Film Review: "Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves" (2023).

"Who needs heroes when you have thieves?" This is Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves. This fantasy heist action comedy film directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, written by Goldstein, Daley and Michael Gilio, and based on the tabletop role-playing game of the same title. A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people.

In early May 2013, Warner Bros. Pictures and Courtney Solomon's Sweetpea Entertainment announced a film based on on the titular tabletop role-playing game with David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick penning the script. Two days later, Hasbro issued a lawsuit saying that they were co-producing a film at Universal Pictures with Chris Morgan directing and penning the script. In early August 2015, after U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee urged Sweetpea Entertainment and Hasbro to settle the film rights case, the Warner Bros. film was set for pre-production with Hasbro. In mid May 2016, Rob Letterman was hired to direct. In April 2017, actor Joe Manganiello, an avid fan of the game, revealed that he had penned a script with John Cassel for the project and was "talking to all the right parties" to make the film happen. In December, after varying degrees of progression, the film was moved by Hasbro to Paramount Pictures and was scheduled for a July 23, 2021 release date. In February 2018, Paramount was in talks with both Chris McKay and Michael Gilio to direct and pen the film. In March 2019, it was revealed that Gilio had completed a first draft and studio executives expressed excitement for the film. The studio began negotiations with various talent, as the casting process began. In late July, Goldstein and Daley were hired to replace McKay after the latter left to direct The Tomorrow War (2021). By January 2020, Goldstein and Daley announced that they had penned a new draft of the script. By mid April 2021, Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Hugh Grant, and Daisy Head were cast. At the same time, with a budget of $150 million, principal photography commenced and wrapped in late August. Filming took place in Iceland and Northern Ireland. The release date subsequently shifted to November 19, 2021 before being pushed back further to May 27, 2022. In April 2021, the release date was further delayed to March 3, 2023. In late April 2022, the film's official title was announced as Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. In November 2022, the film's release was once again pushed back to March 31, 2023.

The cast has great chemistry and if you grew up in a competitive family you will be able to relate to it like I did.

While the film obviously hasn't set out to redefine a genre, but it does succeed on its own modest terms, offering both an enthralling adventure and memorable characters.

Simon says Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves receives:

Also, see my review for Game Night.

Film Review: "Big Mäck - Gangsters and Gold" ("Big Mäck - Gangster und Gold") (2023).

From the creators of How To Sell Drugs Online (Fast) comes Big Mäck - Gangsters and Gold (Big Mäck - Gangster und Gold). This German documentary directed by Fabienne Hurst, Andreas Spinrath, and Facundo Scalerandi. Donald Stellwag was unjustly behind bars for several years. Later, his name comes up again in a court case about a gold truck robbery. Rapper Xatar, who is convicted of the robbery, testifies in court that Donald "Big Mäck" Stellwag gave the key tips to the crime. The booty of 1.8 million euros is still missing today - where is the money and who is the real gangster here?

Born in 1957, Donald Stellwag is the victim of a miscarriage of justice that happened in Germany. His father was a US soldier, posted to Germany, and he was raised by his grandparents in Fuchsstadt when his father returned home, and his mother died. He would quickly move to Frankfurt, where he would enter the business world. Donald would start an ill-fated scaffolding business, and his deteriorating health would lead to the business going bankrupt, and his own experiments with hard drugs seemed to be a way of self-medicating. With his life expectancy fading fast, Donald would begin a criminal career, selling drugs and opening illegal casinos. When the Berlin Wall would be brought down, he would look for a new start in the Eastern States. There he would become a salesperson, making waves in the Drucker publishing industry. In 1992 he would be convicted of a bank robbery. He would remain falsely imprisoned until 2001. Donald would receive government compensation for his false imprisonment and other suits he filed. He would also earn money for product placements during interviews after he was released. He would serve nine years before being released and would consistently say he was innocent. When further bank robberies occurred while Stellwag was in prison matching the same method as the one Stellwag was imprisoned for, it did seem there was more going on than first thought, and eventually, the police would catch the person behind the crimes, and Stellwag was freed. Donald would once again fall foul of the law on the 15th of December, 2009. A truck transporting gold was approached by a police car on Autobahn 81, but the police car was fake, and the gold was looted. When those responsible for the crime were apprehended, they named Donald Stellwag in the planning of the crime.

