Film picks: Perfect Blue + My Wonderful Life
The psychological thriller Perfect Blue has been chosen by Singapore animator Calleen Koh as part of the Majulah Cinema! programme at The Projector.
Perfect Blue + My Wonderful Life
As part of its Majulah Cinema! National Day celebrations, indie cinema The Projector invited a group of Singapore film-makers to select films that have made an impact on them.
Animator Calleen Koh chose psychological thriller Perfect Blue (1997, 81 minutes) from celebrated Japanese director Satoshi Kon, who died of cancer in 2010.
Now considered a classic anime referenced by Hollywood film-makers like Oscar-winning Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, 2010), the story follows former pop idol and actress Mima going through the worst days of her life. A stalker, the stress of a difficult acting role and the murders of people close to her have shaken her grip on reality.
Before the screening of Perfect Blue, Koh's short film My Wonderful Life (2024, 10 minutes) will be shown.
Winner of the Best Singapore Short Film at the 2024 Singapore International Film Festival, the drama-comedy tells the story of Grace Lee, an average working mother facing an above-average level of work and family pressure. The animation features the voices of local actors Yeo Yann Yann and Zheng Geping.
Perfect Blue and My Wonderful Life have a combined classification of R21.
Where: The Projector, 05-00 Golden Mile Tower, 6001 Beach Road
MRT: Nicoll Highway/Lavender
When: Aug 10 and 23, various times
Admission: $17.50 (standard), $15.50 (concession), $13.50 (fan club)
Info:
str.sg/cfTQ
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Chief Of War (M18)
Apple TV+
Jason Momoa and Temuera Morrison in Chief Of War.
PHOTO: APPLE TV+
It is the late 18th century and the four major Hawaiian islands fight never-ending wars with one another. The inter-island hostility is seen through the eyes of the high-born Ka'iana, a warrior who will become a pivotal figure in the wars of Hawaiian unification that precede the arrival of Western colonists.
Jason Momoa stars as Ka'iana, while also acting as the series' executive producer, co-writer and the director of the final episode.
The series breaks new ground by being the first major international production to have nearly all dialogue in a Polynesian language (Hawaiian) and featuring only actors of Pacific Islander descent playing the native Hawaiians.
With its brutal depictions of war and politics, the M18-rated show has drawn favourable comparisons with Shogun (2024 to present), especially as the series also deals with the upheavals that follow the arrival of the first European sailors.
Four Trails (PG13)
101 minutes, now showing at The Projector and Golden Village Suntec City
Director Robin Lee (left, in black shorts) filming a runner for the documentary Four Trails.
PHOTO: 2025 LOST ATLAS LIMITED
One of the world's most punishing ultramarathons is the subject of this sport documentary that follows runners attempting the 298km Hong Kong Four Trails Ultra Challenge.
The annual race spans Hong Kong's four longest trails, covering more than 14,500m of elevation gain. It must be completed solo, without trekking poles or the help of an on-trail support crew. Around 6 per cent of participants complete the full 298km within 60 hours to earn the title of Finisher.
The film profiles a group of 2021 participants, including Hong Kong runners Jacky Leung, Stone Tsang and Law Kai Pong; Andre Blumberg, the German expatriate who founded the race in 2012; Korean-Spanish runner Hyun Chan Chung; and several expatriates based in Hong Kong. Crew members hiked the trails with heavy camera equipment to capture the footage.
With the use of mountain footage and confessional moments, director Robin Lee presents a portrait of physical suffering, mental collapse and the drive to finish. For the documentary, he won Best New Director at the 2025 Hong Kong Film Awards.
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