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Film Review: The Bridge Curse 2: Ritual 女鬼橋2:怨鬼樓 (2023) Taiwan 🇹🇼   Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia 🇦🇺) Having not seen the prequel, I treated the Taiwanese horror thriller sequel “The Bridge Curse 2: Ritual” directed by Lester Hsi as a standalone experience. That being said, for most of the duration, the film remains rather bland, poor special effects and non interesting characters to boot. Adding to the mess is the totally non-coherent script, making this an unnecessary genre experience that does not precisely warrant a sequel.   Wang Yu-xuan leads to the ensemble casting as...

Film Review: Bursting Point 爆裂點 (2023) Hong Kong 🇭🇰   Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia 🇦🇺) After a decade of churning out patriotic action blockbusters in the tune of “Operation Red Sea”, Hong Kong director Dante Lam returns to his roots to create a local crime action thriller “Bursting Point”. The result is a mixed bag, a film filled with body counts and bloody violence and death that recalls the 80s and early 90s era, whilst at the same time creating a significant lack of deeper characterisation and inner morality that we often used to see...

Film Review: Sound of Freedom 自由之聲 (2023) USA 🇺🇸   Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia 🇦🇺) Putting the political agendas aside, “Sound of Freedom” directed by Alejandro Monteverde remains one of the most important and powerful film in 2023 portraying a message that resonates with the audience as we understand the true implications of these atrocious actions happening to innocent children is truly unimaginable. Often censored or difficult to make, these kind of cinemas are needed, even to just raise the awareness that more is needed to be done to end the nightmarish human trafficking for...

Film Review: Ready or Rot 不日成婚2 (2023) Hong Kong 🇭🇰 Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia 🇦🇺)   After the entertaining 2021’s romantic comedy “Ready or Knot”, director and co-screenwriter Anselm Chan follow up with the sequel and welcoming back the entire cast with a far superior effort in “Ready or Rot”. It’s a rarity that sequels are better than its predecessor and this film shows how important the script is as well as the terrific performances from veteran Elaine Jin and the versatile Michelle Wai sealing the deal for nomination for one of the best romantic...

Film Review: Napoleon 拿破崙(2023) USA UK 🇺🇸 🇬🇧   Reviewed by Andrew Chan (Film Critics Circle of Australia 🇦🇺) Not many films can capture the entire career and life of probably one of greatest military genius ever in Napoleon Bonaparte. The general, the emperor and the lover forms the 3 hours running time, but the director Ridley Scott seems to be making a 6 hour film edited down for the theatre release. In saying that, there are plenty of moments that makes the film epic, namely the battle sequences and the numerous inspiring campaigns, but one thing is left behind...