This year's March may seem like it is lacking in number of titles, but this month is a month of returns as we look ahead to 2019, now that we are done with 2018 and the end of Oscar season. Superhero season returns, zombie and horror make an unusual return, and animation takes centre stage, with one beloved classic returning in a new form. In the meantime, the Thai Film Festival also returns to Malaysia with its selection of Thai films returning to Malaysian screens from last year. But March is also a good month for Southeast Asia, as we will be getting movies from neighbouring Philippines and Indonesia. So, if you are looking to have a marvellous time at the cinemas, these are the movies not to miss this March!
Few years late to the party but Marvel is finally getting their first female-leading superhero entering into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Set in 1995 when a human fighter pilot embodies one the mightiest heroes of the galaxy, she returns back to Earth, not only to defend it from an alien force, but also questioning her past and identity. Superhero season begins in March with "Captain Marvel", directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, with Brie Larson making her debut appearance in the MCU. Also appearing will be some familiar faces last seen in previous Marvel films like Djimon Hounsou (who?) and Lee Pace from "Guardians of the Galaxy", and a de-aged Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. Also making their entry to the MCU is Gemma Chan, and Jude Law as members of Starforce. General Release Date: 7 March
We know our alien invasion movies. They are the perfect vehicle for movie destruction and retribution on the invaders. But since "District 9" and "Arrival", we haven't seen a movie that uses the alien invasion premise to tell a story about the people living on Earth. We could have easily dismissed "Captive State" as trying to be a knock-off of either movies we mentioned, but we are willing to give a chance to director Rupert Wyatt, especially with a cast that has John Goodman in a lead. Set 10 years after Earth has forfeited governmental control to an alien race that brought peace and harmony, a resistance group plans dissidence on the new alien overlords, and we hope it is has something smart to say about surveillance, oppression and government control as it looks. General Release Date: 14 March
The zombie genre in Asia doesn't seem to be resting any time soon. Delivering a heart pumping (and tearing) revitalisation in "Train to Busan", Korea seems to be experimenting with the genre once again (perhaps in the vein of last year's "One Cut of the Dead" from Japan). As a zombie apocalypse sets in South Korea, a family's life is torn apart when their elderly father is bitten by a zombie. Lee Min-jae's directing debut seems to take all the subversion of zombie movies and mash them together; romance, family, and comedy, and with a cast of veteran actors from Uhm Jo-won, Park In-hwan and Lee Soo-kyung, we want to see where this is going. General Release Date: 14 March
Les Copaque, the forefront of Malaysian animation is back with another major showcase with their iconic twins. While helping to clean their grandfather's shed and find a magical kris that sends them to another world where the folk heroes from Malaysian folktales live in. Aiming for higher ambitions to reach an international market, the animation studio had spent a whopping RM20 million, which is the priciest not just for the studio, but the country has seen for animation, in this new adventure. So if you want to see where Malaysian animation is at right now, time to read up on your Bawang Merah, Bawang Putih, Raja Bersiong and Pak Belalang. General Release Date: 14 March
After shaking everyone awake with "Get Out", Jordan Peele is back with another outing to make us shake in our boots (or seats). Inspired by an episode of "The Twilight Zone" and stretching the concept further, a family is confronted by a group of doppelgangers who are out to remove the real family. Peele has stated that he is intending to bring out more of the onscreen horror for "Us" than the meta-horror in "Get Out", so we can't wait to see Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o scared out of her pants, and see how the collaboration of Peele and Blumhouse continue to revolutionize the horror genre. General Release Date: 21 March
As Disney continues to breathe new life into their library of classics, the baton has reached for "Dumbo" to receive its life-action adaptation. This would be a treat not just because "Dumbo" was last seen almost 80 years ago that could use the updated visuals, but it is directed by Tim Burton and is telling a story of an elephant calf that can fly in a struggling circus is just the sort of material that is right up his alley. Aside from the lovable digital creatures, "Dumbo" also boasts a rather impressive cast starting from Collin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Eva Green, and Alan Arkin. General Release Date: 28 March