Our monthly round-up of the hottest entertainment releases. This month: Kraven the Hunter, Gladiator II, and more.

Movies

Kraven the Hunter

Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU), the movie franchise that began in 2018 with Venom, is about to get an injection of new blood. After release date delays, Kraven the Hunter finally comes to cinemas this month. It’s the third SSU movie in 2024, after Madame Web and Venom: The Last Dance.

Sergei Kravinoff/Kraven the Hunter (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) is a Russian man who has a complex relationship with his wealthy and ruthless father, Nikolai Kravinoff (Russell Crowe). Kraven embarks on a vengeful, bloody journey, crossing paths with various dangerous individuals. He falls for the voodoo priestess Calypso Ezili (Ariana DeBose) and faces off against an assassin called the Foreigner (Christopher Abbott) and Aleksei Sytsevich/Rhino (Alessandro Nivola), a mercenary who transforms into a human-rhino hybrid beast. Kraven also encounters his estranged half-brother, Dmitri Smerdyakov/Chameleon (Fred Hechinger), who is adept at disguises. He is driven to become the world’s greatest and most feared hunter.

Kraven the Hunter marks the classic Spider-Man villain’s first live-action appearance, which has long been in the works. Kraven was considered for appearances in both the Sam Raimi-directed Spider-Man series and the rebooted Amazing Spider-Man movies. He was then mooted as a possible villain for the third Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Spider-Man movie before No Way Home was conceptualised. He was also a secondary villain in the recent blockbuster video game, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. Alas, those plans failed to materialise, though Sony Pictures eventually became interested in a standalone film in 2017. Seven years later, here we are.

As the first R-rated movie in the SSU, Kraven promises to be grittier and more brutal than the previous entries in the franchise.

Gladiator II

With an impressive international debut of US$87 million, Ridley Scott’s latest film has garnered him his biggest-ever overseas box office kick-off. Its length is similarly sprawling, running for 2 hours and 28 minutes; the director’s first cut was, in fact, a whopping 3 hours and 40 minutes. With its scope and ambition, it is a full-on sand-and-sandals epic worthy of the genre’s name.

Fans of the original Gladiator will recognise similar tropes, despite Gladiator II’s actors making the effort not to ape the performances of the cast of the 2000 Best Picture Oscar-winning film.

Swanning about in swishy opulent robes and jewellery is Denzel Washington, stealing every scene he’s in as the scheming gladiator-owner Macrinus. The first two-thirds of the film is full of explosive action set pieces and replete with themes of honour, brotherhood, and sacrifice — it’s sure to warm every blood sport fan’s heart.

Scenes in the Colosseum are especially vivid and alone justify the IMAX screen price. But as the movie speeds on with subplots and political intrigue, the ending falls short of the greatness that was the first Gladiator. Perhaps it is a set-up for another sequel. As Ridley Scott stated in a recent interview: “There’s already an idea [for Gladiator III]. I’ve always had this idea based on The Godfather Part II…”

We Live in Time

In this romantic drama, figure skater-turned-chef Almut (Florence Pugh) and divorced cereal sales representative Tobias (Andrew Garfield) have a surprise encounter that changes both their lives. The movie unfolds in a non-linear fashion, and we glimpse snapshots of their life together, from their courtship to the birth of their daughter Ella (Grace Delaney).

Almut is diagnosed with ovarian cancer. While in treatment, she receives an invitation to compete in the prestigious Bocuse d’Or culinary competition in Italy. However, it conflicts with the date that has been set for her and Tobias’ wedding, causing tension between them.

We Live in Time thrives on the palpable chemistry between its stars, but it’s during the resonant, relatable moments that the movie really soars. Pugh and Garfield, two of Hollywood’s biggest stars, turn in grounded, understated performances, which lend the film a true-to-life authenticity.

Pierce

What does it mean to love someone who may never fully understand you as you do them? And how do you stay loyal to someone if you’ll never know if they love you too?

Pierce explores those questions through the eyes of younger brother Zijie (Liu Hsiu-fu) as he secretly reconnects with his estranged older brother Zihan (Tsao Yu-ning), a three-time national fencing champion fresh out of juvenile prison for murder. Zihan claims the death of his fencing opponent was purely accidental — a tragic result of his broken blade. With his disarming charm and easy smile, it’s easy to trust Zihan. Yet, their own mother deems her oldest son a dangerous sociopath.

That doesn’t stop the brothers from secretly reconnecting over their shared love of fencing. From trespassing into a school to coach his younger brother to a disconcerting meal with his soon-to-be stepfamily, Singaporean filmmaker Nelicia Low’s suspenseful directorial debut will keep audiences guessing about Zihan’s true intentions right down to the last frame.

Besides serving up thrills, the film also explores how sibling love and loyalty can stand up against the walls of doubt and ambiguity.

Pierce is inspired by Low’s relationship with her own brother, whose autism makes it hard for her to reconcile the idea of her brother and who he really is. She also drew on her background as a national fencer in Singapore.

TV

Arcane S2

A spin-off of the popular multiplayer online video game League of Legends, Netflix’s smash hit Arcane set the record as Netflix’s highest-rated series at the time (2021) within a week of its premiere. Now, season 2 of the animated steampunk series is out and has earned just as effusive praise as season 1.

Actresses Ella Purnell and Hailee Steinfeld reprise their voiceover roles as estranged sisters Jinx and Vi. This time, the story picks up from the dramatic and intense events of season 1, where the show dives into the origins of the titular characters as they adventure in a technologically advanced city.

Packed with both heartfelt moments and pulse-quickening scenes, the series is another rare example of a game adaptation done right, appealing to both hardcore League of Legends fans and casual viewers alike.

Music

Rosé and Bruno Mars — APT.

“APT.” marks the first collaboration between the singer from the K-pop girl group Blackpink and the “24K Magic” man himself. The new single is an infectious, upbeat hit in which Rosé and Mars wax lyrical about love and about inviting their would-be partners to come over to their ‘apateu’, or APT for short — the Korean word for apartment. According to Rosé, the song was based on a popular South Korean game of the same name. The song then came about after she introduced the game to Mars, who helped realise it into the tune it is today.

Since its release, “APT.” has amassed over hundreds of millions of streams and has become a viral hit across the world because of its cheeky melodies and the earworm of a chorus. (Just scroll through Instagram or TikTok and you’ll be bombarded by scores of videos using the song.) Released alongside solo singles from Blackpink’s Jennie (“Mantra”) and Lisa (“Moonlit Floor”), “APT.” has emerged as a standout track among them, solidifying Rosé’s status as a breakout solo artist.

Games

Dragon Age: Veilguard

Warriors of Thedas rejoice! Dragon Age: Veilguard, the latest entry in the renowned role-playing franchise by BioWare, has arrived — 10 years after the last Dragon Age game. Based in the iconically mythical world of Thedas, Veilguard tasks players to explore the mysteries of the Veil, a mystical barrier that separates the physical world from the Fade — the realm of spirits and dreams. Players will take on the role of defending the Veil from a looming threat as the boundary between the worlds begins to weaken.

Further departing from the style of the first game of the franchise (Dragon Age: Origins), Veilguard leans into the first-person, action-heavy direction of its direct predecessor (Dragon Age: Inquisition). What it lacks in rich story or characterisation, it makes up for with fluid gameplay and propulsive fights.

Packaged in this Dragon Age instalment are expanded mechanics, deeper customisation features, and new spells. Fans can also look forward to being reunited with the ever-familiar factions of the Inquisition, mages, and templars; you’ll also be acquainted with a slew of new characters and locales.