If I stay (Opens Sep 4)
Based on a novel of the same name by Gayle Forman, If I Stay turns the tables on the generic romantic drama formula (which usually centers on angst-driven couples deciding whether or not to leave each other). Chloe Grace Moretz stars as Mia Hall, a musically-gifted teenager who ends up in a coma after a horrific car accident. Whilst unconscious, Mia has an out-of-body experience where she literally sees her own life flash before her eyes, and must make the difficult decision whether to continue living or let herself slip away. And you thought you had a hard time deciding which selfie to post on Instagram.
Step Up All In (Opens Sep 4)
The fifth installment in a series that brought together oh-so-adorable couple Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan, Step Up All In features the best dancers from all the previous films. As all Step Up movies go, there’ll be two gorgeous leads who start out hating each other, come together for a major dance battle, fall in and out of love along the way and share an eye-roll inducing smooch at the end. Predictable plot aside, the dance moves look to be slicker and bolder than ever (there’s even a fire-twirling sequence). Strictly for dance fans who are willing to compromise substance for style.
Finding Vivian Maier (Sep 6, 6pm)
One of the highly-anticipated screenings at this year’s A Design Film Festival, Finding Vivian Maier uncovers the life of enigmatic Wall Street photographer Vivian Maier through never-before-seen interviews with people she encountered. The elusive shutterbug gained posthumous fame when a box of her negatives was uncovered just two years before her death. The box contained more than 150 000 photos she took during her 40 year stint as a nanny.
Tadao Ando: From Emptiness to Infinity (Sep 6, 2:30pm)
Another highlight of the festival is this feature on highly-respected Japanese architect Tadao Ando, who’s been hailed as the “father of Haiku architecture” and awarded the prestigious Pritzker architecture prize. Known for his stunning work on buildings such as the Chichu Art Museum and Church of the Light, the design maestro lets us in on his meticulous creative process, along with the inspiration and motivation behind his masterpieces.
The Skin I Live In (Sep 6, 5pm)
Showing at Screening Room, this Spanish psychological thriller features Antonio Banderas as a plastic surgeon who holds a young woman captive (Elena Anaya) for illegal transgenetic experiments. Thought the plot reads like a typical B-grade horror film, the movie surprisingly garnered much critical acclaim and even won a BAFTA award for best international film. A word of caution if you’re bringing a date though – the various story elements include murder, date rape and forced gender reassignment, not the kind of stuff that gets you in the mood for a romance. Reservations are encouraged due to limited seating, so book ahead on [email protected] or 6532-3357 if you’re planning to head down.
