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Malay Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Can better sound and lower prices revive Malaysian Tamil films? Vijay Ganesh's horror-comed ‘Mirugasirisham' makes its case (VIDEO)
KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — Mirugasirisham: The Orion, a Malaysian Tamil horror-comedy, has carved its name in local film history as the first Tamil-language production to feature Dolby Atmos sound technology. Directed by Vijay Ganesh and produced by Dr Sai Suthan Krishnan under Fivestar AV, the film follows a family entangled in a web of paranormal mysteries. Seeking answers, they turn to a spiritual guru, portrayed by Vijay himself. The film was released nationwide on June 19 in both 2D and 2D ATMOS formats. 'Mirugasirisham represents our commitment to elevating local storytelling through technological innovation and heartfelt performances,' Vijay told Bernama after attending a pre-recording session of Bernama Tamil News talk show 'Paarvai' at Wisma Bernama here, recently. The movie cast includes Joshua Shashi Kumar, Jegan Shanmugam, Nirmala Tharmarajan, Kumari and Komalaa Naaidu, with music composed by Shane Xtreme. Subtitled in Malay and English to broaden its reach, Mirugasirisham has generated positive buzz across social media, reflecting growing interest in Malaysian Tamil cinema. Despite the momentum, Vijay admitted that local films still face challenges in cinema attendance, partly due to the average ticket price of RM20. 'Cinema outings can be expensive for many families, especially those from the B40 community. We believe lowering ticket prices could help attract more viewers to support homegrown films,' he said. Vijay also urged the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) and relevant government bodies to extend greater support, including funding and production collaboration, to help filmmakers focus on creativity and quality. 'With the right partnerships and resources, we are confident Malaysian Tamil cinema can grow stronger and we can continue sharing our unique stories with pride,' he added. — Bernama
Malay Mail
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
‘Ejen Ali The Movie 2: Misi Satria' vs ‘Keluang Man' – which will prevail?
JUNE 14 — While we're now knee deep into the Hollywood summer movie season, with plenty of heavyweight Hollywood titles duking it out in Malaysian cinemas right now like the newly-opened Ballerina, How To Train Your Dragon and Karate Kid: Legends, who'd have thought that we'd get to witness the Malaysian version of blockbuster battles as well in the last few weeks when both Ejen Ali The Movie 2: Misi Satria and Keluang Man opened within a week of each other to compete for the hearts and wallets of fellow Malaysians? Box-office wise, I think it's pretty clear that Ejen Ali 2 is the winner here, banking RM50.7 million after 18 days, and with nothing yet officially announced in terms of box-office for Keluang Man after almost two weeks, it's probably not making as much, otherwise the numbers would've been officially announced ASAP to drum up more interest for people to go and see it in cinemas. Still, numbers aren't everything when it comes to movies. Quality, approachability and enjoyment are also very important factors in determining both the critical and commercial success of a mainstream film, so let's dive in and see who's the winner in this regard as well, shall we? Ejen Ali The Movie 2: Misi Satria If I had kids, I'd probably have watched every single season of Ejen Ali (there are three of them so far, if I'm not mistaken), and would have been in possession of an even deeper understanding of the lore and characters involved in this hugely successful animated franchise from local studio WAU Animation. I walked into the first Ejen Ali The Movie without having watched a single episode of the series and was still mightily impressed and cried buckets (like I sometimes do watching Pixar movies) a few years back. So, when Ejen Ali The Movie 2: Misi Satria was finally announced, of course I was more than excited to check it out and see if the new movie would be as impressive as the first one. Chronologically taking place after the events of the first movie and Season 3 of the series (which I haven't watched), this movie finds Ali no longer wielding the IRIS suit, which is now being used by Alicia (a new development courtesy of Season 3 of the series) and is now becoming the pilot of SATRIA, a new experimental armoured suit that uses AI to enhance both physical and mental capabilities. The villain this time around is a hacker named Neonimus, who at first appears to be the main threat to Cyberaya but will later be revealed to be a mere pawn in what is a larger plot being planned by unknown forces. The film's B story involves former agent Rizwan, who independently tries to track down and uncover who the puppet master is behind these nefarious schemes. Packed to the brim with some visually impressive action sequences, my experience of watching Ejen Ali The Movie 2: Misi Satria