Now that safe-distancing and pandemic measures have been mostly phased out and in-person events are taking over the reins from their virtual counterparts, the act of catching a movie in cinemas is slowly but surely making its return. Gone are the days of empty seats between movie-goers, as we welcome the buzzing excitement of watching a movie on opening weekend and experiencing all the emotions of the film with a room full of different people coming together for a shared experience.
Thor: Love and Thunder
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) returns with another solo movie for one of its most loved characters – Thor: Love and Thunder! Starring Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Natalie Portman and Christian Bale, the film will follow the Norse God of Thunder on his journey to self-discovery after the crushing events of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
Directed by Taika Waititi, who also helmed Thor: Ragnarok, the new Thor instalment sees Thor enlisting the help of King Valkyrie, Korg, and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster, who – to Thor’s surprise – inexplicably wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor. Together, they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.
Thor: Love and Thunder is coming to cinemas in Singapore on 7 Jul 2022.
The Black Phone
Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson steps away from the action-packed MCU to bring you The Black Phone, an adaptation of the 2004 short story of the same name by Joe Hill. Starring Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, James Ransone, and Ethan Hawke, the horror-thriller flick follows the journey of Finney Shaw, a shy but clever 13-year-old boy who is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement
When a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer’s previous victims. And they are dead-set on making sure that what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney.
The Black Phone is coming to cinemas on 21 Jul 2022.
Septet: The Story of Hong Kong
Septet: The Story of Hong Kong / 七人乐队 brings together seven of Hong Kong’s leading filmmakers to each direct a short film set in Hong Kong from the 1940s to the 2000s. Ann Hui, Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Ringo Lam, Patrick Tam, Johnnie To, Tsui Hark, and Yuen Woo-ping, all legends in their own right, will be showcasing their interpretations of Hong Kong’s history, one decade each.
The anthology series is a must-watch for lovers of cinematography and Cantonese films alike. The project was initiated by Johnnie To, as a tribute to his home city, and was shot entirely on 35mm on film in honour of the golden age of Hong Kong cinema, during which all seven of the directors first emerged.
Septet: The Story of Hong Kong will premiere in cinemas on 7 Jul 2022.
Chilli Laugh Story
Another Cantonese offering on the list, Chilli Laugh Story is for the comedy aficionados. Set during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, this comedy-drama is based on director Coba Cheng’s family and how they navigated the lockdowns and built a chilli sauce business to keep them sane while working from home during the pandemic. While running the online venture, the different characters of the family work through challenges not only on the business front but also between themselves as well.
Chilli Laugh Story will hit Singaporean cinemas on 14 Jul 2022.
Paws Of Fury: The Legend Of Hank
The family-friendly Paws Of Fury: The Legend Of Hank (formerly known as Blazing Samurai) is a martial arts comedy animated film directed by Rob Minkoff and Mark Koetsier, with additional direction by Chris Bailey. Written by Ed Stone and Nate Hopper, the film is loosely inspired by the 1974 Mel Brooks film Blazing Saddles.
The movie follows a hard-on-his-luck hound Hank (Michael Cera) who finds himself in a town full of cats who need a hero to defend them from a ruthless villain’s (Ricky Gervais) evil plot to wipe their village off the map. With help from a reluctant teacher (Samuel L. Jackson) to train him, Hank must assume the role of town samurai and team up with the villagers to save the day. The only problem is: Cats hate dogs. The movie also features the voices of Mel Brooks, George Takei, Aasif Mandvi, Gabriel Iglesias, Djimon Hounsou, Michelle Yeoh, Kylie Kuioka, and Cathy Shim.
Paws Of Fury: The Legend Of Hank opens in cinemas on 21 Jul 2022.
Decision to Leave
The film that won South Korean film director Park Chan-wook the Best Director award for the Palme d’Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, Decision to Leave will be your next Korean film obsession. The mystery film stars Tang Wei and Park Hae-il as its protagonists.
Decision to Leave will premiere in Singapore cinemas on 14 Jul 2022.
Crimes of the Future
One of the pioneers of the body horror genre, David Cronenberg takes the helm of Crimes of the Future, his return to the science fiction and horror genres for the first time ever since the 1999 film, eXistenZ. Crimes of the Future premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, where it was in competition for the Palme d’Or and received a six-minute standing ovation.
The film takes place in a not-so-distant future in which humankind is learning to adapt to its synthetic surroundings, developing new transformations and mutations. Celebrity performance artist Saul Tenser, along with his partner Caprice, publicly showcases the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances, pushing the limits of the period.
Crimes of the Future will be coming to theatres on 28 Jul 2022.
Alive Drift
Alive Drift (also known as Alivehoon) is a Japanese action film following a drift team on the verge of shutting down. The team scouts out Koichi Oba, played by Shūhei Nomura, a shy, introverted gamer who is incredibly talented at e-sport driving games. Koichi’s mastery is also reflected in real driving scenarios, but he is up against professional drivers who challenge him to races of life and death.
Koichi’s blossoming technique, passion, courage, and teamwork break down the barriers between the virtual and the real, taking him and his team to new extremes. This movie takes the traditional tropes of coming-of-age and self-discovery and places it in a modern environment set around e-sports, racing, and technology.
Alive Drift will premiere in Singapore theatres on 28 Jul 2022.
Paranoid: Everything Wipe from the Beginning
Written and directed by Dogus Arslan, the story follows the intersection of the lives of two different characters, Mitat and Masal, in the sanatorium. The film stars Emre Tetikel, Meryem Turan, Ilkin Abaslioglu, Dogus Aslan, Mesut Aslan, and more.
Paranoid: Everything Wipe from the Beginning is coming to cinemas on 2 Jul 2022.
Elvis
Even though Elvis was released late last month, we still think it is worth a watch if you haven’t already! The highly anticipated film chronicles the life and career of legendary singer and actor Elvis Presley, from his early days as a child to becoming a pop star and movie star. It also takes viewers on a deep dive into the complex relationship Presley had with his manager Col. Tom Parker.
Directed by famed Australian film director Baz Luhrmann, the film stars Austin Butler in the titular role, alongside Tom Hanks as Elvis Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, Olivia DeJonge as Presley’s wife, Priscilla Presley, Helen Thomson as Gladys Presley, Elvis’ mother, and Richard Roxburgh as Vernon Presley, Elvis’ father.
Elvis is out in cinemas now.
Be sure to catch all that our cinemas have to offer this month! Hurry, and book your tickets now!