Takashi Cheng

Takashi Cheng’s filmography is all over the place in the best way possible—talk about a wild range. You got “Thank You, Dr. Fauci” (2024), which, let’s be real, came out smack in the middle of the never-ending pandemic discourse. It dives headfirst into the chaos and exhaustion of those years, mixing dry humor with a not-so-subtle jab at all the conspiracy theories swirling around. Cheng doesn’t hold back—there’s a lot of side-eye at online “experts” and a weirdly heartfelt appreciation for science, but also a heavy dose of cynicism about how people actually behave when the world’s on fire. The dialogues are sharp, sometimes cutting, and you can feel the frustration simmering under the surface. Then there’s “The Modelizer” (2023). This one’s basically a glossy fever dream of Hong Kong nightlife, models, and the messy tangle of relationships. Cheng captures both the allure and the emptiness of chasing status—lots of snappy one-liners, beautiful people behaving badly, and a soundtrack that’s way cooler than it has any right to be. It’s equal parts satire and love letter, poking fun at the scene but never fully condemning it. And then “Sick Girl” (2023) just flips the energy again. It’s darker, way more introspective. The story follows a protagonist wrestling with illness, both literal and metaphorical, and Cheng’s approach here is raw—sometimes uncomfortable, but never boring. He’s got a knack for pulling out awkward, painfully real moments, the kind that stick with you after the credits roll.