Prepare to be appalled and infuriated as the filmmakers detail how an overzealous German legal system and German tabloid press thirsty for a sensational story joined forces to wreck a young man's life. No extra fluff is added to the re-examination of this story, from the simple stills of the crime scene to the frank discussions each person involved has with the camera. The film constantly toys with the idea of viewer perception and pre-conceived notions, knowing that even the smallest glance or crack in one's voice can be interpreted to "prove" innocence or guilt -- depending on what you want to believe.

Simon says Big Mäck - Gangsters and Gold (Big Mäck - Gangster und Gold) receives:

Series Review: "Close to Home: Murder in the Coalfield" ("Lauchhammer - Tod in der Lausitz") (2022).

From Germany and Netflix comes Close to Home: Murder in the Coalfield (Lauchhammer - Tod in der Lausitz). This German crime mystery series directed by Till Franzen and written by Frauke Hunfeld and Silke Zertz. When a grisly murder brings Detective Maik Briegand back to his small hometown, he finds himself dredging up bodies, clues and his own past traumas.

By late July 2021, Misel Maticevic, Odine Johne, Marc Hosemann, Ella Lee, Jacob Matschenz, Lucas Gregorowicz, Petra Kelling, Julischka Eichel, Hilmar Eichhorn, Christian Grashof, Uwe Preuss, Kai Ivo Baulitz, Martina Schöne-Radunski, Arnd Klawitter, and Ramona Kunze-Libnow were cast in a German crime mystery series with Franzen as director and penned by Hunfeld and Zertz. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in early November. Filming took place in Berlin, Germany.

Most of the characters are very unlikable and seem either weak or downright cruel. Either that or they just annoy you because you feel like they should do better for themselves. In other words, the series features characters that are realistic and therefore flawed. And I for one really like this. Otherwise, it would all be too easy. I like these huge grey areas as opposed to black and white. Let me decide for myself how I feel about these characters. From the very beginning, I’m especially intrigued by the Annalena Gottknecht character portrayed by Johne. She’s a young detective with the German police, which means she’s our guide through the search for our killer. I also really like the police detective Maik Briegand portrayed by Maticevic. He’s so laidback and admits this case is out of his league. Still, he gets clues by doing good old police work. While the characters might challenge you, it all works thanks to a brilliant cast. We get to know these characters and while we might not grow to like them more, we do understand them better.

The series delivered an impressively tense and disturbing tale. While the content within may be more than some casual viewers will expect, the series uses its concepts and elements to great effect. The series is a pretty straightforward thriller, but with a spectacular backdrop and a lead character with a tragic backstory and some personality quirks, it’s definitely worth a look. The series is realistically grim, but also offers the simple satisfaction of watching smart professionals bring some order to a chaotic world, one case at a time. However, with an unlimited number of TV shows available to viewers, who has time for well made, yet unremarkable shows? That thought is what I kept coming back to while working my way through the series. The series unflinchingly tackles some sensitive and challenging contemporary issues. Surrounding and running through these are Annalena and Maik’s own stories. Fair to say that this show is noir and most definitely not a bundle of laughs; characters are generally dour (perhaps typical of the area in which it is set…) The main cast are really strong with many guest actors adding to the mix. There is some clever, complex and thoughtful writing.

Simon says Close to Home: Murder in the Coalfield (Lauchhammer - Tod in der Lausitz) receives:

Series Review: "Waco: American Apocalypse" (2023).

From the director of Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer comes Waco: American Apocalypse. This true crime documentary series directed by Tiller Russell. This immersive three-part Netflix documentary series is the definitive account of what happened in Waco, Texas in 1993 when cult leader David Koresh faced off against the federal government in a bloody fifty-one-day siege. Released to coincide with the 30th anniversary of this national tragedy, the series features exclusive access to recently unearthed videotapes filmed inside the FBI's Hostage Negotiation Command Post, as well as raw news footage never released to the American public, and FBI wiretap recordings.

American cult leader, David Koresh, played a central role in the Waco siege of 1993. As the head of the Branch Davidians, a religious sect and offshoot of the Davidian Seventh-day Adventists, Koresh claimed to be its final prophet. His apocalyptic Biblical teachings, including interpretations of the Book of Revelation and the Seven Seals, attracted various followers. Coming from a dysfunctional background, Koresh was a member and later a leader of the Branch Davidians, a movement originally led by Benjamin Roden, based at the Mount Carmel Center outside Waco, Texas. Here, Koresh competed for dominance with another leader, Benjamin Roden's son George, until Koresh and his followers took over Mount Carmel in 1987. In the early 1990s, he became subject to allegations about polygamy and child sexual abuse by former Branch Davidian associates, although investigation by authorities found no conclusive evidence. Further allegations related to the Branch Davidians' stockpiling of weapons led the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) and later the FBI to launch a raid on the group's Mount Carmel compound in February 1993. During the fifty-one-day siege and violence that ensued, Koresh was wounded by ATF forces and later died of a gunshot in unclear circumstances as the compound was destroyed in a fire.

