Raffles Reviews

Commentary, Op-Eds, Opinion, Raffles Reviews

Filmhouse, The Projector, and the Struggle of Staying Indie
Reading Time: 6 minutes

By Nithilan Balachander (26A01C)

At about noon on 19 August 2025, long-time cinephiles, arts scene enthusiasts, and performative (fe)males alike started discovering, devastatingly, that The Projector was closing down. Actually, it wasn’t even “closing down”— it already had, they were just announcing it. The only cinema in Singapore dedicated to indie film was in so much debt that it had to enter liquidation, and had to do it so suddenly that it could not even announce it in advance. 

On 12 January 2026, the Straits Times reported that a new cinema called “Filmhouse” was to take over the space, and on 3 February 2026, Filmhouse started screenings, retaining many of the personnel and a lot of the interior furnishings from The Projector. Everyone rejoiced, some reposted the Straits Times/Mothership/CNA Instagram post, and a few even went to watch a movie or two…

But, wait. That’s really all it took? 5 months and 15 days, and indie cinema in Singapore was saved?

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Music Reviews, Opinion, Raffles Reviews

Exploring Indie: The Niché Side of Music
Reading Time: 9 minutes

By Nicole Lee (26S05A)

There’s a sad truth for all indie listeners – there’s only a small, if not, near non-existent fandom for the music we listen to.

You’ve probably already heard of the term ‘indie’, but let’s revisit it:

Fig 1. Definition of ‘indie’ according to the Oxford Dictionary. 

Indie artists are predominantly independent labels; they’re groups of talented people trying to get their music out into the world, hoping that it reaches the ears of listeners across the globe. Although, the outreach is often limited, with the indie genre eventually being coined as ‘niche’. 

Beneath all the music lies layers and layers of edited orchestra or soundtracks, coupled with heavily revised lyrics; indie artists probably work just as hard as the global favourites, yet their efforts are often met with little returns. 

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Commentary, Movie Reviews, Opinion, Raffles Reviews

Diamonds, Drama, and Disappearing Acts
Reading Time: 5 minutes

A short (spoiler-free) review of Now You See Me, Now You Don’t

By Cherie Khoo (26S03B)

Now You See Me, Now You Don’t opens very much like its predecessors, to the Four Horsemen’s magic show. We come to understand that a decade has passed since the Horsemen last performed together, yet the details are fuzzy at best with no proper recount. First-time moviegoers will have a hard time understanding the plot. Directed by Jon M. Chu (of Crazy Rich Asians and Wicked fame), the film, 13 years after the second installation, is a far cry from the cinematic brilliance he previously orchestrated.

Through the lens of a film critic, this film is at best a snazzy, low-stakes rendition of a classic storyline. It is packaged in shiny fresh shrink-wrap like those on a deck of playing cards, not only flimsy but also a hassle to unwrap and a greater irritation to dispose of. But for the moviegoer, it’s exactly what is promised; a fun, magic-filled experience that only falls slightly shorter than expected. 

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Movie Reviews, Op-Eds, Opinion, Raffles Reviews

What Does It Mean to Remember Nanjing?
Reading Time: 7 minutes

By Jaden Lum (26S05A)

December 13, 1937 
Nanjing, China
Morning

Just five months into the Second Sino-Japanese War, and China’s capital has already fallen.

Alas, as Japanese forces march in, roughly a quarter of Nanjing’s one million residents remain. Many are terrified civilians who simply could not flee in time. Women. Children. The elderly. Non-combatants who prayed that the worst of the fighting was now perhaps over. After all, soldiers were supposed to kill soldiers, not civilians—not them. 

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Features, Op-Eds, Opinion, Raffles Reviews

A Shot at Capturing Singapore’s Best Photobooths
Reading Time: 6 minutes

By Ariann Khoo (26S06B), Christian Adriel Tan (26S07B) and Tara Teo (26A01D)

Special thanks to Teng Yifan (26S06H) and Nicole Lee (26S05A)

There’s something charmingly spontaneous about the photobooth experience. 

Whether it’s a flagship outlet at a shopping mall or tucked away in a discreet part of an alleyway, the sight of a photobooth always sparks a flicker of excitement. One moment you may just be walking by, and moments later you’re crammed into a tiny booth, fumbling with props as the flash goes off. In seconds, your strip prints out, displaying that moment of chaos or authenticity.

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