdan. Photo: Prime
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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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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Saoirse Ronan as Rita in a still from Blitz. Photo: Apple TV+
Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | Go for Broke: Nick Cheung, Ethan Ruan in nonsensical thriller

Nick Cheung plays an ex-soldier who takes on a drug cartel after his family die, in a ridiculous thriller whose action scenes can’t save it.

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Nick Cheung as former soldier Zhang Yao in a still from Go for Broke.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | High Forces: Andy Lau takes on aircraft hijackers in stupid thriller

Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau’s reputation takes another nosedive in High Forces, a ridiculous Chinese production from director Oxide Pang.

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Asian cinema: Korean films

Review | Hear Me: Our Summer, Korean remake of deaf romance, is problematic

The film’s demeaning portrayal of the deaf community and a final reveal that is insulting in its sheer stupidity make this one to miss.

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Asian cinema: Korean films

Review | Bogota: City of the Lost – abysmal ‘crime’ movie starring Song Joong-ki

Song Joong-ki stars as an immigrant who becomes a Colombian crime lord in Korean movie Bogota: City of the Lost, a one-star waste of time.

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Lee Hee-joon (left) and Song Joong-ki in a still from Bogota: City of the Lost. Photo: Plus M Entertainment and Watermelon Pictures Co., Ltd
Asian cinema: Korean films

Review | Uprising: Gang Dong-won leads a rebellion in lavish Netflix movie

Big on sword-fighting, but lacking in narrative, Netflix historical movie follows two friends who end up on opposing sides in a rebellion.

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Gang Dong-won as Cheon-yeong in a still from Uprising. Photo: Lee Jae-hyuk/Netflix
Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | Bound in Heaven: Ni Ni shines in doomed romance drama

Ni Ni excels as Xia You, whose partner (Liao Fan) physically abuses her, and who falls in love with the terminally ill Xu Zitai (Zhou You).

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Stuntman, passionate homage to Hong Kong action filmmaking

Veteran action choreographer Tung Wai plays washed-up action director Lee Sam, who returns for one last film collaboration.

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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
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