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"Another Round" (2020), directed by Thomas Vinterberg and starring Mads Mikkelsen, is a critically acclaimed Danish film that masterfully delves into the complexities of human emotions, relationships, and the pursuit of happiness. The film follows four middle-aged friends - Martin (Mikkelsen), Tommy (Thomas Bo Larsen), Peter (Lars Ranthe), and Nikolaj (Magnus Millang) - who are all high school teachers struggling with their personal and professional lives. Inspired by a theory that maintaining a constant blood alcohol level of 0.05% enhances creativity and happiness, they embark on a bold social experiment that gradually escalates, testing the boundaries of their friendship and self-control.

Vinterberg's direction and the screenplay, co-written with Tobias Lindholm, expertly balance the film's humor and drama. The narrative is engaging, providing a thought-provoking exploration of the fine line between healthy self-indulgence and destructive behavior. "Another Round" is a character-driven piece that benefits from the stellar performances of its ensemble cast, particularly Mikkelsen, who delivers a captivating portrayal of Martin's transformation.

The film's portrayal of alcohol consumption is honest and unflinching, highlighting both the positive and negative aspects of its effects on the characters' lives. As the four friends indulge in their experiment, the film showcases moments of camaraderie, joy, and renewed passion for life, contrasted with the inevitable consequences of their actions as they grapple with the repercussions on their careers, relationships, and well-being.

Cinematographer Sturla Brandth Grøvlen captures the essence of the story through visually striking and intimate shots that complement the narrative's emotional depth. The film's color palette and lighting perfectly convey the shifting moods of the characters, from the initial excitement and mirth of their experiment to the sobering reality of its consequences.

The film's critical acclaim is not only due to its stellar performances and captivating storytelling but also its exploration of universal themes. "Another Round" delves into mid-life crises, the pursuit of happiness, and the complexities of human relationships, while asking profound questions about societal norms and expectations. The film's nuanced portrayal of its characters and their struggles with addiction, ambition, and self-acceptance is both relatable and thought-provoking.

"Another Round" also serves as a tribute to Vinterberg's daughter, Ida, who tragically passed away before the film's completion. This personal connection adds an emotional weight to the narrative, amplifying the film's themes of love, loss, and the fragility of life. The film's poignant final scene, featuring Mikkelsen's mesmerizing dance sequence, serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of embracing life's fleeting moments and appreciating the beauty of human connection.

In conclusion, "Another Round" is a critically acclaimed film that combines captivating performances, expert direction, and a thought-provoking narrative to deliver a powerful and moving exploration of life's complexities. It is a celebration of the human spirit and a reminder of the importance of embracing life's challenges, joys, and imperfections. Vinterberg's masterpiece is a must-watch for film enthusiasts and those who appreciate a compelling story that resonates long after the credits have rolled.

Limbo is probably of one of the boldest attempt to put HK well-known crime drama along with the film noir genre. There were in the past many fine example of local production of gruesome and gritty crime stories and yet, Limbo pushes the envelope even further. The movie seems to actively asking audience not only looking at the stunning yet very harsh black and white visuals, but to sense the desperation of the characters, the smell of non-stop rain from trashy industrial buildings, as well as the out casts of our society but also the very places that they had to put up with. It is as if the movie theatre can release a fragrant of the movie, it would be, as what the main protagonist described, the smell of rubbish. Then perhaps, it could have also been the smell of real Hong Kong. Gone are the glorious and glamour of high rises and luxury apartments, replaced the harsh realty of daily grinning in an industrial, often chaotic mix of poor areas with out casts who had long been neglected.

The set design of film alone would have worth the trip to the theatre but oddly enough it was the characters' development which feel a bit of a let down. The English title does it justice to prescribe the state of mind of characters, whether it is Liu who mentally broke down because of his injured wife or Wang Tao, the young poor girl who is literally crying for her redemption, or the new smart looking Ren Kai who suffer from physical pain from his wisdom teeth (hence the Chinese title). We would want to know a bit more of their past to gain even more sympathy on their pain. The build up of the antagonist is probably one of the weaker point since all the suspense and industrial garbage land setting, leading up to the finale, could have been more meaningful if only the audience can know more about his origin and back story. Indeed, the "hand" motif could have been further explored and drill for deeper sub text through out the film. This is also why the antagonist felt a bit underdeveloped, especially through earlier scenes that he would have been a very suspenseful character. Then again, the slow developments of characters can be almost forgiven by one of the most gritty fight scenes in HK cinema in the finale and the sadness and suffering from each of the main casts can be finally released and cleansed through the heavy rain and blood.

