The Last Dance 破·地獄 (2024)

(dir. Anselm Chan 陳茂賢) There are multiple protagonists in this film: Dominic Ngai (Dayo Wong), a wedding planner forced to switch to the funeral business during the Covid pandemic; “Hello” Man (Michael Hui), a Taoist priest upholding old funeral traditions; and Man’s two adult children, Yuet (Michelle Wai) and Ben (Chu Pak Hong). An excellent script and strong performances enliven all of these characters and despite a 140-minute length (in the director’s cut) it doesn’t feel in the least self-indulgent. It did well in the Hong Kong Film Awards, but lost Best Film to Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In. I would have given this the top prize. ★★★★★