This is unfortunate news and does not appear to be an isolated incident from their contractors as a cursory search reveals a similar story from their Hungary plant — I was actually looking forward for the second EV to be BYD (or Geely/another Chinese carmaker) once they arrive here and now I must double check every manufacturer.

Is it not ironic this most capitalist behaviour comes from a company in a country with a stated desire to become communist?

I'm saddened to see for Kbin was the first instance I signed up on.

I binged 'The Naked Gun' trilogy in order to watch this over the weekend. Refreshing to see the now-rare slapstick reinvigorated for modern audiences. Was my surprise watch this week preferring it to both 'Superman' and 'F1'.

I'll edit this later with a link to a better review which I'll post in the weekly thread.

Here's the review.

That's sad to hear. I most enjoyed the weekly movie thread where I could write review snippets and peruse (and find) new movies to add to the list.

The most major change will be how quickly everything moves when Sanderson writes, he has a tempo well suited for the general audience while Jordon can meander - poorly at times.

My friend actually has 2 (and 1 regular smartphone) and dailies the Galaxy Z Fold 6. She uses it for work and media consumption and loves it so much she's mentioned wanting the Huawei Mate XT.

I see the appeal for people who wants/needs the screen real-estate but it isn't required for regular users. Ultra/Pro models of phones being in a similar position of irrelevancy for people not obsessed with having the best camera.

Ne Zha 2 (2025)
The highest grossing movie you've never heard of. This was put on my radar from the other site and despite my reservations of seeing a foreign film in theatres (I know, it's likely my Hollywood-centric roots), this is what a cinematic experience is as the last animated film I had this much fun was Into the Spider-Verse. It is beautifully animated and I felt every emotion without feeling forced (the woman next to me cried twice). A few scenes had odd pacing and some jokes were clearly lost in translation, but I am now waiting for the IMAX (re)release in the NA market.

Patton (1970)
The most feared general of Nazi Germany from the US, or so the movie claims. We now know this to be false but historical inaccuracies aside, this film holds up to the test of time and explores the man behind the impetuous but talented general in a rose-tinted biopic.

Flow (2024)
A cute story of society and survival featuring not just the internet's favourite, a cat, but also includes a social media craze, the capybara. With Ne Zha 2 fresh on my mind, it might be unfair to compare its quality of animation as it only had 5% of its budget, but the animation was jarringly subpar at times as if it was an animated film from the 2000s. I do applaud the director's choice in making it free of dialogue and keeping anthropomorphisizing to a minimum, the latter I would love to see more of.

Sri Asih (2022)
The second movie in Indonesia's home-grown attempt at the MCU - DCEU as it's essentially Wonder Woman? - is exactly as predictable and formulaic as you come to expect. Better than Wonder Woman 1984 at least.

'The Battle of Lake Changjin' is based on the eponymous events where the US - under MacArthur - occupies the role of the aggressor nation. The movie itself wasn't noteworthy as it's equivalent to standard Hollywood mediocrity, however my confused mind railed against accepting that the US can be anything other than the protagonist and so served to expand my limited worldview as my media consumption was admittedly US-centric.

Ghost (1990)
Posthumous love transcends its pottery-wheel kitsch into genre-blending mastery: part romance, part thriller, part cosmic comedy, and all metaphysical yearning. Swayze's unchained melody leads to Goldberg's Oda Mae stealing every scene with perfect levity. Though there, plot issues be damned in the face of love's victory over death! Its zeitgeist grip is earned and is indeed transcendent. Ditto.

La Collectionneuse (1967)
Gamine Haydée’s sexually-liberated presence fractures the languid hypocrisy of two "intellectuals" summering in ennui. Gallery-hopeful Adrien narrates in first-person deceit his moral superiority while coveting Haydée and his friend, sculptor and self-proclaimed barbarian Daniel mimics nonchalance with faux-libertine shrugs. Against their pompous barrage, her nightly routine soon evolves, left ambiguous by agency or mirror. Offering no verdict, but a capsule of 60s moral rot under the sun-kissed Riviera.

Secret Admirer (1985)
80s teen tropes abound from slack-jawed parents to mistaken love letters but what sets it apart is its search for romance over sex. Its comedic elements are as effective as Reaganomics yet its embrace of young love's naïveté and gawky earnestness disarms. Objectively cliché, irresistibly nostalgic.

Topkapi (1964)
A meretricious caper gilded by Istanbul's sun-drenched glamour, buoyed more by location than larcenous genius. Istanbul’s bazaars and palaces shimmer like stolen emeralds, while Turkish wrestling adds cultural heft; both dearly required to divert from languid plotting. It includes the famed wire-dangling theft which birthed a beloved genre trope. This film remains a minor classic, a postcard from heist cinema’s adolescence.

Love Hurts (2025)
Anemic Valentine's entry where romance's absence is murderously felt. The action sequences are generic edited schlock, but the mismatched casting prove fatal as Quan’s treacly realtor-ex-hitman flails in a role demanding Jackie Chan charm and suffocates on arrival, overshadowed by DeBose’s femme fatale's negative presence. Their chemistry is even worse, all heart-shaped packaging without a pulse. It exists as a foreclosed property copied from superior blueprints. Mediocrity indeed hurts.

