Sleepless Society: Insomnia – Thai thriller review

Dan Wild

During lockdown I started watching Thai TV. I’ve been to Thailand three times and Bangkok is one of my favourite cities. So I started learning a bit of the language too. Thanks to streaming services we can see that acting, production and screenwriting talent is evident all over the world. Every stand-alone instalment in the …

Netflix Lupin review, with notes on French culture

Dan Wild

Omar Sy stars as Assane Diop, son of African immigrant Babakar, who is betrayed by an influential businessman. Babakar Diop (Fargasse Asandé), accused of theft, is imprisoned and ends his life in a cell, unable to live through the loss of face. But not before he introduces Assane to Maurice Leblanc, creator of the Arsene …

Tientsin Mystic review 河神 (Season 1) Make way for the River God

Dan Wild

Fog swirls over a bridge in 1920s Tianjin. A well-dressed young man is fleeing a group of ruffians. He runs onto the bridge. He’s trapped. He jumps into the river. He struggles underwater, trapped by some seaweed. A long-faced man appears in front of him, upside down. The next day Ding Mao, son of the …

Against the Tide review – Singapore drama

Dan Wild

Here’s another one that takes a few episodes to find its feet, then you’re sucked in and the next 20 episodes are engaging viewing. I’m not quite sure what the title, Against the Tide, actually means, but then the show is full of enigmas. 逆潮 (nìcháo) could be translated as Counter Current, or as Google …

Mind Game review – Malaysian drama

Dan Wild

This 2015 Malaysian production hits all the right buttons. It maintains flow, suspense and plot development over its 30 episode run. I began watching this at the same time as Unriddle, which also features a handsome female cop as the lead. While Unriddle is quite watchable, it does have a few audio problems and isn’t …

Breakout review 破天网 – Underworld Singapore drama

Dan Wild

Singapore’s acting scene is one happy family. I was led to Breakout (破天网, Pò tiān wǎng) (2010) by following the link for Jeanette Aw after watching The Dream Job (2016). As Yáng Niànqīng (杨念青) Aw plays jaded and unstable daughter of ruthless underworld figure Yáng Tiānwēi (杨天威). Yang is played with barely contained menace by Guō Liàng (郭亮) …