is akin to what I felt whilst watching Ne Zha 2, kinetic and visually exciting experiences that somehow lacked that bit of heart that made the first movie such a magical experience in the first place. The kids will love this one, but the adults would probably have wished for a stronger emotional core to keep them interested, like the best of Pixar does and has done for us many times before. YouTube screenshot of a scene from the trailer of 'Keluang Man' Keluang Man As a 90s kid, local cartoon series like Keluang Man and Usop Sontorian were staples of my TV diet back then. I won't call myself a hardcore fan or anything like that, but if I happen to be in front of the TV when these shows come on, you can bet that I'd sit down and watch them from beginning to end. There was something very Malaysian about both series' sensitivities and sense of humour. Of course that being a very long time ago, I'll also have to admit that I remember very, very little about the details in both series. Naturally, when a 'live' action Keluang Man movie was announced, the 90s kid in me couldn't help but get quite excited to see how that would turn out. And when the minds behind this new adaptation turned out to be quite a few of the same people behind the hit series Project High Council and some of the Polis Evo movies, I was even more excited. Starring Nas-T as Borhan, a patient at a mental hospital in Tampoi who also moonlights as the masked crime fighter Keluang Man, director Anwari Ashraf has crafted a superhero origin story that's part action movie, part irreverent comedy, and full of 90s pop culture references and needle drop moments that any 90s kid would be delighted to watch. However, that delightful advantage is also potentially a double-edged sword as people who are not 90s kids will very probably not be able to catch all these little jokes and references, and be baffled as to why these uncles and aunties are laughing so hard at this joke that they do not understand at all. As a 90s kid, yes, I had a grand old time watching this movie, so kudos to Anwari and the whole team for coming up with such a lovable update of a much-cherished time capsule, but with most of the 90s kids already being dragged by their kids (and maybe even grandkids) to watch Ejen Ali The Movie 2: Misi Satria in the cinema, I do fear for the box-office prospects of Keluang Man.
Malay Mail
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Malaysia's original superhero returns: Astro Shaw unveils next phase of ‘Keluang Man' franchise with ‘Baling' film, new live-action series
KUALA LUMPUR, June 13 — It has been several weeks since the May 29 nationwide release of the much-anticipated live-action film featuring Malaysia's original superhero, Keluang Man. Since its debut, the majority of Malaysians have shown great appreciation for the film, with many praising its nostalgic '90s vibe and the distinctly Malaysian soundtrack woven throughout. However, the most widespread acclaim has undoubtedly gone to the lead actor Nas Muammar Zar (Nas-T) for his performance as Borhan, also known as Keluang Man, as his portrayal of the character and unique acting style have been especially well received. While the film has received praise, it has also raised questions about the future of the Keluang Man franchise and the broader Astro Shaw Cinematic Universe (ASCU), which was announced last year. Questions remain about the future development of the concept, in addition to what lies ahead for the Keluang Man franchise. Raja Jastina Raja Arshad, head of Astro Shaw, said that the Keluang Man franchise universe will continue with the film Baling, to be showcased next in the universe. 'While Keluang Man was based on the original 90s animation by Kamn Ismail, Baling will draw from a folklore that many Malaysians may find familiar. 'It will incorporate elements of a Malaysian story that audiences might recognise,' she said, adding, 'It is going to be darker than Keluang Man.' Raja Jastina Raja Arshad stated the Astro Shaw Cinematic Universe will continue as planned. — Picture by Choo Choy May As for the Keluang Man films, the sequel will still move forward, but before the planned sequel, a live-action Keluang Man series will be released. 'It's not a continuation; it's something fresh, though the character of Borhan will still be there. "This is the next stage of Keluang Man, and it's slightly different from how we're approaching the next chapter of Keluang Man, which will be presented as an original series," said Jastina. The story is currently in development, but director Answari Ashraf will return to take the lead for the series. The release is tentatively planned for late next year or early the following year, though no official date has been set. Regarding the future of the whole ASCU, Jastina confirmed that it is still moving forward, where characters under Astro Shaw will come together in an ultimate convergence film in 2028. 'There are no changes in terms of what we're planning to deliver. It's just that we might add a few things or move some elements forward.'