Based on the novel "Yokomichi Yonosuke" by Shuichi Yoshida, this is a coming out of age story, as much as a story for reminiscing of the past. In this case, it was the 80's Japan, where economy was still booming, and more importantly, the hope of "anything is possible" was still happening. The film starts with a static long take shot near the exit of a Tokyo metro station. We saw our protagonist Yonosuke (played very lively by Kengo Kora), a colleague freshman from the port city of Nagasaki arriving to start his new life at a rather unfashionable university. With a slightly awkward physical look but an even more awkward/laughable name (Yonosuke was the name of a main character in a Japanese classic erotic novel, "The Life of an Amorous Man"), Yonosuke had become fascinated by the surroundings of the city and began his encounter to different people. This include Ippei Kuramochi (Sosuke Ikematsu), a classmate who was kind but with a self centered personality, a cute looking Yui Akutsu (Aki Asakura) who was first slightly attracted by Yonosuke's charm before developing a long term relationship with Kuramochi. This is also the point where the narrative of the film becomes more interesting. We realize that we are no longer watching Yonosuke's encounters as they unfolded. Rather, they were actually the memories of people that he met. Yonosuke went on to have further encounter with Yusuke Kato (Gou Ayano) who was a cool looking guy but turned out to be homosexual; Chiharu Katase (Ayumi Ito), who had worked as a high class prostitute but later becoming a popular DJ. And finally, Yonosuke met his love in Tokyo, a very pretty but timid Shoko Yosano (Yuriko Yoshitaka) coming from a very rich but strict family.

The joyfulness and the cheerfulness in which Yonosuke brought to different characters had become the backbone of the story and the reasons for the reminiscing of their past. In each of the flashback (in the style that can be compared with the narrative form from "Citizen Kane"), the audience began to see both young and more mature version of each of the characters. It adds depth in understanding how their lives are being subtly affected, if not transformed by the presence of Yonosuke. We see how Kuramochi and Yui had the courage to take on the challenge of being teenage parents (after encouragement from Yonosuke, who had a brief encounter with a child of illegal immigrants). How Kato learned to accept his own sexually and was able to open up about it while, the romantic encounter between Yonosuke and Yosano had transformed her into a much more independent person. The flashback was being arranged in such a way that it followed Yonsuke's first and second year of colleague in a chronicle manner. It then serves very well as a study of what exactly Yonosuke was as a person. Indeed, it was his ordinariness yet charming character, which reminded us quite often; this is all it takes to bring out one's smile and happiness from within.

At 160 minutes, the film at times could feel loose with the stories on some of the characters, esp. with Shoko, being dragged over for a tag too long. There were also too many more minor characters which could divert the audiences' attention, such as Yonsouke's neighbors at his Tokyo apartment, as well as his family and friends back in Nagasaki. On the other hand, the relentless effort of recreating the feeling of 80's can be seen throughout the film. From the fashions the characters wore, to the big poster on the street (most notably was the large Canon EOS camera poster behind Yonosuke during his first encounter with Shoko, which could later serve as reminder that it was photography which brought them back at the end, long after Yonosuke was gone). The Samba dance club, which at first seems very laughable but actually it was a clear reminder that once Japan has a close (economic) relationship with Brazil.

Directed by Shuichi Okita, whose previous works include "Nankyoku Ryorinin" (The Chef of South Polar), and "Kitsutsuki to Ame" (The Woodsman and the Rain), he usually focuses on socially awkward/marginal person and their way of living in the contemporary society. "The Story of Yonosuke" is no exception and certainly with a more serious subtext. Despite numerous comical sub-plots, the film is far from a sugar-coated story. While Yonosuke's cheerful and innocent personality has brought back each of the characters' memories with their past, but it also helps to bring the memories of the audiences who lived in the 80's era. It was a time where there were still rooms for youth, purity, innocence and hope for better thing to come. Sadly, just as what happened in the following decade in Japan, the film also reminds us the harsh reality. As an off-scene flash forward scene which happened toward the two third of the film, we realized that the departure of Yonosuke serves a somber reminder of how an era has truly been gone for good.

At the heart of Stephen Frears' "Philomena", despite all the reference to a human interest story, it was really about forgiveness, redemption, and more importantly, a closure that perhaps each one of us are hoping to find at the end, rather than searching for revenge. Inspired by a true event, Philomena started as a road trip story between with the odd couple between an elderly Irish lady, Philomena Lee and a cynical ex-govt. spin doctor, Martin Sixsmith. The journey they took together in search for the missing son of Philomena, however, has a lasting impact on both of them.