Disturbing but not salacious, the series does a good job of showing how negligence and lack of foresight went into stopping a cult leader whose methodology was all over the place, and thus more difficult to profile. The series is a doc that focuses more on a city in peril than the boogeyman that caused it. Nothing groundbreaking, but it does have more details about the victims and the police who brought Koresh down. But Netflix's latest docuseries isn't about Koresh. Instead, it's about the community he terrorized, the people affected by his beliefs, and the men who managed to bring him and his organisation to an end. This uses a horrendous story, and creates a varied perspective that gives due to the detectives and victims involved. It's frustrating, it's riveting, and in its diligent care, it sheds new light on a dark, dark case. The series is a well-produced docu-series on one of the America's most notorious religious figures. Whether you have read up on Koresh already, or this is your first introduction, the show is a must-watch for true crime buffs.

Simon says Waco: American Apocalypse receives:

Also, see my review for Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer.

Film Review: "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" (2023).

"Oh. My. Gods." This is Shazam! Fury of the Gods. This superhero film directed by David F. Sandberg and written by Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan, and based on the DC Comics character created by Bill Parker and C. C. Beck, and produced by DC Studios. It is the sequel to Shazam! (2019) and the 12th installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The film ontinues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word "SHAZAM!," is transformed into his adult Super Hero alter ego, Shazam.

In April 2019, with the successful opening of Shazam!, Gayden was revealed to be penning the sequel. Sandberg and producer Peter Safran were also expected to return. In June, Zachary Levi confirmed that he was returning to star in the sequel, and revealed that writing had begun ahead of a planned filming start in mid-2020. In December, Sandberg and much of the first film's crew were confirmed to return, when New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. Pictures scheduled the sequel for an April 1, 2022 release date. In April 2020, this was delayed to November 4, 2022, and delayed again to March 17, 2023, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In August, during the virtual DC FanDome event, the film's title was revealed to be Shazam! Fury of the Gods, with returning cast members confirmed including Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Adam Brody, Faithe Herman, Meagan Good, Grace Fulton, Ian Chen, Ross Butler, Jovan Armand, and D. J. Cotrona. In September, Levi said filming would begin in early 2021. In October, the film's release was delayed again to June 2, 2023. In January 2021, Good said filming would begin that May. By late May, Djimon Hounsou was confirmed to reprise his role. Moreover, Rachel Zegler, Lucy Liu, and Helen Mirren rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in late August. Filming took place in Atlanta, Georgia. In March 2022, Warner Bros. adjusted its release schedule due to the impacts of COVID-19 on the workload of visual effects vendors. The film was moved up to December 16, 2022. In April, the film's release date was pushed back five days to December 21. In August, after WarnerMedia merged with Discovery, Inc. to form Warner Bros. Discovery, the studio delayed the film to March 17, 2023 to help spread out the marketing and distribution costs for its feature films. By the start of November, Sandberg confirmed that the final cut was complete and ready for release.

Levi has never been better as he throws punches in all directions and his comedic skills are spot-on. Zegler, Liu and Mirren bring real gravitas to this free for all. But when it's said and done, way too generic for this kind of fair.

Overall, not as good as the first film. While the sequel is bigger and funnier, the story is more uneven. However, it does succeed in places where the previous one failed, it has more gravitas.

Simon says Shazam! Fury of the Gods receives:

Also, see my review for Shazam! and Black Adam.

Series Review: "The Glory" ("더 글로리") (2023).

"There is no forgiveness. So there will be no glory." This is The Glory (더 글로리). This South Korean series directed by Ahn Gil-ho, and written by Kim Eun-sook. Years after surviving horrific abuse in high school, a woman puts an elaborate revenge scheme in motion to make the perpetrators pay for their crimes.