Malay Mail
03-06-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Meet Malaysia's new wave of directors shaping cinema from box office hits to Cannes acclaim (VIDEO)
KUALA LUMPUR, June 4 — More often than not, film directors are influential people, especially the great ones such as Steven Spielberg or Sir Christopher Nolan, who at least once in their careers have been praised as visionaries. This is thanks to their ability to make films that not only collected tonnes of money at the box office but also made films that resonated well with generations of audiences. Some even end up being inducted as iconic pieces of pop culture such as the 1975 film Jaws or the Dark Knight trilogy which forever changed the landscape of superhero films. Malaysians might not be spoken of in the same breath as Spielberg or Nolan, yet, but it doesn't mean that we don't have great filmmakers other than the legendary late Tan Sri P. Ramlee or the late Yasmin Ahmad. Here's a list of Malaysian filmmakers to get you started. 1. The Yusof Family The holy trinity of the Malaysian box office at the moment, consisting of Datuk Yusof Haslam and his two sons Syamsul Yusof and Syafiq Yusof. Yusof Haslam is a veteran Malaysian actor, director and screenwriter whose filmography is adored by many Malaysians especially for his works such as Gerak Khas, Sembilu and Pasrah which received numerous accolades previously. Yusof's filmmaking knacks seems to have been passed down to both of his sons with Syamsul wearing the crown of being the director of the highest grossing Malaysian film of all time through his 2022 Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan which scored RM89.4 million in ticket collections. Younger brother Syafiq is currently on a hot streak at the moment with him coming up with back to back blockbuster hits since 2023 which includes Polis Evo 3 and Sheriff: Narko Integriti. Sheriff: Narko Integriti, which came out last year, is currently the second highest grossing local films of all time, having pocketed RM59.4 million in ticket sales while Polis Evo 3 collected RM50.1 million, making it the third highest grossing local film of all time. And his latest action flick Blood Brothers: Bara Naga which is currently showing in cinemas nationwide has already grossed RM21 million in less than a week of screening time. 2. Adrian Teh Penang-born filmmaker Adrian Teh has been keeping Malaysians entertained for years now, whether it's from his action-packed military films such as Paskal and Malbatt: Misi Bakara or his earlier Chinese-language films such as the Hungry Ghost Ritual, Lelio Popo and The Wedding Diary. Aside from his directing range, Teh is also known for raising the bar on how local films are presented, such as his 2023 Malbatt: Misi Bakara, which is the first Malaysian film to be shown on IMAX screens across local cinemas nationwide while his 2020 romantic comedy Pasal Kau, which is Netflix's first Malaysian original film. Teh also founded the Chinese Films Association of Malaysia back in 2012, which aims to develop the local Chinese films and television industry and further raise its standards. 3. Aziz Aziz is another veteran Malaysian director who is still actively working. Some of his films are even considered cult classics. Among them are the Senario films, including the comedic troupe's original 'trilogy' films — Senario The Movie, Senario Lagi and Lagi-Lagi Senario. Aziz is also among the earliest local directors to explore the sci-fi genre through his acclaimed 1992 XX Ray film, which enjoyed overwhelming success and went on to spawn sequels. The second movie came out in 1995 while the third instalment came 24 years later in 2019 (but sadly bombed at the local box office due to weak CGI). He is currently set to release his latest film 6 Jilake this April 24 which is an action-comedy movie inspired by the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee's famous 6 Jahanam film. The film boasts a stellar cast, including Amerul Affendi, Bell Ngasri, Saiful Apek, Kazar Saisi, Asmidar, Kamarool Yusof, Laura Olivia, Wan Gegau, Wan Raja, Mamak Puteh, and Jalil Hamid. 