The story began with Sixsmith's (Steve Coogan) sacking from his job as a govt. spin doctor and ever wonder about what would be his next move (apart from writing "boring" Russian history book), it was also the time when he came across with Philomena's daughter Jane (Anna Maxwell Martin) who just discovered that her mother had a secret for 50 yrs. In spite of his own prejudice over "human interest story" in which he branded for weak minded people, he nonetheless accept this work as a journalist from his editor. After meeting with Philomena, Sixsmith began his journey with her, first to visit the convent in which Philomena spent 4 years during her teenage years for having a premartial pregnancy. Her son, Anthony Lee, was taken away from her at a very young age. While Sixsmith was very much willing to help Philomena to find his son whereabout, his ignorance of this seemingly naive old lady(who is a lifetime reader's digest and romantic novel follower, as Sixsmith describe to his wife on the phone) soon changed as he has began just how she was, in fact, an open-minded, intelligent and in many occasions, a very brave and compassionate woman. Judi Dench has given yet another compelling performance as Philomena in which she brought out the character's nativity to her underlying strong character amazingly at ease, as witnessed in the breakfast scene between chatting with the chef in one minute while receiving the bad news of her son the next. She also gave her character the internal struggle between obeying the catholic faith, if not blindly during her young days, and somewhat a very liberal mind as evidence by her acceptance of her son's sexuality to her own desire towards love and sex itself. However, it was the great display of compassion that Philomena did toward herself against her own demon of guilt and against the convent and sisters themselves; has been so brilliantly carried out by Dame Dench. Coogan's role as Sixsmith has been exceptionally with as a cynical intellectual, with the unusual reserved on the satire comedy and replace it with more serious, if not a more subtle performance.

Coogan's effort of on this balanced script (with Jeff Pope, based on the book by Sixsmith himself) was certainly not to be overlooked as the story could easily turn into a clichéd melodrama or biased attack to the catholic church (although I believe Frears has made his point on the church's responsibility in selling children very clear). Instead, it was almost as if a soul searching journey for both protagonists with countless funny moments (through the well structured and often witty dialogues) as well as moments of heartbreak and reconciliation at the story finale. Indeed, towards the final 10-15min. of the film, audience had joined the characters for a "full circle" journey in with the same fulfilling and courage of facing the truth, which is indeed a very satisfying experience.

In a not so distant future, the technology advancement has allowed human being for once, to directly communicate with a machine through an interface that makes it as easy as if we are talking to one another. We no longer limit ourselves to have a relationship in real world with real person, but also in a virtual world with a machine disguised as virtual person. The exploration of such obscure relationship has been the center of Spike Jones's HER. This funny and yet well-thought story looks at Theodore Twombly (by Joaquin Phoenix), who has a routine job of helping others to write comforting letter to their love ones. At the same time, he is also facing his own misery in dealing with a divorce with his wife, Catherine (by Rooney Mara). Just like many lonely singles in the modern society, Theodore spent most of his free time "between internet porn and video game" in order to keep his mind away from his sinking relationship. However, he soon found a new artificial intelligence operating system, which called herself as Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) and started to communicate with her instead. At first, it was as a good friend/assistant (much like what Siri does for the Apple iOS) but before Theodore knows, he starts to develop a serious relationship with "it". For Theodore, dating the Samantha felt like a much needed new chapter in his life. Yet, as both Theodore and Samantha struggle to come to terms with the inevitable difference and distances between reality and virtual worlds, the relationship has also taken its turn to for the worse for its eventual failure.

It is rare for a commercial science fiction/romantic comedy to enable us to examine so many aspects of our modern life and our relationship with technology. The world in "Her" is a future in which we all know we are heading toward. Thus the film has posted questions of both philosophical and psychological nature. How do we define love relationship and whether our desire can solely be satisfied by our own thoughts? Whether or not a human to human's love is still what we need to make ourselves happy and fulfilled? More importantly, the film also deals with in the time of these advancement of technologies, what would be the effect on human's relationship with one another, the fear for facing one another; and whether human indeed has what it takes to handle the machine once it start learning its way to feel human emotions and replicates them, as in the case of Samantha towards the end of the film. Are we still feeling just as loss and lonely as we were, before the virtual person becomes our "best" love?

There is a sense of freshness and energy behind the production of "The Way We Dance" in which we have not seen for so long from recent Hong Kong cinema, as it is being dominated by co-op films between HK/China and often lead by aging stars. This is a film, for once, allow itself to re-define its root and restore its "home court advantage" (as one of the promo slogan suggested).

Right from the very beginning, the film's intention of being a truly local film can be seen clearly. The opening saw Fleur (Cherry Ngan), an recent high school graduate working in an old tofu desert shop under her parents. This kind of old shops had been disappeared right in our eyes as the city redeveloping itself. Yet, Fleur's dream and ambition of being a great dancer has never been dampened. With a rather witty (yet highly dramatized with local comical taste, perhaps a small tribute to 80's HK film) sequence, Fleur finally got her chance to get into university to fulfill her dream.

