2020年，战争过后，世界分崩离析，化为无数碎片，家庭、朋友、亲人和敌人皆被拆散。大城市已不复存在，不久后，战争的余波也将蔓延至我们这座小城。

菱菱（黎莉莉饰）出生于贫困的家庭之中，和相依为命的表哥靠着捕鱼维生。战争爆发了，战火烧到了菱菱的家乡，无奈之下，她只得和表哥一起逃亡大城市寻求更好的发展。两人进入了一家工厂打工，之后，表哥决定成为一名水手，离开了菱菱扬帆远航，而依然留在工厂的菱菱遭受了工厂少东家的诱惑，不仅失了身，还被卖到妓院被迫沦为一名妓女。一晃眼两年过去，此时的表哥已经成为了一名革命战士，正在遭受敌人的追捕，在这样的身死关头，他和菱菱重逢了，菱菱冒着生命危险救了表哥，自己却因为藏敌的罪名而被判处了死刑。

在荒山深处开了一家破烂的馄饨铺，他的馄饨虽然香气四溢但味道难以下咽，却常被五个小道士光顾并吃完后击掌约定下次再来。老道士实际上是穿越到这个世界并激活了签到系统的30年老天师，他对此世已感厌倦。小道士们是镇守白帝城的修士，他们因保护小道士而牺牲。三个月后，一位浑身血迹的小道士来寻老道士，询问五个小道士的“账目”，得知他们共吃了528次馄饨，欠下380万。小道士痛哭流涕后离开

眼科圣手许冰心为救倾家荡产的眼疾患者，甘冒风险使用未获批准的尖端技术进行免费手术，却因此触动了医药商王八贵的利益。王被买凶伤人并诬告其“非法行医”。在法庭上，院长与康复患者力证其清白，反派阴谋最终被执法者周光霁揭穿。许冰心虽无法再执刀，却以新的身份继续守护光明，所有恶人也得到了应有的法律严惩。

一场源于善意的冒险，使她身陷囹圄与阴谋。当微光被阴影笼罩，迟来的正义与未泯的良知，共同守护了那颗只为传递光明的赤子之心。囚室的铁窗将夜色割裂，阴谋像藤蔓缠住真相——有人以慈善为名编织密网，她只是误入的替罪羊。所幸暗处仍有良知未熄，律师深夜翻卷，记者笔耕不辍，将扭曲的路走向光明

一群来自罗兹的年轻混混终日以商店行窃、派对狂欢和酗酒为乐，直至他们鲁莽行径的严重后果降临。

渔村姑娘菱菱（黎莉莉 饰）与表哥（高占非 饰）捕鱼为生。时军阀战争频仍，农村破产，菱菱与表哥被迫流入大城市谋生，同在一家纱厂做工。后来，表哥当了水手，漂泊重洋。菱菱涉世不深，不识城市社会黑暗，受纱厂少东家诱惑，被骗失身，旋又被卖入妓院，过着地狱般的生活。两年以后，已参加革命军的表哥回到上海，遭敌人追捕。在危急关头，菱菱冒死帮助表哥脱逃，自己则被捕处以死刑。天明时分，菱菱被押赴刑场，菱菱知道表哥和无数战士，正努力为受压迫的群众争自由、谋解放、求光明，因此毫无悲哀，含笑就义。

清澜集团总裁陆清歌意外得知旗下保健品门店可能存在违规操作压榨老人的行为，决定伪装身份进行暗访。暗访途中发现门店表面对老人尽心尽力，内地里却诱骗老人的养老钱，甚至采用暴力手段威胁老人。陆清歌尝试救出老人，却惨遭囚禁和虐待，终于想尽办法逃脱。

林沫被父亲遗弃雪夜，幸得大伯林远山冒雪救回，含辛茹苦养大成人。多年后林沫凭借写作才华逆袭成为知名作家，却遭亲生父亲一家无休止纠缠勒索。面对亲情绑架与舆论风波，林沫手握法律证据坚决维权，最终守护了真正爱护她的家人，并投身乡村儿童阅读公益，将温暖传递给更多需要帮助的孩子。

Author: DICK STEEL from Singapore While I have only read the novel by Ho Minfong once a very long time ago, I certainly can't recall that it had talking animals who assisted the villagers in their ordeal, or having a character who's a Mr Technological Fix-it. Talking animals are very passé in animated movies already, so we certainly do need another local production trying to ape their overseas counterparts thinking that it is a rule of thumb rather than an exception. The story itself is strong enough to be made either in an animated fashion or live action, but this version of the story just dumbs it down so many levels, it's hardly recognizable. Dawan is a young village girl who harbours the dream of getting out of her village in the lure of the bright lights in the big city, and to do so, has to fight customs and tradition that girls are meant to be bethroned away early at a young age to someone they loathe, and schools for them are an unnecessary part of life. In order to fulfill her dream, she has to go against the wishes of her dad, as well as irk her brother as she out-scores him in a local examination to clinch a scholarship. Also, their village is under threat of an unscrupulous landlord trying to bulldoze his way into profits by driving everyone out of his land. That's the gist of the story, and I don't see how animals, and a grizzly bear at that, could fit into the whole picture. Yes animated movies have been popular with talking animals, but if it's not in the story, then please don't force it in, along with spectacle wearing monkeys. Being a musical, the songs are less than inspiring, and while the lyrics don't have to rhyme necessarily, it came off more like not knowing how to sing it further that it gets slapped with some words in an anyhowly fashion. Some tried to pass off as humour, though the effort is seen to be as too trying. The songs also don't seem to carry the narrative forward, and instead, stagnates when the characters break off into song and dance. But of course we judge an animated movie by the quality of the animation, and here's where it really fell short. The characters are still too stiff, without the necessary detailed facial expression to represent emotion. Movement was rigid, and seriously, the audience could have been watching a bunch of robots perform with much more conviction and emotion than what you get here, and get more satisfaction out of that, unless you count walking on air a novelty. Everything was plain stiff, and unless the characters had plenty of starch on their clothes, they're really wearing rigid sacks. Don't get me started on the animals too, as they could have been animatronics. But the biggest shortcoming exposed in the film, was the lack of a colourful palette. Granted there's the word "Dawn" in the title, but to intentionally (or otherwise due to technological and imaginative limitations) set everything during that period of time, just shows questionable quality. For most parts, there's always this orange hue which tells us that the animators could have tried to get away with level of detail that is required - just paint everything orange. Voice acting too needs some getting used to, and I suppose it will take time to build up a credible pool of talent in this area. It's kind of strange as well to be hearing real life couple Lim Kay Siu and Neo Swee Lin play opposite each other (grand)mother and (elderly) son, though credit must go to Celina Rosa Tan in the lead role of Dawan, and her adequate vocals when launching into song. My friend at movieXclusive.com likened this movie to a yawn, and I share the exact same sentiments. There's nothing new nor refreshing in this piece of work, and worse, the story's pretty boring as you're always ten steps ahead, knowing just what will happen, and which character will do what. It also didn't help that the poor storytelling techniques like jarring transitions and throwing of characters around without their motivation clearly constructed mar the overall production. It may be the first movie for director Philip Mitchell, but certainly it's by no means a reason to throw so much money at it for such miserable returns. One thing's for sure, is that we need to take a closer look at local animators works in the next Animation Nation showcase (I missed this year's), as I'm quite certain there are worthy filmmakers in that arena who deserve some budget to get their films made, and not big budgeted ones like this that clearly has a lot of work left unpolished.