In January 2021, development on the series began. Kim Eun Sook stated in a press conference, that the idea for the series began with a question from her daughter: "The question was whether I'd rather have her be beaten up to no end or beat someone else up to no end. As I wrote 'The Glory,' I kept looking for an answer to the question within myself." She further added "And I realized that a solution would be achievable in being beaten up to no end. Because what I have is the money to take the perpetrators to hell." She continued, "But that's not the case for Dong Eun. The Dong Euns of this world don't have the rich parents or family. I wanted to be of strength to them. So I tried to take the story toward the direction of Dong Eun's revenge coming to fruition. As for how it ends, please watch it yourself." Many of the disturbing details in the series are based on a real-life incident that occurred in 2006, at a girls' school in Cheongju, Korea. In that case, three ninth-grade girls bullied their classmate for a period of twenty days, including burning her skin with a curling wand. Kim Eun Sook's main goal for the series is to let everyone know that bullying victims are never to be blamed for the pain they've gone through. They only want a genuine apology from their offenders. On why she chose the title as such: "[The Glory is about] recovering their dignity, honor, and glory that was lost to them the moment they fell as a victim to violence was genuine recovery for them."

As played by Song, Moon Dong-eun attains tragic stature. She's like a scarred Edmond Dantès twisted by her own quest for revenge. The heroine of this Shakespearian nightmare could be anybody who feels bullied, humiliated, raging against fate or God and discovering only more tragedy. Whether revealing numerous scars across both arms (in one of several scenes that require a strong stomach) or festering with female rage and scorn, Song gives a bravura performance that powers the show.

The show is so much more than a typical Kdrama; it takes the viewer on a journey through a life destroyed, rebuilt and abolished once more. It teaches us lessons about consequences from our actions, the need to get revenge and find closure. The humiliation and ensuing catharsis are the primary concepts, and revenge, which creates chain reactions of hatred, is solely an element of the set, with the focus being on vengeance not as an act, but the reasons that lead to it and its consequences.

Simon says The Glory (더 글로리) receives:

Film Review: "Broker" ("브로커") (2022).

From the writer and director of Shoplifters (万引き家族) comes Broker (브로커). This South Korean drama film written and directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda. The film follows two brokers who sell orphaned infants, circumventing the bureaucracy of legal adoption, to affluent couples who can’t have children of their own. After an infant’s mother surprises the duo by returning to ensure her child finds a good home, the three embark on a journey to find the right couple, building an unlikely family of their own.

The idea for Broker was initially conceived by Kore-eda while researching the Japanese adoption system for his 2013 film Like Father, Like Son, discovering in the process its similarities with the South Korean adoption system. He learned about Japan's only baby box, a place where people can anonymously leave children, and the criticism surrounding the system in Japan. It can be found all around the world, including South Korea, where it is much more popular in comparison with Japan. After Kore-eda discussed with Song, Bae, Gang making a film together, he decided to combine the two ideas. Kore-eda had previously become acquainted with Song and Gang at various film festivals, while he met Bae on the set of his 2009 film, Air Doll. Kore-eda has described the film as being a companion piece to his 2018 film Shoplifters, with the two films sharing a thematic interest in social outcasts who come together to form unconventional families. After meeting with the three actors, Kore-eda started working on the script. In late August 2020, the film was announced with Song, Bae, and Gang set to star, under the working title reported to be Baby, Box, Broker or simply Broker. Kore-eda originally used Baby, Box, Broker as the goal of the story was to connect the three elements. By mid April 2021, Lee Ji-eun and Lee Joo-young rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in late June. Filming took place in Busan, Gangwon-do, Incheon, Pohang, Samcheok, Seoul, and Uljin, South Korea.

The film stars Song Kang-ho, Gang Dong-won, Bae Doona, Lee Ji-eun, and Lee Joo-young. Each of the characters are sharply developed, but the narrative balance inevitably tips toward towards the emotionally challenged architect, deftly played by Korean K-pop star Lee Ji-eun.

It seems Kore-eda Hirokazu is incapable of making bad movies. The Korean adoption system premise in films is nothing new. But he just makes it so darn affecting and poignant, avoiding all the clichés that go with this kind of blurry-eyed family drama. The film explores the meaning of parenthood in a most unique way, taking a deeply thoughtful approach to a hypothetical and following its unknown paths in an organic manner. There are times when the script seems just too schematic - as if Kore-eda has decided that we should all sit still while he lays out the nature versus nurture debate. Then the small truths which enrich each scene take over.

Simon says Broker (브로커) receives:

Also, see my review for The Truth.

