Film and TV Picks: Gyeongseong Creature 2, The Paradise Of Thorns, Ezra

Gyeongseong Creature 2 (NC16)

Netflix

Set 79 years after the main events in Season 1 of Gyeongseong Creature, Park Seo-joon and Han So-hee’s characters reunite in modern-day Seoul.

At the end of the first season, which concluded in January, Han’s Yoon Chae-ok was infected with a parasitic creature. It makes her part-human and part-monster, and gifted with supernatural abilities and eternal youth.

Chae-ok runs into Park’s Jang Ho-jae, a doppelganger of her former lover Jang Tae-sang. The star-crossed lovers, once again, are pitted against supernatural creatures created by a shadowy, nefarious organisation.

Director Chung Dong-yoon, who took into consideration that the first season’s plot was a tad draggy and meandering, delivers a pacier story and keeps the action fast and furious. Season 1 was a hit when it was released in December 2023, climbing to No. 3 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 weekly list of the most-watched non-English television titles.

Since its release on Sept 27, Gyeongseong Creature 2 is Netflix’s second most-watched non-English series globally.

The Paradise Of Thorns (R21)

131 minutes, now showing

Thai singer-actor Jeff Satur makes his feature film debut in this Thai drama on love, loss and revenge.

He plays Thongkam, who has built a nice life with Sek (Pongsakorn Mettarikanon) in a durian orchard in a mountainous Thai village. However, Sek dies in an accident, leaving Thongkam in despair.

Making things worse, Sek’s mother Saeng (Srida Puapimol) and her adopted daughter Mo (Engfa Waraha) show up and claim the orchard as theirs since the estate is in Sek’s name. 

Amid grieving the loss of Sek’s untimely death, Thongkam has to fight to reclaim the fruit of their love and labour.

Director Naruebet “Boss” Kuno in his feature film debut delivers a work that transitions from romance to drama to revenge flick.

The Paradise Of Thorns made its international premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, with Satur receiving praises for his powerful performance.

Ezra (NC16)

101 minutes, now showing
★★★☆☆

Divorced couple Max (Bobby Cannavale) and Jenna (Rose Byrne) butt heads on how to parent their son Ezra (William Fitzgerald), who has autism. He recoils at physical contact and speaks in movie quotes.

When Max finds out that Ezra is prescribed anti-psychotic medication and may be sent to a special needs school, he abducts the boy from Jenna’s custody and goes on a cross-country escape.

The Hollywood production is a broad-appeal family dramedy that entertains while remaining sensitive to its very real issue: One in every 36 children in the United States is reportedly on the autism spectrum.

Most laudable is the discovery of Fitzgerald, who has autism, for the lead and the casting of veteran actor Robert De Niro. He plays the cranky grandpa helping Jenna and the police chase down the fugitive pair.

Cannavale and Fitzgerald create a convincing bond in a sincere story less about a child with special needs than about the strain, frustration and challenges of caring for one.

This honest drama contributes to the current conversation on neurodivergence and will resonate with many parents.