Movie Review: Black Mass (M18)
It's such a treat to see Johnny Depp in a serious role again.
After so much clowning around (Mortdecai, Into The Woods, The Lone Ranger), this one will remind you just what a fine actor he is.
As James "Whitey" Bulger, one of America's most notorious gangsters, Depp is vicious, unapologetic and manipulative.
Yet you will find yourself rooting for him. Even FBI agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) quickly falls under his spell after Bulger agrees to be an FBI mole.
This biopic not only shows how Bulger helps the FBI take down a Boston mafia family, but also how he uses the FBI to expand his own turf.
Depp's monster of a performance saves Black Mass from being just another mediocre gangster flick.
Rating: 4/5
Movie Review: Sicario (NC16)
I love Emily Blunt.
It's so good to see a film that puts her right in the middle of the action, holding her own against the equally formidable Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin.
Director Denis Villeneuve delivers yet another suspenseful drama, this time about an idealistic FBI agent Kate (Blunt) who volunteers for an assignment out of her league: taking down a Mexican drug cartel.
She's largely kept in the dark about her new mission, and the audience too, so we see what she sees and find out what she finds out, scene by scene.
Brolin is wonderful as her shady boss Matt.
Equally mysterious is Del Toro's Alejandro. What's his role in the team?
Villeneuve keeps you at the edge of your seat, what with Blunt and the guys doing such a fantastic job.
Rating: 4/5
Movie Review: 3688 (PG)
Seven years after his last feature film, 12 Lotus, local director Royston Tan returns with another musical.
3688 tells the story of parking attendant Fei Fei (Joi Chua), who dreams of becoming a singer.
But she struggles with the long hours of her job while taking care of her demented father.
Getai veteran Liu Ling Ling holds the movie together with her portrayal of a coffee shop aunty who takes pride in dressing up for work daily. Her over-the-top costumes provide comedic relief throughout.
Chua's acting is natural but she is ultimately forgettable as a leading lady, while local rapper Shigga Shay, who plays Liu's son, breaks up the monotony with his rapping.
The thin plot - with one-dimensional characters - really leaves viewers wanting more, which is a pity.
Rating: 2/5
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