Film Review: "Scream VI" (2023).

"In a city of millions, no one hears you scream" in Scream VI. This slasher film directed by Radio Silence and written by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick. It is the sequel to Scream (2022) and the sixth installment in the Scream film series. Following the latest Ghostface killings, the four survivors leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter.

In January 2022, prior to Scream's release, Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Bettinelli-Olpin, and Gillett expressed interest in making future films in the series. Courteney Cox would later express an interest in a sequel. In early February, a sixth film was officially green-lit. Olpin and Gillett would return to direct while Vanderbilt and Busick would pen the sixth installment. By the end of the month, Campbell was approached to return for the film. The following month, Cox had received the script and was courted to reprise her role. Also in March, the film was set for a March 31, 2023 release date. By May, plot details emerged, setting the film outside of Woodsboro. Instead, the film will take place in New York City. At the same time, it was announced that Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, and Jenna Ortega would also reprise their roles. In addition, it was announced that Hayden Panettiere would reprise her role of Kirby Reed from the fourth film. However, in early June, it was announced Campbell would not be returning for the sixth film as she felt the offer presented to her was unacceptable, making this the first film in the series not to feature the character. In addition, Liana Liberato, Dermot Mulroney, Devyn Nekoda, Jenna Ortega, Tony Revolori, Josh Segarra, Skeet Ulrich, and Samara Weaving rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and wrapped in late August. Filming took place in Montreal, Canada.

The film stars Barrera, Brown, Champion, Czerny, Gooding, Jackson, Liberato, Mulroney, Nekoda, Ortega, Revolori, Segarra, Ulrich, Weaving, Panettiere, and Cox. To an impressive extent, the new cast with the returning cast succeed in squaring this circle, a trick they accomplish partly by turning their film into a symposium on what a new Scream ought to look like.

The film built a legacy of pain that makes the previous trial that Sam and Tara survived another bit of redemption for a Sam’s broken past and makes the films far deeper than one would expect without sacrificing what makes this so damned entertaining. The series is already so dense with internal references and exposition that it's on the verge of becoming more of a trivia game than a movie series. Still, for the initiated, the third time's a charm. For everyone else, it's just a scream. Guaranteed to have audiences shrieking and jumping out of their seats, the film is the most brutal, bloodiest and best film since the original. The film radically reinvigorates the franchise in ferocious fashion, serving up spooky spectacle and masterful meta commentary on modern horror and fandom.

Simon says Scream VI receives:

Also, see my review for Scream.

Film Review: "Faraway" (2023).

"Sometimes we all need a fresh start" This is Faraway. This German romantic comedy drama film directed by Vanessa Jopp, and written by Jane Ainscough and Alex Kendall. Zeynep is unhappy and her life has not turned out as she wanted. That's why she flees to a Croatian island, where her deceased mother bought a house long ago. She hopes to find peace and relaxation finally - but she hasn't reckoned with Josip, who still lives on the property.

The film stars Naomi Krauss, Goran Bogdan, Adnan Maral, Bahar Balci, Artjom Gilz, Davor Tomic, Mladen Vasary, Paula Schramm, Christian Schneller, Butz Ulrich Buse, Ivica Zadro, Zvonimir Kovacic, Mirko Stanic, Ivan Zanic, Ante Blazevic, Alen Babic, Andrijana Gardun, and Hans-Joachim Bauer. The only real depth here is in Krauss' ability to convey lingering heartache despite having little call to do so from the script. Krauss' winning, beautifully measured performance effortlessly steals our affection and grounds the film's contrivances along the way. With a performance of such depth and beauty it overshadows the film's gorgeous Croatian scenery, Krauss owns the screen in the film. This movie, benign and conventional as it is, needs a gutsy performance to keep it from sheer sogginess. The biggest surprise the movie generates is why it's taken this long for Krauss' career to take off. Warmth and joy fill the movie. Some of it comes from that sun over Croatia, but most of it comes from the inner radiance of Krauss.

