Left Hand Column: Book and Film Reviews

Cupid Love is a 1995 Singapore telemovie deeply rooted in its time, not just as a romance, but as a snapshot of local television at its most sincere.  Starring the beautiful Athena Chu and handsome Chen Hanwei, it combines romance, illness, family feeling, and a touch of Hungry Ghost Festival atmosphere in a way that still feels memorable today. Plot summary The plot follows a getai singer, played by Athena Chu, who falls in love with her American pen pal, only to find out that he is the son of a wealthy man and is suffering from a terminal illness.  That premise alone gives the telemovie a bittersweet core, turning it from a simple romance into something more emotional and tragic. One of the film’s more distinctive features is its getai setting. Because the heroine is a getai singer, and her family is connected to that world as well, the telemovie offers viewers a glimpse into local getai culture and the atmosphere surrounding the seventh lunar month. That gives the story a r...

Predator: Badlands is a refreshing entry in the franchise that does more than rely on action and spectacle.  While it delivers the tension and combat expected of a Predator film, what stood out to me is that I genuinely enjoyed the plot beyond just the fighting scenes. The story has enough structure, character focus, and small twists to keep things engaging. Plot summary Predator: Badlands follows Dek, a young Predator navigating survival, identity, and the need to prove himself by hunting an apex predator within a dangerous and unfamiliar environment.  Rather than focusing purely on humans being hunted, the film shifts perspective and gives more attention to Predator culture, hierarchy, and internal dynamics. A key element in the story is the Kalisk, a powerful and feared creature that adds another layer of danger. Its presence expands the stakes and makes the world feel larger, moving the film beyond a simple hunter versus prey setup. It is a hunter looking for an even bigge...