I preferred when the weekly thread was pinned a few days at the top for easy access and viewing.

The Legend of Hei (2019)
If Flow wasn't adorable enough for you, this film will surely fulfill that itch whilst incorporating more (traditional) story-telling elements. The artistic choice of melding classic and modernity was enjoyable though I wish it was more detailed during the finale. This is the latest "cat movie" I've watched in recent weeks and I unabashedly adore this the most.

Mickey 17 (2025)
Written and directed by Bong Joon Ho of Parasite fame, one can't help but expect something greater than what Mickey 17 delivers. The premise is interesting and is suitably absurd but the great tragedy of it all is nothing is explored leading to missing profundity resulting in an average film.

Moana 2 (2024)
Moana 2 is everything you come to expect from Disney, a safe, family-friendly film in a familiar cookie-cutter mould that doesn't enthral nor fully disappoints. Its mediocrity permeates throughout the entire movie including each of its musical numbers.

Venom: The Last Dance (2024)
I remember watching Venom and although average, it was fun and the humour between the symbiote and Hardy was there. The latest Venom has a quarter of the fun and the humour all fell flat. I do need to draw attention to Juno Temple as the constant bulging-eyed stare on her expressionless face was absolutely jarring every time her character was on screen.

Dial M for Murder (1954)
This classic is full of twists and turns you see coming as 70+ years of film has invariably duplicated aspects of the classic yet still does not detract from the experience. Another timeless film from Hitchcock.

The Cutting Edge (1992)
Watching this movie was a stroke of serendipity. There is absolutely nothing original in this romantic comedy yet the chemistry between the leads are evident and their acting brings it to reality truly making the whole greater than the sum of its parts.

Suzume (2024)
This is sadly my first movie I've seen of Makoto Shinkai and I understand why he has a following. It is gorgeously animated and the gratuitous use of magic hour helped with the theme (and visuals). The story is simple and cute but too many unanswered questions and plot holes ensured it did not live up to its hype.

Doghouse (2009)
Reminiscent of Shaun of the Dead but unfortunately holds none of the wit and charm while carrying a misogynistic undertone. The comedic bits and their varied "zombies" made it watchable.

Odd Thomas (2013)
A small town comes under threat and its native supernatural sleuth must save it. Although not ground-breaking in any sense, it has heart and is quite delightfully charming with its small town characters and setting with hopeful young love.

The Awakening (2011)
This period horror/thriller sends a professional skeptic into a haunted boarding house to unearth the truth behind hidden ghosts. Though it's mostly formulaic horror, its capable protagonist and cinematography and atmosphere carries the film even if the ending is weak.

My Spy (2020)
I erroneously thought I had watched this before watching the sequel late last year as the premise sounds vaguely alike to every other family spy movie. I thoroughly did not enjoy the sequel but this original was (surprisingly) decent with enough action and laughs for little and big kids alike. 

The Order (2024)
The Order takes a look at the white supremacist movements that are unfortunately still relevant in this day and age. It's a solid film though hampered by its indecisiveness of wanting to be realistic in one scene while becoming pure dramatization in the next.

I was saving my review for the weekly thread but I'll leave a quip and edit this comment with a link when it gets posted.

"Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should."
Made for Jurassic die-hards though should have remained extinct.

Edit: Here's the link to the review. Turns out it was posted but a script went awry and it was done so improperly.

Begin Again (2013)
Liking Carney Once is natural, twice perhaps coincidental, but thrice in a row leads me to surmise I simply enjoy what he has to offer. This melodic tapestry of bruised souls finding harmony amidst the cacophony of life offers a genuine, uplifting story that quietly restores faith in humanity - and the commercialized music industry. This is the second Carney movie I've watched in recent months and I am sure now to fast-track the remainder.

The Wild Robot (2024)
The tender odyssey of true familial bonds; of found parenthood, adolescent growing pains, and self-acceptance amidst adversity. Radiating more authentic heart than modern Disney, its creators' passion are evident in each frame with animation warmth unseen since Into the Spider-Verse and the more recent Ne Zha 2. It is disarmingly pure and allows one to easily overlook its plot holes. This is a true family film.

The King and I (1956)
A spectacle firmly of its bygone era, boasting typical grand sets and dazzling costumes. However, its foundation feels increasingly antiquated and is lacking the enduring charm and compelling narrative found in the The Sound of Music. Technically splendid, emotionally anemic.

Companion (2025)
A present on the concept of self seemingly enveloped in a thriller veneer but ultimately we discover the wrapping to be more substantial than the gift. Its potential for deeper resonance is lost with gaping plot holes and narrative convenience that strains credulity. Yet still an enjoyable surface level experience.

Nobody (2021)
Essentially John Wick stripped of mythos and plunged into a more grounded, suburban reality. It delivers competently choreographed action but lacks a distinctive style or the relentlessness of its inspiration. A fun, visceral ride, yet ultimately feels like a less memorable, albeit decent, copy.

