#WeekendWatch — He Shuming Tells Men’s Folio About The Films And Shows On His Current Watch List

Lifestyle, Arts & Culture

#WeekendWatch — He Shuming Tells Men’s Folio About The Films And Shows On His Current Watch List

By Charmaine Tan
October 22, 2022

If you have been paying attention to the news recently, you must have heard about the buzz around Singapore’s recent appearance in the international film festival scene with Ajooma, a Singapore-South Korea feature film produced by Cannes Film Festival and Golden Horse winner Anthony Chen, starring local veteran star Hong Huifang and directed by first-time feature director He Shuming.

The film not only received four Golden Horse nominations; it also became the first Singapore film in 19 years to compete in Busan Film Festival’s main competition and is selected to represent Singapore at Oscars 2023.

We invite He Shuming, the director of the film, to share some of the works (and his favourite stills from some of the selections) that inspire him or give him respite from his main hustle. Ranging from a black-and-white work, Real Housewives, Better Than Saul and a Polish TV series, He Shuming’s eclectic and candid collection is bound to spark something in you to be bolder, or at least, to watch more widely.

Volver (2006, Pedro Almodóvar)

#WeekendWatch — He Shuming Tells Men’s Folio About The Films And Shows On His Current Watch List This is a film I rewatch when I have writer’s block. Maybe it’s the colours, Penelope Cruz’s star turn as the lead or just the melodrama – it always put me in such a mood to write after.

All About Eve (1950, Joseph L. Mankiewicz)

#WeekendWatch — He Shuming Tells Men’s Folio About The Films And Shows On His Current Watch List This is another classic that I rewatch often. I have the Criterion set so I also like watching it with the commentary. Bette Davis is such a star.

Comrades: Almost a Love Story (1996, Peter Chan)

#WeekendWatch — He Shuming Tells Men’s Folio About The Films And Shows On His Current Watch List I recently rewatched this and it needs to be seen again in a new light, which makes it all even more melancholic.

Triangle of Sadness (2022, Ruben Östlund)

#WeekendWatch — He Shuming Tells Men’s Folio About The Films And Shows On His Current Watch List Ruben Östlund’s brand of humour is always such a riot. I’ve been wanting to watch this for awhile. It also stars the great Filipina actress Dolly De Leon. Opens this week in Singapore.

Watcher (2022, Chloe Okuno)

#WeekendWatch — He Shuming Tells Men’s Folio About The Films And Shows On His Current Watch List My classmate from AFI Conservatory made this stunning, frightening debut which premiered at Sundance earlier this year (available on Amazon Prime).

Six Feet Under

#WeekendWatch — He Shuming Tells Men’s Folio About The Films And Shows On His Current Watch List I must have rewatched each episode at least once. Remember when pirated DVD box sets were a thing when we traveled in the 2000s? I treasured my pirated Six Feet Under box set tremendously.

Real Housewives

#WeekendWatch — He Shuming Tells Men’s Folio About The Films And Shows On His Current Watch List I’m not ashamed to say I watch Real Housewives. It’s basically silly soap opera and a reality so far removed from mine. I follow Beverly Hills, Potomac, Atlanta and Salt Lake City.

Dekalog (1988, Krzysztof Kieślowski)

#WeekendWatch — He Shuming Tells Men’s Folio About The Films And Shows On His Current Watch List

I used refer to this in my classes but also rewatch this once in awhile when I need a bit of a palette cleanser. It’s a fantastic Polish television miniseries inspired by the Decalogue of the Ten Commandments by the great Kieślowski.

Better Call Saul

#WeekendWatch — He Shuming Tells Men’s Folio About The Films And Shows On His Current Watch List I’m slowly catching up. Breaking Bad for me was peak American television and this was such a successful spin off that really stood on its own.

Irma Vep (2022)

#WeekendWatch — He Shuming Tells Men’s Folio About The Films And Shows On His Current Watch List I love Oliver Assayas’ 1996 film version starring Maggie Cheung and just started this miniseries that he created for television. It’s quite meta in a really fun way.