4. Sun-J Perumal Shanjhey Perumal, better known as Sun-J, has definitely left his mark in Malaysia's Tamil film industry and he is just warming up. This is after his first full length feature film Jagat which was released in 2015 has made waves both locally and internationally with the film bagging the best picture and best director awards at the 28th Malaysia Film Festival while it was also screened at the 10th edition of the Five Flavours Film Festival in Poland. Jagat, which had grossed over RM330,000 at local box office despite screening in fewer than 20 cinemas, is widely regarded as one of the best Tamil-language films made in Malaysia. The film is set in the early 1990s, a critical period in Indian Malaysian history which revolves around the plight of the Indian estate workers in Malaysia who were left in dire straits after rubber plantations were closed and the story is told through the eyes of 12-year-old protagonist named Appoy. Sun-J will also be releasing two new feature films this year which will serve as Jagat's spiritual sequels with the first one being a gritty crime drama Macai premiering this July 24 and second is the satirical romantic drama Neer Mel Neruppu (Fire on Water) which will be released this September 18. According to Sun-J, Neer Mel Neruppu reimagines the Appoy character from Jagat as a driven student who becomes a filmmaker, while Macai envisions a darker path, where he descends into the drug trade. 5. Jin Ong Taiping-born filmmaker Jin Ong has made waves with his debut film 'Abang Adik' back in 2023. — Picture courtesy of the Dead Tide team Taiping-born filmmaker Jin Ong has made waves through his directorial debut of the highly acclaimed Abang Adik film which has received 28 international awards while also receiving up to 69 nominations at various film festivals worldwide. The film which centres around undocumented orphans struggling in poverty was previously named Best Film at the Asia New York Film Festival (22nd Uncaged Competition) and won the Golden Mulberry, Black Dragon Critics' Award, and White Mulberry Award for Best Feature Film at the 25th Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy. The film has also grossed RM5.7 million in Malaysia while making HK$2.8 million (RM1.6 million) in Hong Kong, another TW$100 million (RM13.6 million) in Taiwan and RMB3 million (RM1.8 million) in China. Despite Abang Adik being his first film as a director, Ong has been in the filming industry in Taiwan and Malaysia for over 20 years now and he has several producer credits to his name. He also owns a production house called Moore Entertainment which produced the first Malaysian film titled Shuttle Life that was nominated at the 54th edition of the prestigious Golden Horse Awards. Honourable mentions Aside from the five already listed, here are some other local filmmakers that deserve a shout out. Nik Amir Mustapha Known for his 2023 film Imaginur which dominated the 33rd Malaysia Film Festival with the romantic sci-fi film bagging seven awards including for best director and best film. Amanda Nell Eu Her directorial debut in 2023 film Tiger Stripes has earned her international recognitions including the Grand Prix Award at the 62nd Semaine de la Critique during the 76th Cannes Film Festival in France and a Special Jury Mention in the First Feature Film category at the 27th Fantasia International Film Festival in Canada. Eu was also presented with the Women In Motion award at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Amir Muhammad and Kuman Pictures After making his directorial debut with Lips to Lips in 2000 which is also the first independent digital film produced in Malaysia, Amir Muhammad then formed Kuman Pictures which went on to produce the acclaimed 2023 Pendatang film. Pendatang made history as not only the first fully crowd-funded Malaysian film but it was also released on YouTube for free. The Malaysian dystopian drama thriller has raked over 4.5 million views since its release. The late Mamat Khalid Although he is no longer with us, films by the late great Mamat Khalid which have spawned franchises, continue to be among the most beloved by Malaysians. Mamat who is known for his subtle social commentary jabs through his many films is exactly why many adored him and some of his filmography includes titles such as Rock, Zombi Kampung Pisang, Hantu Kak Limah and Man Laksa. Mamat died in October 2021, however his legacy is continued by his son and aspiring director Amen Khalid.