Manhattan (1979)
A gorgeously shot, romanticized, monochromatic love letter to its namesake. It captures not only iconic scenic landmarks of the city, but relational complexities of love through its earnest writing, dissecting the messiness of human connection filled with hidden insecurities with wit and honesty. This is surprisingly my first Woody Allen film but assuredly not my last.
"You don't know what love means. I don't know what it means. Nobody out there knows what the hell's going on."

Demolition (2016)
Davis suffers from emotional vacancy following his wife's death and attempts to feel something, manifests in nihilistic dismantling of life’s structures through antipathic antics, even when context arrives late he's long been anesthetized by numbness. The anodyne sweetness of the rushed third act fails to buttress lost goodwill. I applaud the tricky cinematic concept but Gyllenhaal's solidity can't fully salvage narrative demolition.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)
Visually sumptuous cinematography and CGI can't elevate this from Beneath its predecessors. It Rises only shortly past Dawn as a middling entry, regurgitating woefully familiar narrative themes while the aptly named Proximus Caesar bastardizes and wages War against the original's legacy. Its runtime fails to Escape lulls and drags towards a cheap cliffhanger. Not a reinvigorating Conquest for the franchise, but not a completely lost Battle.

The Rezort (2015)
Jurassic Park if stripped of thematic awe and dinosaurs are swapped for zombies. Once you overlook its flawed premise and facile social commentary, it shuffles into surprisingly competent, undemanding genre fare. Never transcending its derivative roots, but delivers a prosaic and crunchy diversion for the undead-starved.

Assassination Nation (2018)
Blatant derivative of The Purge meets formulaic parody of digital-age outrage but lacks the original's visceral punch. Chekhov's gun misfires repeatedly as plot points fizzle in the proverbial rain, nearly making its plot holes redundant. Only the well-shot kinetic home invasion sequence provides an isolated spark. Spiritless vim; ultimately as hollow as its characters' rage.

I actually watched Falling Down days ago and it was clear to see his disillusionment manifesting. A warning, if you will, that this could be you.

I'll write a short review in next week's weekly movie thread.

Nomadland (2020)
"I'm not homeless. I'm just house-less."
A luminous psalm of resilience, reframing desolation not as punishment but eudaimonic poetry through Fern, a woman anchored by transience. Barren landscapes tenderly beckon against sterile parking lots; sunsets gild trailer windows and parched sand like sacramental gold. Here, in rootless soil, communal kindness blooms with startling generosity. An elegy etched in mundanity, transforming hardship into quietly effulgent transcendence.

Babylon (2022)
Kafkaesque spectacle rolling from chaotic bacchanal speciousness into biting bitterness, then abrupt, saccharine collapse. A relentless three hour Hollywood love letter but the celluloid fever dream never numbs, referential filmic brio accentuates its core passion and the soundtrack defies torpor. La La Land's darker, inconsistent, messier twin but still an ode to the silver screen and its excess.

The Legend of the Condor Heroes: The Gallant (2025)
A panoramic wuxia epic thrusts us mid-saga, directly into a war between the Mongols and the Jin Dynasty while the main character hails from the Song Dynasty. Required heavy exposition occasionally hinders momentum and the brotherhood theme feels rote, yet Mongolian steppes and cultures rendered with breathtaking grandeur and surprising reverence dazzles and awes. A flawed but vibrant cultural tapestry of nomadic spirit. 

Lebanon (2009)
War's vitriolic truth funnelled through a tank's targeting eye; its initial claustrophobic focus curdles into sclerotic fatigue. In a welcome allegory, the turret basket pools with oil, urine, and shell casings like bodily fluids in a wounded soldier. As the Sho't tank grinds brokenly onwards, the film's power too stalls. Unflinchingly authentic but ultimately mired.

Jurassic World: Rebirth (2025)
A fossilized facsimile of Jurassic Park's greatest hits, desultorily exhuming island form and nostalgic scenes without their primal soul. Human characters swarm like overabundant comp(y)sognathus carcasses; Xavier's egregious presence hemorrhages goodwill like a sauropod’s arterial spray. Exhausted Velociraptors still outpace their Mutadon replacements and the mutant dinosaur finale is pure abomination, all ugly teeth and cheap shock fills its cranium. Dinosaurs remain theropod-terrible joys, yet this taxonomic travesty lets human bloat titanosaur over Mesozoic spectacle. Franchise ossified in amber; life fails to find a way.

Automod and pinning failure made me miss this weekly thread initially.

I knew I should have watched 28 Years Later instead but I got outvoted. I'll try for this weekend.

The abomination that is Thor 4 at 3/5 while Deadpool 4 and GotG 3 at 2.5/5 are at odds with my scoring which calls into question how compatible his tastes are to mine.

I just left a short review in the weekly thread with this movie. While I do not count K-pop amongst my proclivities, it was an enjoyable albeit shallow fare - though it never promised to be more.

Terrified is on my (very long) watchlist so I now must also add When Evil Lurks.