Pop Aye

Debuting Singapore writer-director Kirsten Tan brings to this atypical roadside feature a distinct visual style, narrative, and humor.

Facing a mid-life crisis, and disillusionment with his career and wife Bo (Penpak Sirikul), the renown architect Thana (Thaneth Warakulnukroh) has a chance encounter with his favorite childhood elephant, Pop Aye (Bong). After buying Pop Aye from his keeper, Thana and Pop Aye travel 300 miles across Thailand from Bangkok to their rural hometown Loei. 

While reminiscing in this journey of self-discovery, the hitchhiking duo encounter Thai locals along the way including, among others, the drifter Dee (Chaiwat Khumdee), transgender Jenni (Yukontorn Sukkijja) and Thana's uncle Peak (Narong Pongpab).

Aided by Chananun Chotrungroj’s beautiful camerawork, Tan structures the narrative through a series of vignettes with interweaved flashbacks while grounding the film with eloquent simplicity, authenticity and candor.

 

Brigsby Bear

In an original take of the arrested development genre, David McCary’s direction, along with co-writers Mooney and Kevin Costello, unravels the comedy-drama with nostalgic elements of the 80's pop culture.

Twenty-five year old James (Kyle Mooney) lives with his loving parents Ted and April (Mark Hamill and Jane Adams), isolated from the world. James grows up watching Brigsby Bear, a live action children's TV show about a galactic life-size Teddy bear.

When his entire
lifestyle comes to an unexpected halt, James' obsession and fascination with Brigsby Bear leads him to self-produce the movie and, through the power of cinema, help him restore his emotional safety.

In his breakout role, the talented Kyle Mooney portrays the quirky James with sincerity and naiveté creating an instantaneously endearing character.

The feature, along with good performances, unfolds with unsurpassing creativity, lightheartedness, and uncondescending humor.

Baby Driver

Within a relatively short time, Edgar Wright's (Shaun of the Dead) infectious filmmaking enthusiasm has amassed a solid core of fans. In his latest feature and first solo writing effort, Wright sets the tone with an amazing high octane opening scene with breathtaking car speeds, stunts and pulsating soundtracks.

Baby (Anson Elgort), the young bank robbery getaway driver for Atlanta crime boss and heist mastermind Doc (Kevin Spacey), needs one final heist before he can be free from a life of crime and focus on his love interest, waitress Deborah (Lily James). 

However Baby's menacing and short fused cohorts Buddy (Jon Hamm), his ruthless archenemy Bats (Jamie Foxx) and buddy's girlfriend Darling (Eliza Gonzalez) make the heist much more dangerous than expected.

Besides the unmatched show stopping sequences spiked with comedy and a bit of romance is a fantastic display of sharp editing and swift camerawork as well as exceptional acting, in what may be one of Hamm's and Foxx's best performances.

Despicable Me 3

In a new vibrant, breakneck action, and humor packed feature, the highly anticipated third animated franchise hit reunites reformed supervillain Gru (Steve Carell), his adopted daughters Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith
(Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Nev Scharel), and soulmate Lucy (Kristen Wiig), along with a diminished yet hilarious presence of the minions.

Joining the adventure are Gru's newly discovered flamboyant villain twin brother Dru (Carell), and the infamous archenemy Balthazar Bratt (voiced by South Park co-creator Trey Parker), a discontented ex child prodigy actor who still dwells in his 1980's television role and retro fashion style.

With fast cars and family legacy ties, Dru tries to entice Gru to participate in one last heist and steal a stolen diamond from Balthazar.

The feature includes numerous pop-culture references, 1980's soundtracks of Michael Jackson and Madonna and, among others, five new songs by Pharell Williams.

With 90 minutes of fun and laughter for the whole family, Despicable Me 3 is so good yet so bad.

Lost in Paris

A distinctive flare for physical comedy, reminiscent of Chaplin and Tati, is what characterizes the work of Brussel based co-directors, co-writers, and actors Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon. Refreshingly charming and spontaneous is this couple's 4^th feature collaboration. 

The story unfolds in Canada where the librarian Fiona (Fiona Gordon) flies to Paris to help her 88 years old aunt Marthe (recently deceased, Oscar nominated Emmanuelle Riva) whom she has not seen in many years. In a series of hilarious comedy of errors, aunt Marthe evades Fiona at all costs. 

In the meantime, Fiona experiences escalating mishaps while trying to avoid a hopelessly smitten vagrant (Dominique Abel).

Abel and Gordon's original creative path focuses mostly on improvised, movement based emotion and fluidity. Along with the inspiring characters and visually captivating storybook qualities, the feature is often surreal, yet enjoyable to watch.