Once into the university, she quickly impressed her idol, Dave (Lockman Yeung) and join the BombA dance team to begin her dancing career. It was all going well and her involvement with the team allows BombA to finally get a chance to challenge the almighty "Roottoppers", which is a famous street dancing group. The story then get slightly twisted in which Fleur began to get into trouble with Rebecca (Janice Fan), a beautiful girl with an ambition of her own. Fleur eventually left BombA and began her bizarre relationship with the young leader of the Taichi club Alan (Babyjohn Choi). It was this relationship which helps Fleur to learn that life is far more than dancing and eventually to put what she learns into her dance move, and helping BombA to re-establish itself to be a worthy challenger in the annual dance competition.

Building on this conventional type of storyline (which is actually not dis-similar from a star war type of saga). The story really tells how our hero(ine) deals her disadvantages/disappointment and clear her obstacles while keeping her faith and dream to achieve her own success. A much timely reminder of how once Hong Kong people has this kind of faith and energy to succeed, whether it is from a society/cinema standpoint. The diverse background of the characters, whether it is for each of rooftoppers' members (multicultural with minority group) or tai- chi club members (ex-con/dropouts) is also an accurate portrait of Hong Kong contemporary society (at least before the dominance of Chinese mainlander!). The subplot behind these characters, including that of Rebecca and Alan, even the leader of the rooftoppers, while at times could be distracting, serve well in terms of bringing a three dimensional view of them and allow the audiences to feel attached to them.The performance of the main character, Cherry Ngan is probably by far the biggest bright spots of the film. Her unconventional beauty and youthfulness complements well with her often fun loving character. She has a gift of lighting up an ordinary scene with her cheeky smile and she understand well how to utilize her body language/dance move when they are needed the most. Even though she would need to improve her way of pronouncing her dialogs, Ngan's performance in this film has probably put her into the stardom right away and Hong Kong cinema certainly would not mind to have its own local female lead once again.

There is no doubt about the effort made by each of the dancers (many audiences certainly appreciated very much by staying on for whole end- credit being played out). Yet, the editing and certain camera movement could improve to bring more visual excitements to the dance sequence. The lighting use and some of the calligraphy of dance were at times struggle to boost dazzling dance move from the dancers in the next level.

In his third feature-length work, director Adam Wong had created something that not often seen in Hong Kong cinema (film with a dance theme is something of a rarity in HK cinema). The Way We Dance will easily draw comparison with Hollywood's production Step Up franchise. However, it should be more than that, it carries the kind of freshness (with new young actor/actress, a growing up story mixing well with exciting dance scenes) but the film serves a good reminder that Hong Kong own production can just as exciting as others and our very own image and determination should not be forget, as if we are like fleur, with one leg injured, will still able to "fly" with colors.

The third installment from Andrewi Zvyagintsev (after his success in Banishment and The return) had brought the audience back from a rural environment to a contemporary upper class city story. Yet, the coldness and alienation remains, if not become crueler than ever. Philip Grass's trademark minimalistic music score, tidy cinematography from Mikhail Krichman (partnering with Zvyagintsev since the return) had certainly helped to create this tight but yet claustrophobic atmosphere.

The story unfolded with a routine yet mundane relationship of an elderly couple , lonesome and confine from one another to the point that they could see as a Master/servant relationship (even though such distance had closed up eventually as the story goes on). The architectural references, esp. the luxurious but minimalistic apartment which they stayed (but in separate rooms); are all too clear to define their relationship. The husband, Vladimir, a wealthy Russian Businessman only met his wife (Elena), a care-taking nurse at his late age. Their only real conversion only happened in a breakfast table and argument soon broke out because of money issue. Both are having their off-spring from previous marriage which affects their own relationship with one other. Indeed, the real relationship of the couple was really with their own child, as have been a consistent theme applied by the director on his previous film. The way the mother (Elena) react over-protectively towards to her own incompetent sons; as well as the rich father's frosty (but actually intimate) relationship with her spoiled yet nomad daughter (brilliantly played by Yelena Lyadova) had allowed the audience to take a closer look to the internal struggle/dilemma of their own characters.

From another perspective, these kind of struggles also reflected how capitalism affect the modern Russia, as evidenced on strong contrast between the protagonists' apartment and her son's cheap social housing. The desire of simply to stay afloat had never been stronger and as Elena shows at the end, one could do anything to help their next generation to have a better life. The ruthlessness of a mother and their need for doing anything possible to protect their own son, including committing a crime, had been shown mercilessly here in a similar way as with "Mother (2009)" from Korean director, Joon-ho Bong.

Indeed, the only character who can be truthful to herself and particularly, able to show any real affection to the one that she really cares, was Vladimir's daughter. The scene where she and her father finally able to make up for their long term issue should be one of the highlight of the film, and probably one of the warmest spot, so much so it redeems Vladimir's as once a very caring father. The rest, however, are simply ice cold and empty, as the weather outside and the branches from tree outside the flat.