Malaysian cinephiles rejoice! After several months of having to watch old films on one’s laptop or television, the big screens are finally back in action.
With the restrictions of the Movement Control Order (MCO) being rescinded, cinemas have finally been allowed to reopen, albeit with limited seating.
Whatever the case, now is the time to spend one’s weekends away from home and enjoy the latest cinematic products the entertainment world has to offer.
Some of the films that will be running this month were actually slated to be released long ago, but real-life circumstances delayed their release until now.
So, what are you waiting for? Head over to the theatres and see which of these flicks ought to be your first after a while.
1. Wonder Woman 1984
This superheroine flick actually played in selected theatres prior to MC0 3.0, but a large chunk of Malaysians was unable to catch it due to its limited release.
Hence, now is a good time to catch up on the adventures of this Amazonian superheroine in the latest cinematic instalment of the DC Extended Universe.
Set in the titular year, Wonder Woman, living under the alter ego of Diana Prince, leads a quiet existence even as Cold War tensions continue to build.
Despite her desire to stay under the radar, her hand is eventually forced as she finds herself facing off against an unscrupulous tycoon and a superhuman villainess.
To make things even more complicated, a beloved of Diana appears to have returned from the dead through unnatural means.
2. Raya and the Last Dragon
Well, this is certainly a first. In the latest of Disney’s classic princess movies, Southeast Asia serves as the inspiration for the setting and plot of the film.
Visual inspiration for the film was reportedly taken from countries throughout the region, including humble Malaysia. Plus, its co-writer, Adele Lim, is a Malaysian!
Set in the fantasy world of Kumandra, humans and dragons lived a comfortable shared existence until a catastrophic calamity struck.
In a desperate bid to save the world from ravenous monsters called the Druun, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save their human brethren.
Now, with the Druun returning, it is up to the warrior princess Raya to find the last living dragon and put an end to the menace once and for all.
3. Stand by Me Doraemon 2
Ah, among the Japanese cartoon characters that have appeared on local screens, Doraemon is one that even the most insulated Malaysian would know.
After all, Gen Z and millennials might just remember the time when the Malay-dubbed version of the cartoon would run on NTV7 at 7.30pm every Saturday.
What is there not to love about a talking blue cat with a shrill voice that can literally pull everything and anything out of its pouch?
In this cinematic release, the perpetually hapless but good-hearted Nobita travels back in time to meet his beloved and deceased grandmother to have a little more time with her.
Meanwhile, the Nobita of the future worries that he is not worthy of being betrothed to his childhood romance, Shizuka, and it is up to Doraemon to convince his charge otherwise.
4. Godzilla vs Kong
Slated to release later this month, this movie is to be the latest instalment of the MonsterVerse, featuring the gigantic beasts that are Godzilla and King Kong.
This is hardly the first time the titans have clashed, with the 1962 Japanese film, ‘King Kong vs Godzilla’ depicting it far earlier.
In any case, Malaysians will never stop hankering for disaster films, and with a giant lizard and a giant ape rampaging around town, explosions are likely to be aplenty.
Set after the events of the previous films, Kong and his human handlers are searching for a place for the beast to call home when Godzilla emerges, unusually enraged as it destroys cities in its wake.
With little choice in the matter, humanity has to set Kong on Godzilla and hope for the best as the two titans duke it out with no holds barred.
5. Endgame
By the heavens, it’s Andy Lau! For those unfamiliar with the Sinosphere film scene, Lau, along with Jacky Cheung, Aaron Kwok and Leon Lai formed the Four Heavenly Kings — entertainment titans of their time.
While the actor may be approaching 60, his perpetually dashing looks still very much send eyes and hearts aflutter, and his charisma helps him carry almost every role.
In this latest cinematic outing of his, Lau plays a professional hitman who slips into a coma after a bathhouse accident and wakes up with no recollection of his life.
Unbeknownst to him, a theatre actor beset by misfortune has taken his identity and has been forced into a profession he is ill-prepared for.
The amnesiac assassin, on the other hand, finds that life on the stage actually has its own appeals and it is up to fate to decide what happens when he starts to regain his memories.