[2025.04.09] FOR THE WEEK ENDING SUNDAY, APRIL 6 2025

For the week ending Sunday, April 6 2025

10 MICKEY 17
    d. Bong Joon-ho
    Robert Pattinson, Naomi Ackie, Steven Yeun,
      Toni Collette, Mark Ruffalo

  9 SNOW WHITE
    d. Marc Webb
    Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot

  8 THE WAY WE TALK
  Can : Hong Ngor Gum Tin Jum Mor Suet
    d. Adam Wong Sau Ping
    Neo Yau Hawk Sau, Chung Suet Ying, Marco Ng Tsz Ho
  Rating : IIA
  Length : 132 mins.
  Opening January 29 2025 in mainland China
  Opening October 12 2024 @ BFL London Film Festival
  Opening October 30 2024 at the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival 2024
  Opening December 3 2024 (Preview)
  Opening February 20 2025
  Site : https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=way-we-talk-lff24
  fb: https://fb.com/moviethewaywetalk

[ 2024 BFL LONDON FILM FESTIVAL ]
    The complex lives of young deaf people are explored in all their intricacies in this earnest, superbly performed drama, set in contemporary Hong Kong.

[ 2024 HONG KONG ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL ]
    A soul-searching story about three friends who have different conditions of deafness: Wolf embraces sign language with confidence while tackling realistic obstacles in his everyday life; Alan is Wolf's cheerful best friend who is an advocate of diverse modes of communication between the deaf and the hearing communities; Sophie struggles with oral language and continuously strives to be seen as "normal". The trio embarks on their self-discovering journeys with moments of pain and realisation. Sincere and empathetic, Adam Wong's latest drama feature sensitively questions what social norms and identity mean for us.

[ 2024 BUSAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ASIAN COTENTS AND FILM MARKET ]
    Wolf, from a Deaf family, embraces sign language with confidence, navigating life's obstacles. Sophie, implanted with a cochlear device in childhood, strives for normalcy through spoken language, despite the "deaf accent." Alan, with a cochlear implant like Sophie, shares spoken language skills but also understands sign language, advocating for diverse communication among the Deaf. Friendship and love intertwine their lives, causing both wounds and self-discovery on a journey to find themselves.

  7 COLORFUL STAGE! THE MOVIE: A MIKU WHO CAN'T SING
    d. Hiroyuki Hata
    Japanese Animation
  Rating : I
  Length : 106 mins.
  Opening April 3 2025

[ BROADWAY CIRCUT ]
    "Please tell me about yourself. Maybe then I'll know how to sing."

    Hoshino Ichika unexpectedly hears a song sung by Hatsune Miku at a record store, a song she had never heard before. As she wonders about it, she notices a screen showing an unfamiliar "Hatsune Miku." Shocked, she exclaims, "Miku!?" Startled by Ichika's shout, Miku makes eye contact with her but quickly disappears.

    After a street performance a few days later, the same Miku suddenly appears on Ichika's phone. Looking somewhat despondent, Miku shares her story with Ichika, revealing her wish to convey her songs to certain people. However, no matter how much she sings, her voice never seems to reach them.

    During the recent concert, Miku saw Ichika touching many hearts with her voice. It gave Miku hope that by understanding Ichika, she might also be able to transmit her voice to others. Summoning her courage, she approaches Ichika. Ichika smiles in response to her request and says, "If I can help in any way," readily agreeing to assist her. Thus begins the new story of Hatsune Miku and the teenagers.

  6 GRAND MAISON PARIS
    d. Ayuko Tsukahara
    Takuya Kimura, Kyoka Suzuki,
      Ok Taec-yeon, Yoshinori Masakado,
      Yuta Tamamori, Kanichiro,
      Ayako Yoshitani, Anne Nakamura,
      Ai Tominaga, Mitsuhiro Oikawa, Ikki Sawamura
  Rating : IIA
  Length : 112 mins.
  Opening March 27 2025
  Trailer : https://youtu.be/4LXa3i4dWH0



[ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ]
    After their restaurant "Grand Maison Tokyo" earned a Michelin three- star, Natsuki Obana and Rinko Hayami venture to Paris to open "Grand Maison Paris," aiming to become the first Asian chefs to achieve the same honor. However, they face cultural challenges and intense pressure in a city filled with culinary masters.

    Following a mishap at a gala dinner, Obana makes a pact with his former mentor: he will leave France if they don't earn three stars in the next Michelin evaluation. Can Obana and his team overcome these obstacles to achieve their dream?

  5 NE ZHA 2
    d. Jiaozi
    mainland China animation
  Rating : I
  Length : 144 mins.
  Opening February 22 2025
  Trailer : https://youtu.be/oVURYfWg3RU

[ BROADWAY CIRCUIT ]
    After the heavenly lightning, although Ne Zha and Ao Bing survived by becoming Spirits, they would soon dissipate completely. Taiyi plans to rebuild Ne Zha and Ao Bing’s mortal bodies with the Seven-colored Precious Lotus. However, during the process of reconstruction, numerous obstacles arise. What will become of the fate of Ne Zha and Ao Bing?