See it only for the spectacular scenery provided by the gorgeous geography of Croatia, and the ever-radiant beauty of Krauss. The film is an amiable one that, in the tradition of escapist fiction, provides a nice, scenic getaway with just enough drama to keep the story from getting stagnant. Offers audiences the ultimate fantasy vacation. It's a beautiful, sunny, fresh air trip to Europe without the jet lag, language problems, money problems, or any other trivialities. In real life people are not usually so impulsive. That's why movies like this one are enjoyable: they offer us the fantasy of what our lives would be like if we took the plunge. Falling apart halfway through screening, the film only benefits from Krauss' seductive performance, beautiful cinematography and wonderful locations. The film goes for the picture postcard look-and-feel and it succeeds admirably, a flighty contrivance that's thin, lightweight, and instantly disposable. Like the old Croatian hut at the center of this story, there is a lot wrong with the movie, but it is so enticing -- especially for its intended audience -- that it is hard to resist. The film pretends to be juicy, but it doesn't allow any dribbles. It purports to make love all over us, but not without laying down lots of paper towels first. The epitome of what a feel-good movie is supposed to be but rarely is, this one is beautiful to look at and life-affirming to think about, but it does have a pretentious bone in its head.

Simon says Faraway receives:

Series Review: "MH370: The Plane That Disappeared" (2023).

"The truth doesn't just vanish." This is MH370: The Plane That Disappeared. This British docuseries directed by Louise Malkinson. On March 8th, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared from radar. When the two-hundred and thirty-nine people on board went missing, a global investigation into the greatest mystery of the modern age ensued. Despite official reports, countless theories, and tireless searches for evidence, one central question remained - What Are We Missing?

On March 8th, 2014, international passenger flight operated by Malaysia Airlines, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, disappeared while flying from Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia to its planned destination, Beijing Capital International Airport. The crew of the Boeing 777-200ER registered as 9M-MRO, last communicated with air traffic control (ATC) around thirty-eight minutes after takeoff when the flight was over the South China Sea. The aircraft was lost from ATC radar screens minutes later, but was tracked by military radar for another hour, deviating westward from its planned flight path, crossing the Malay Peninsula and Andaman Sea. It left radar range two-hundred nautical miles (three-hundred and seventy km; two-hundred and thirty mi) northwest of Penang Island in northwestern Peninsular Malaysia. With all two-hundred and twenty-seven passengers and twelve crew aboard presumed dead, the disappearance of Flight 370 was the deadliest incident involving a Boeing 777 and the deadliest in Malaysia Airlines' history until it was surpassed in both regards by Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, which was shot down while flying over conflict-stricken eastern Ukraine four months later on 17 July 2014. The combined loss caused significant financial problems for Malaysia Airlines, which was renationalised by the Malaysian government in August 2014. The search for the missing airplane became the most expensive search in the history of aviation. It focused initially on the South China Sea and Andaman Sea, before analysis of the aircraft's automated communications with an Inmarsat satellite indicated a possible crash site somewhere in the southern Indian Ocean. The lack of official information in the days immediately after the disappearance prompted fierce criticism from the Chinese public, particularly from relatives of the passengers, as most people on board Flight 370 were of Chinese origin. Several pieces of debris washed ashore in the western Indian Ocean during 2015 and 2016; many of these were confirmed to have originated from Flight 370. After a three-year search across one-hundred and twenty-thousand km2 (forty-six-thousand sq mi) of ocean failed to locate the aircraft, the Joint Agency Coordination Centre heading the operation suspended its activities in January 2017. A second search launched in January 2018 by private contractor Ocean Infinity also ended without success after six months.

This three-part examination of the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 is irresistible, though the continuing anguish of friends and relatives of the two-hundred and thirty-nine people aboard the flight makes for some painful viewing. The investigative journalism proves fascinating, and the series captures the relentless hunger the public has for answers when a disaster occurs.

Simon says MH370: The Plane That Disappeared receives:

Film Review: "Empire Of Light" (2022).

From the director of Skyfall and 1917 comes Empire Of Light. This British romantic drama film written and directed by Sam Mendes. Set in an English coastal town in the early 1980s, the duty manager of a seaside cinema, who is struggling with her mental health, forms a relationship with a new employee.

In April 2021, it was announced that Mendes had set his next film, which he would direct and pen the script himself, with Olivia Colman was set to star. By early February 2022, Micheal Ward, Colin Firth, Toby Jones, and Tom Brooke rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced and took place in Kent and West Sussex, England. The Dreamland Margate Cinema building was remodelled and renamed until mid May. The actual Dreamland cinema in Margate (which stood in for the Empire cinema in this film) was opened in 1923. It changed hands several times during its lifetime and finally closed for good in 2007. It still stands, although empty, because it is a listed building and so cannot be demolished without parliamentary approval. The block of flats where Steven lives with his mother is not an optical effect: it is really is that close to the building (with Margate railway station being just one-hundred yards up the road).