Malay Mail
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
'Gayong' and 'Kulit Wayang' — two solid reasons to go to the cinema now
MAY 17 — With the recent announcement that Blood Brothers: Bara Naga has collected RM76 million at the local box-office after 33 days of screening — taking it to second place at the all-time Malaysian box-office charts for local films — it's quite easy to overlook the fact there have been quite a few notable Malaysian films that have opened in local cinemas in the weeks after the Blood Brothers fever hit local cinemagoers. When you add to that the fact there are also other notable releases from Hollywood and beyond opening around the same time like Sinners (which I think is one of the best films of the year so far), Thunderbolts* (aka The New Avengers), Until Dawn and Holy Night: Demon Hunters (come on, who doesn't want to see Don Lee punch demons?), it really is easy to miss out on some of the more notable local films being released concurrently. Despite my best efforts to catch as many local films that I can in the cinema, I still haven't managed to catch Telaga Suriram from this latest batch of local films opening recently, but I've managed to catch two pretty notable ones, for various reasons respectively. The only expectation I had when walking into the cinema to watch this movie, based on the life experiences of Silat Gayong grandmaster Datuk Meor Abdul Rahman Daeng Uda Md Hashim, is that the trailers promised a sort of Malaysian version of the Ip Man movies — a nationalistic historical epic based on the life of a real person. — Picture via YouTube/Filem Gayong Rasmi Gayong The only expectation I had when walking into the cinema to watch this movie, based on the life experiences of Silat Gayong grandmaster Datuk Meor Abdul Rahman Daeng Uda Md Hashim, is that the trailers promised a sort of Malaysian version of the Ip Man movies — a nationalistic historical epic based on the life of a real person. As a local film fan and paying customer, I'd say that director Faisal Ishak (of the Juvana movies and Budak Flat fame) has totally delivered on that premise, with all the caveats that may come with it being an Ip Man type movie. Just like those Ip Man movies, this one's very stylised as well, with a nationalistic spirit that can't help but stir the emotions in you, with an added local flavour that will remind people of 80s and 90s Malaysian films in how the dialogue is written and delivered. And there's a beautiful layer of Malay-ness to it all, particularly in the ethics/practice of the art of Silat Gayong, in how and when to hold back or move forward, and when to truly let go of all that rage, that's presented in a surprisingly subtle way. In short, there's a very Malay soul to this historical action flick, which makes it pretty unique and at least of some value to fans of fight flicks out there. There are some unfortunate, but not that glaring, holes in the film's plotting, wherein some character motivations can be a bit confounding, but on the whole, Ishak has delivered an exciting, emotional and pretty well-paced piece of mainstream entertainment. It's not perfect, but in its wonderfully quaint and mannered retroness, and its soulful presentation of Silat Gayong principles, it holds its own place in the history of Malaysian action films. I can't wait for its next chapter! Kulit Wayang Celebrated Malaysian auteur Dain Said does horror again with his latest film Kulit Wayang, but aims to deliver a bit more food for thought by using the world of Kelantanese 'wayang kulit' (shadow puppetry) to provoke audiences into thinking about issues like exploitation, creative and literal theft from the more underprivileged local communities, and if one were to think in an even wider context, exploitation and theft by those in powerful positions from poor and normal people. He does all this by telling the story of a tok dalang (shadow puppet master) named Pak Lee (played by Fattah Amin, doing a pretty great job with his facial expressions and emotions, but sometimes undone by the inconsistency of the delivery of his Kelantanes dialect) who is grieving the death of his child. He comes across a young Indonesian girl named Dewi, who's in the village with her mother, who's doing a thesis on wayang kulit, and it turns out that Dewi has a preternatural gift for wayang kulit ('angin dia kuat' as explained in the film's dialogue), which kicks the film's plot into gear, involving mystical beings like a crocodile man, ghosts of lost kids and a shadow puppet made from human skin that sounds brilliant on paper, but in reality was not executed as well as it could've been as a horror film. It's not a bad film, but it's not great as well, because in the film's own struggle between being a horror film and a more arthouse/thought provoking one, it kind of got caught in the middle, not fully satisfying the needs of both or even either genre. Still, it holds plenty of value for cinephiles, especially in Dain Said's visual flair, which can be experienced in abundance here. Even when the CGI is a bit dodgy, fans of horror maestros like Lucio Fulci will find plenty to admire in Dain's depictions of the netherworld, beyond the wayang kulit's screen, and there are some shots here that will wow viewers just like he did in Bunohan. * This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
