Before Midnight

The chemistry is still there, but the magic has long gone. The third (and hopefully final) part of Richard Linklater’s talky romance-drama helmed by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy is mundane and cloying (right down to its predictable closer, which echoes Before Sunrise’s). While the first two films were each imbued with a wistful sense […]

I’m So Excited!

Spain’s Academy Award-winning director Pedro Almodóvar is back with his first full-on comedy since Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown in 1988. His new offering, I’m So Excited! is definitely less subtle and presents itself as more of a farce. It’s packed with extreme characters, giving it an overall tone that feels more […]

Kuriya Penthouse to Sumiya: Quick-change artist

Restaurant renovation is no easy business. But RE&S Enterprises managed to turn high-end establishment Kuriya Penthouse in to retro Japanese grill and waterhole Sumiya in just two weeks (June 15-July 1). And it’s worked well, the place is now packed. On the top of Orchard Central, Sumiya is a real casual joint: lots of fun. […]

Sultans of Shave

The buzz: Yet another men’s only grooming parlor, but this new addition is super snazzy, located in a hip shophouse building that is also home to Ritual and The Mad Men Attic Bar. The vibe: Barber chairs aren’t the first things you’ll see in the polished, industrial-fitted space. Instead, it’s a swanky little bar (which, […]

Backdoor at Seng Poh

This 18-seater bistro and bar is tucked away behind bakery dough&grains in the Tiong Bahru neighborhood. It serves beers and ciders to go with bar bites like yin yang fries, green monster hot wings and bruschetta.