  4 FLOW
    d. Gints Zilbalodis
    Latvian Animation

  3 THE LAST DANCE [DIRECTOR'S CUT]
  Can : Por. Dei Yuk
  Lit : Breaking. Hell
    d. Anselm Chan Mau Yin
    Rachel Dayo Wong Tsz Wah, Michael Hui Koon Man,
      Michelle Wai Sze Nga, Tommy Chu Pak Hong,
      Catherine Chau Ka Yee, Paul Chun Pui,
      Elaine Jin (Kam Yin Ling), Rachel Leung Yung Ting,
      Rosa Maria Velasco (Wai Law Sha), Chung Suet Ying
  Rating : IIB
  Length : 126 mins.
  Length : 139 mins. (Director's Cut)
  Opening October 10 2024 at the Hawaii International Film Festival
  Opening November 14 2024
  Opening March 14 2025 at the Osaka Asian Film Festival (Director's Cut)
  Opening April 4 2025 (Director's Cut)
  Trailer : https://youtu.be/om4lN8N-TIc
  Site : https://hiff.org/events/thelastdance/
  Site : https://oaff.jp/en/programs/2025-hk03/ (Director's Cut)

[ 20TH OSAKA ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL ]
    After Covid bankrupts wedding planner Dominic, he moves into caring for cadavers by taking over his girlfriend’s uncle's place in a funeral parlour. His services become a hit with everyone except a crotchety conservative Taoist priest, Master Man, who is unconvinced that Dominic is committed to spiritual care. Thus Dominic digs into all of the details of deathcare while discovering Man’s dedication to the dead means he disregards his nearest and dearest.

    Filmed in funeral homes in Hong Kong's Hung Hom district, the film has a ring of authenticity while delivering whip-smart verbal comedy via Michael HUI and Dayo WONG as a mismatched pair. From there, it opens up into a more considered look at the Taoist influence in Hong Kong’s funeral rituals and a fascinating family drama that explores how gender roles are affected by these traditions.

[ HAWAII INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ]
    Starring current Hong Kong comedy king Dayo Wong and comedy legend Michael Hui, THE LAST DANCE is the story of a debt-ridden wedding planner who finds unexpected success as a funeral planner, but he has to win over a traditional Taoist priest to stay in the business...The pandemic has sent most industries into recession. Mired in debt, wedding planner Dominic gets a miraculous chance to turn things around when a funeral planner retires and passes the baton to him. Planning weddings and funerals are polar opposites, but Dominic puts his all into his new job, from opening graves, digging coffins, to handling the deceased. No matter how unpleasant it gets, he takes on everything with gusto. However, the biggest obstacle is getting the approval of respected Taoist priest, Master Man. In his 70s, Master Man is a traditional man who has devoted his life to his Taoist faith. He wants to pass the mantle to his son, Ben, but Ben is more devoted to his wife and kids than to Taoism. Master Man's daughter, Yuet, respects her father greatly. However, since her ancestors dictated that women are filthy by nature, Yuet doesn't take romantic relationships seriously.

  2 PEG O' MY HEART
  AKA :THE SHADOW OF REDEMPTION
  Can : Shook Mung
    d. Nick Cheung Ka Fai
    Nick Cheung Ka Fai, Fala Chen,
      Terrance Lau Chun Him, Rebecca Zhu Chenli, Ben Yuen Fu Wa,
      Julius Brian Siswojo, Natalie Hsu (Hui Yan Yi),
      Yem Yuen Yee Man, Brian Lee Hoi Yin@24 Herbs, Lauria Wu Ga Ying,
  Rating : IIB
  Length : 97 mins.
  Opening February 22 2025
    Opening April 30 2024 at the 2024 Udine Far East Film Festival
    Opening July 21 2024 at the Malaysia International Film Festival
    Opening March 27 2025
  Trailer : https://youtu.be/HakTGK5KEwY

[ CINEMA CITY ]
    Dr. Man, an unorthodox psychiatrist, is skilled at extracting the deepest secrets of his patients. One day, he hops into a random cab and encounters Choi, the cab driver. Man finds Choi's condition deeply disturbing but is unable to express his concern during the short cab ride. A few day later, the two men cross paths again. Choi has been ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation due to his alleged involvement in reckless driving, and Man is assigned to his case. Man quickly realizes that Choi struggles to differentiate between dreams and reality. He constantly sees "devils". Awake or not, his mind can never rest; his body continues to waste away. As hopeless as Choi's condition seems, Man is determined to get to the bottom of his story. As Choi's story unfolds, Man begins to experience disturbing and perplexing dreams. These dreams are vivid and unsettling. The deeper Man delves into Choi's past, the more intense and haunting his nightmares become. Man becomes increasingly suspicious of what is pay for uncovering the ghosts hidden in Choi's closet?

[ CINEMA ONLINE MALAYSIA ]
    Choi San-keung, a taxi driver who perpetually lacks sleep, thus endangering anyone who sets foot in his taxi. One passenger is psychiatrist Dr Man, who survives the taxi ride and offers to help Choi. The offer is refused, but Choi later becomes Dr Man's involuntary patient after a particularly egregious night of driving. Dr Man has his own personal issues: his motto is "I think a doctor should do more than prescribe meds," which means a doctor should also investigate his patients secretly in defiance of common sense and hospital protocol. In a parallel to Choi, Dr Man also has sleeping issues. He suffers from disturbing dreams of his deceased mother, which hints at a secret involving his father, and perhaps some repressed memories.

  1 A MINECRAFT MOVIE
    d. Jared Hess
    Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Danille Brooks,
      Emma Myers, Sebastian Hansen,