The film stars Colman, Ward, Firth, Jones, and Brooke. What a stunning portrayal Colman delivers beside Ward; Hilary was written specifically for her, unsurprisingly, and plays that way at all times. Colman brings her distinctive perception as a marginalised woman battling psychological demons. Surprisingly, Colman’s extraordinary performance hasn't. Her subtle portrait of Hilary’s frailty is piercing and enough to make you sigh "now that’s acting". There is a lot to savour. The leads are excellent. Toby Jones finds every bit of gold in his role as their projectionist colleague.

A celebration of cinema's communal experience, this lovingly crafted ode to the joys projected upon the silver screen is a touching celebration of moviegoing. Mendes' film is a charming and gently humorous work of semi-autobiography, composed with an attentive painter's eye and a cinematic cross- referencing of images and motifs. That balance of the ideal and the tragic weaves all throughout the film, which is epic in terms of the time frame it covers, but feels consistently intimate. Recent changes to cinema which have seen the projectionist's art sidelined in the digital age add a further layer of poignancy to the magical memories. If too much charm can kill, this emotionally manipulative nostalgic love letter to cinema directed and written by Mendes is a killer. Even if the romance doesn't work for you -- granted, like life, it can be extremely maudlin -- the movie soars as a celebration of cinema and 20th-century culture. The film does not cover unfamiliar territory, but it manages to find its own romantic voice and, like the classic films it celebrates, becomes an enchanting fantasy that should happily spirit away even the toughest cynics.

Simon says Empire Of Light receives:

Also, see my review for 1917.

Series Review: "In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal" ("나는 신이다: 신이 배신한 사람들") (2023).

"Leaders pretending to be God and the ones they betrayed. The holy betrayal that shook a nation, unveiled" in In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal (나는 신이다: 신이 배신한 사람들). This South Korean documentary series directed by Jo Sung-hyun. This docuseries examines the chilling true stories of four Korean leaders claiming to be prophets — and the dark side of unquestioning belief.

In 1980, Providence, also known as Christian Gospel Mission (CGM) or Jesus Morning Star (JMS), a Christian sect or cult was founded by religious cult leader, self-proclaimed messiah and convicted rapist, Jung Myung-seok (정명석). Providence is headquartered in WolMyeongdong, South Korea, and has since expanded to Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia and other countries. Jung was convicted of rape by the Supreme Court of Korea and was sentenced to ten years imprisonment between 2008 to 2018. On October 28, 2022, he was again indicted for sexually assaulting two female followers between 2018 to 2022.

In August 1987, the CEO of Five Oceans, Park Soon-Ja, came under investigation for having taken debts from about two-hundred and twenty creditors at a twenty to forty percent rate. The female entrepreneur owed about ten billion Korean won (about $9 million). After being questioned, Park and her followers then fled, and the police could not find them. However, on August 29, 1987, Park Soon-Ja and thirty-one other people were found dead in the ceiling of a factory in Yongin, South Korea. Initially, the case was ruled as a mass suicide.

Baby Garden, a Christianity sect, was founded by Kim Ki-Soon. Initially a follower of Pastor Lee Kyo-Bu, she amassed her following after her mentor was jailed for about a few years. Kim rose in popularity and soon became a religious leader in her own right. After some time, she asked her followers to stay in communion with her. Afterwards, Kim was being investigated due to the multiple numbers of people that had gone missing in connection to Baby Garden. In 1996, the police tried to raid Baby Garden’s estate, but Kim escaped. Ultimately, on December 16, 1996, Kim decided to turn herself in but denied all the charges that were put against her. Ultimately, she was released.

In 1982, Christian pastor and author, Jaerock Lee (이재록), founded the Manmin Central Church. It grew into a megachurch with a claimed membership of one-hundred and twenty-thousand in nine-thousand member churches. In 2010, Manmin Central church claimed to have the largest number of churches in Korea. Lee's ministry has been controversial, and he has been called a cult leader. In 2018, he was convicted for multiple causes of sexual assault and rape against several members of his church, and he was sentenced to fifteen years in prison.

The series brings the critical hindsight this debacle deserves, clarifying an intentionally muddied narrative. But it also highlights the dangers of noncritically accepting the story you’re given.

Simon says In the Name of God: A Holy Betrayal (나는 신이다: 신이 배신한 사람들) receives: