I had heard of the negative reviews about the movie but decided to give it the benefit of the doubt and tried to enjoy it for what it is: an entertaining escapist movie. Even with a much lower expectation, the movie barely delivers. Somehow its mash up of horror, drama, and superhero action does not add well The trailer promised an interesting character similar to Robert Pattinson's Batman, where the character struggles to find his place, but the movie skips the hero's journey altogether, and does not have any clear theme. Jared Leto is a great actor, but there is not enough material for him to use all his talents. His character's bond with Jared Harris' character is not well developed, and neither is relationship with Matt Harris. His romantic interest, which is supposed to provide a heart to the story seems forced. This is probably due to bad writing. The fight scenes are actually quite good, and different, though too few. If they opted to make the movie darker, and more horror oriented, it could have worked (maybe). Anyway, the movie has soooooo much to improve, and even for an escapist, unintellectually stimulating movie, it is not that fun to watch either.
Reviews
119 Reviews
The Final Girls
(2015)
More comedy-drama horror than horror comedy but is an extremely rare movie that I enjoy the supporting characters as much as the main characters.
31 August 2021
I thought I was tired of slasher films, so when I saw the title, I did not care too much. But having seen Taissa Farmiga in American Horror movie, I thought to give it a try. Not that I am a fan of her, but I loved AHS, so I figured this movie should be good, and I was pleasantly surprised. I actually like Farmiga in this movie and even felt for her character. Everyone else was great too. The movie balances well between horror, comedy, and drama. Though it is more comedy drama, than horror. The idea of real people being trapped in a movie is great, here they play it very well. They even have a great set up for the ending. My favorite supporting character was Angela Trimbur's Tina, who is very funny, and Angela manages to play the role with conviction. Nina Dobrev manages to shine in every scene, though she does not get much. In fact, everyone manages to do great in whatever bit parts they have, and that is one of the major strengths of the movie.
Brand New Cherry Flavor
(2021)
Rosa Salazar employs a full range of acting capabilities to carry a binge-worthy thriller supported by a superb supporting cast.
29 August 2021
Brand New Cherry Flavor is a thriller about a young movie director uses magic to seek revenge on a producer who betrayed. When I read the summary, I was not sure if I wanted to see the series at first; but when I saw Rosa Salazar as lead, I decided to give it a try. The only work I know from her was Alita Battle Angel, and I really loved it so I decided to give it a try. It turned out that after a few minutes into the story, I was hooked and binged through 3 episodes on the first day, and on the second day cruised through the rest. I must say, Salazar's eyes remind me of Alita, as they are so large and expressive. Though she has a lot of dialogue, Salazar has a full range of acting arsenal. She acts with her face, eyes, voice, and even body language. She easily carries the film; though having superb supporting casts immensely helped. For instance, Catherine Keenan, whom Salazar's character turns for help, is great too. She is charming, but you know you do not want to mess with her. Eric Lange, as the antagonist, provides a stellar performance too. He is charming, ruthless, but also human. I may have a problem with the special effects for the entity though, because it looks like bad CGI, and slightly hinders the story. The zombie actors are unsettling even if they do not look decayed, but their stillness is very unsettling. I even like the ending because it shows that Salazar's character has changed and is heading for a new start. I can't wait for the next season, if it happens. And I hope to see more movies for Salazar.
Orphan
(2009)
A suspenseful psychological horror dominated by Isabelle Fuhrman's chilling portrayal of Esther, and Aryana Engineer's genuine innocence shining as Max.
2 June 2021
I have heard of Orphan for a while, and the title poster made me think it was another horror involving a Satanic kid, or an Omen-movie. However, there are similarities to other horror movies, Orphan is well-directed and very well acted. Isabelle Fuhrman's titular orphan is both evil but sympathetic. I rooted for her till the end, and as her past is revealed slowly, I even empathize with her more. On top of that, Fuhrman's foil is Max, played by Aryana Engineer. Engineer's Max is pure innocence, and angelic. Before Furhman's Esther is revealed, I was already rooting for Max. Max is so adorable, innocent, and vulnerable. The fact that she is half deaf and communicates with sign language establishes the emotional core of the movie. Immediately, knowing this is a horror movie, I was already dreading what may happen to Max. This dynamic is played well through the movie, and every scene Fuhrman shares with Engineer is almost unbearable because of the dread I feel for Max. It is amazing that Engineer, as an actor was too young to understand what was going on and just thought it was a game, so her innocence is genuine. Whereas Fuhrman fully owned the role, and her interviews shows how well she understood the character. Vera Farmiga, and Peter Sasgard play the role of Esther's adoptive parents, and their backstories are interesting. They are characters you care for, and seem genuinely loving. All this is what helps make Orphan so scary. It is not the gore, but the thought of what may happen to them. The beginning of the movie set the tone of the movie, though it was less subtle. In fact, Esther enters the scene quite late in the movie, but the dread has been established much earlier. The camera work was important too. The first person perspective shots brought a sense of mystery, and allowed the audience to see the world through the character's eyes. Because of the steady build up, when a violent scene occurs, it feels very powerful. I must say that though Vera Farmiga and Peter Sasgard's performances are believable, they are over-shadowed by Isabelle Fuhrman's chilling portrayal of the titular orphan, and Aryana Engineer's wide-eyed innocence. I am looking forward to the prequel, and hope both Fuhrman and Engineer get good roles in future. Especially Fuhrman. In short, Orphan is a suspenseful psychological horror dominated by child actors that make you root for them till the end.
Greenland
(2020)
I never knew a Gerard Butler-helmed movie could be so gripping and emotionally powerful.
14 January 2021
Greenland has a simple plot; that of a family running away from a calamity. With Gerard Butler as the lead, you would expect him to play hero leading his hero through various obstacles until he reaches his destination. It is a pleasant surprise that he does not get to play much of a hero in this movie. In fact, Butler and his character's family all have to deal with difficult situations, making it refreshing that our lead character cannot save the day for everyone. In fact, this is shown very early in the film, where our protagonists are selected by the government to be relocated while all his neighbors realize they had not been selected. Coming from a war-torn country myself, the scenes of Butler's character and his family abandoning his neighbors hit close to my heart. Fortunately, this is not a depressingly dark apocalyptic movie and there are supporting characters displaying quiet stoicism: the soldiers whose families have not been selected, the nurse who gave supplies, etc. There are also scenes of chaos, and selfishness too. The movie is able to balance humanity, and animosity without going too deep in any of them. The plot seems like a bunch of scenarios for our characters to overcome, but because Gerard Butler is more an average Joe than a roaring Spartan King, you worry about the characters till the very end of the movie. In fact, I am surprised that a Gerard Butler-helmed movie could actually be so gripping, and emotionally powerful. I really recommend this movie and no one has to get through the events portrayed in Greenland.
Da 5 Bloods
(2020)
A unique and unconventional movie that full provides whole spectrum of emotions from suspense, humor, tragedy, to feeling good.
30 June 2020
Da 5 Bloods is hard to define by its genre but what stands out are the performances of Delroy Lindo and Chadwick Boseman, and that is compared to many great performances. I like how Spike Lee shows contributions of black soldiers in the Vietnam war, and how the Vietnam war is referred as the American War in the movie. Being a Cambodian, that is what we call it too. It also helps that Lee is able to show the different dimensions of the war, and how different sides view the war. He does this through the characters' speech. Though it seems unsubtle, it is seems real. I think he put a real effort to showcase famous black people by showing a black and white footage or newspaper picture of that person after any mention of them. For me, I actually liked that because I get to see more outstanding black individuals besides Martin Luther King , and Malcolm X. It may hurt the story but provides an interesting movie experience.
The movie begins as a story of elderly people meeting up and confronting there demons in Vietnam. The only person who never really healed and keeps getting worse is Delroy Lindo's character. Then it goes to thriller mode when tension boils after finding the gold. There are seemingly 4 wall breaking moments. Despite the unconventional approach, Delroy Lindo carries the movie perfectly. He is a troubled person, and despite his actions, we root and sympathize with him till the end. Chadwick Boseman, who plays the leader of the titular Bloods, Norman is very charismatic and charming. You really believe he could command the full faith of his squad. His death is as devastating to me as it is to the characters, and this takes a great actor to do that.
In the end, Da 5 Bloods is an unconventional movie that hops genres and provides a full range of emotions from thrills, humor, high octane action, sadness, and good feelings. It is a truly unique movie to enjoy.
Extraction
(2020)
The action is the major highlight of the movie, not much plot but decent acting.
29 April 2020
Extraction is better than I expected because of its gritty, and brilliant action sequences. Furthermore, Chris Hemsworth may be a no-brainer choice to play an action hero, but in here we can see he is a human who gets busted and injured. There is not much of a plot: hero extracts boy but things get messed up so he has to do the utmost to achieve his mission. That is the premise. But this mission also provides a character arc for Hemsworth's character, and in the middle of the story, he makes a choice. The real highlight of the movie is the action, of course. This movie pulls no punches with the action, there is a slight humor to it involving child soldiers too. I am surprised with the acting from the supporting cast. Randeep Hooda plays one of Hemsworths' nemesis in the beginning, and he is totally badass. I also rooted for his character. The style of shooting involves long shots, and immerses you in the story. The choreography is almost like John Wick, but in a more gritty setting. Thus, there are a lot of good things to enjoy from the movie. The weak point is the drama, and sometimes even the action drags down. The first part was great, but the action in the end was less exciting. But keep watching till the end anyway and you won't regret it.
Red Dragon
(2002)
A decent thriller lifted where supporting actors get to shine with the main actors.
19 April 2020
I have not seen The Silence of the Lambs, so I naturally appreciate this movie by its own merit. First off, all the performances were great. Ralph Fiennes is brilliant as the antagonist, and you actually feel sorry for him at times. He reminds me of Anthony Perkin's Norman Bate, and in some scenes he almost resembles Perkins. I think he does channel a little Norman in the story. Another riveting performance is by Emily Watson, a side character who happens to be Fiennes' love interest. Watson's character's chews every scene she is in, and is extremely likable. However, Fiennes and Watson are secondary characters. As for the main characters, Edward Norton's Will is an interesting character. He does not have super intelligence, nor good shooting skills, but has the ability to imagine a crime scene. His demeanor suits these characteristics, it also makes his character more vulnerable and you feel that he is in constant danger. As for Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lector, there is no question why Hannibal Lector has become an iconic character. Hopkin's Lector is cold, and calculating. Though he mostly talks, you know for certain he is dangerous. In fact, the performances of the cast elevates the movie material. I like the pacing of the movie. It is slow, gradual and ends climatically. Even the very final scenes leaves me wanting more. What could be improved would be adding more tension and mind games between Norton's Graham and Hopkin's Lector. The film wisely sets a time limit for Norton's character to find the killer, as apart from being reminded of the deadline, our protagonist seems to be in no rush; and the audience feels no urgency either. This is where Ralph Fiennes and Emily Watson's characters fill in the gap. Their dynamic drives the plot and fills up the other half of screen time. Thus, despite its flaws, Red Dragon is one of the better crime thrillers due mostly to the well-chosen casts.
Deliver Us from Evil
(I) (2014)
Eric Bana's and Sean Harris' performances are what makes this movie a clichéd but very memorable horror possession/ buddy cop horror
17 April 2020
Though I do not know what the true story was, the poster made it look like a clichéd possession horror. However, it is a good thing that this seemingly clichéd possession horrors added other clichés with brilliant performances from Eric Bana and Sean Harris (as the villain). Edgar Ramirez had great chemistry with Bana, and is intriguing all the way through. Bana's Ralph Sarchie is a grizzled cop, like in most movies (Ramirez's character pokes fun at that), but he has depth to his character, making him more relatable than conventional police characters. Moreover, the stakes become personal in the end, making the exorcism at the end more climactic. The plot is like a cat and mouse game between the police and a possessed person. The cinematography is decent, and employs different techniques to create tension and fear. This helps make the horror grounded, and prevents the movie from straying into action movie territory. Moreover, I constantly had to look everywhere in case there was something hidden. The scares were effective, and how they provided a basis for the strange sounds Bana's character hears makes the movie rewarding to watch. I actually enjoy the movie, and though the ending was a bit too conventional.
Eli
(I) (2019)
An entertaining slow burning horror
8 April 2020
Eli is a decent slow burning horror about a kid with auto-immune disorder who discovers that his doctor might have sinister motives. The plot is interesting, and it was told from the point of view of the protagonist Eli. Charlie Shotwell, who plays the titular Eli, was great at portraying boyish rebelliousness and vulnerability. Throughout, we can feel his fears, and understand his reaction and frustration. Shotwell's suspicion is believable because of Lily Taylor's role as the doctor; who seems a bit suspicious. A welcome surprise is Sadie Sink as a mysterious friend that Eli befriends. She steals the show from Eli. As for the scares, there are hardly any jump scares but the payoff is a bit underwhelming. The finale seemed too similar to Brightburn, and the obsession Eli's mother has with her son seems forced. Another problem is the tension between Eli's mother and Eli's father is never fully explained. It shows extreme tension but nothing is done to explain the tension. However, despite the flaws, Eli is one of the entertaining horrors with decent scares. If you are free, try it.
Uncut Gems
(2019)
A brilliant slow burn thriller, featuring a captivating performance by Adam Sandler
14 February 2020
I have heard positive reviews about Adam Sandler's acting in Uncut Gems, but I was so used to him being in comedies, I did not know what to expect. Furthermore, the trailer did not give away anything, and it did not seem that interesting. However, this movie gently pulls you into the story, and you cannot help but root for Sandler's character. You know he is not honest, but you want him to succeed, even though he lies his way through. Considering how different his character in Uncut Gems is from his goofy persona in his comedies, I would say it demonstrates his acting range. The movie is very focused on Sandler's character, and Sandler pulls it off naturally. Every minute, we worry something will happen to him, as it usually does, and we sigh with relief when we find him get to catch some breath. Unlike other thrillers, Uncut Gems provides a low key, slow burn thrill that keeps you on edge till the very final moments. A plus, it features the most riveting TV basketball match shown inside a movie; and I am not a sports fan. But never have I been so keen on a basketball match as watching the match featured in the movie. In fact, this movie is so different from other movies, it feels refreshing to watch.
Dew
(2019)
Muddled story, mediocre acting, not worth your time
25 January 2020
When two boys develop homosexual attraction towards each other during a time of discrimination, this should make for an interesting movie. However, this movie fails on all accounts. Narrative-wise it seem like two movies put together and mixed up. In the first part, our titular character Dew meets Phob, and the two develop a mutual attraction, but since homosexuals are discriminated, their romance is taboo, and spans their childhood. The second part tells about an adult Phob and how his past affects his present. The second part is confusing because their is a frequent jumps from adult Phob to teen Phob. This hurts the story because it is distracting and does not help propel the story, nor does it provide any more emotional connection to the character. There is also a twist, which makes things even more confusing. The acting is mediocre, to say the least, and I would not recommend this movie to anyone.
Epic trailer, and soundtrack, but average story
6 January 2020
I was never a fan of the Star Wars saga, but the brilliant trailer and John Williams' score made it look truly epic. Sure there were many spectacular battles, and action, but plotwise the story seemed average. I appreciate the cameos from the original characters, but that is not enough to lift the movie. Rey's relationship with Kylo Ren was one of the most distracting moments for me in the previous installment and I dreaded having to see it play out here. Fortunately, their relationship/conflict was bearable but failed to provide any emotional anchor to the story. Daisy Ridley's Rey does not have much but to frown and scream; though she does great action scenes. John Boyega's Finn is pretty useless too, and I feel they could have used him better in the story. The only great thing about The Rise of Skywalker is John William's theme playing during the spectacularly explosive space battles. That almost makes up for the admission price. But if you are looking for an emotional send off, none here.
Echoes of Fear
(2018)
Not the best horror but a few jump out of your seat scares
17 December 2019
Echoes of Fear follows the trope of many haunted house stories. Characters move in to the house, and the house is haunted. The protagonist has to find out the dark past of the house to solve the problem. The pacing is definitely a problem because things seem to move too slow, however, the mystery aspect of the story helps maintain interest. The acting is mediocre, but the jump scares are effective. There are two scenes when I jumped off my seat. Fortunately, the effective scares balances with the bad acting, making movie neither too horrible, or too enjoyable. I would say this is one of the average horror movies that slightly veer to the bad.
In the Tall Grass
(2019)
A horror story about getting lost that is saved by Patrick Wilson's presence
31 October 2019
A pair of siblings hear a call for help in a field of tall grass, and venture to help, only to know they may never get out. While getting lost in the forest can be scary, it is a challenge to make a scary movie about getting lost. So I was curious as to how this movie would turn out. I was impressed by the acting, though. Patrick Wilson, who plays a father searching for his family in the grass, steals the show every time he is onscreen. Now he is like the horror go-to guy because he is so believable as the average dude caught in supernatural situations. Another captivating performance is from Will Buie Jr, who plays the lost child and the pivotal character of the story. He can be both creepy and vulnerable. How he is able to switch from creepy to vulnerable and vice versa is a mark of his acting talent. While the first act involves getting lost, and slowing realizing how helpless the characters are, the story devolves into a love triangle story, where two competing male characters try to kill each other for the female protagonist. It is not exactly like that, but that is the gist of the story. The conflict between the brother and his sister's boyfriend helps drive the dynamic of the story but completely changes the tone set in the beginning of the movie. It is Patrick Wilson and Buie Jr, who pull the focus back on the story. Though it may not be the best horror, it is enjoyable. Some shots of the moving grass are creepy, but you really need to see for yourself to know what the movie is like. If you are a horror fan, you may like it.
Zombieland: Double Tap
(2019)
Laugh out loud funny
23 October 2019
After Walking Dead fatigue, I am pleasantly surprised at how Zombieland Double Tap could be so hilarious. Or maybe it is the fatigue from watching the Walking Dead series. Whatever the reason, this follow up to Zombieland is hilarious. Woody Harrelson is great fun, and so is Emma Stone. Woody Harrelson's character could come off as annoying and grumpy, but Harrelson manages to make the character likable, and have some depth. You can see he is trying to act tough but wants to be close to his 'family', especially Abigail Breslin's character Little Rock. As for Emma Stone, I actually like Emma Stone a lot, and she manages to be funny while keeping a straight face. Her facial expressions make for great laughs. But the funniest goes Zoe Deutch, who plays a dumb blonde. Though, innocent and naive, she is quite perceptive, and manages to provide most of the laugh out loud moments. Besides that, there are other great comedic scenes, so much you forget it is a zombie movie. But as all zombie movies, it has great zombie scenes. With evolved breeds of zombies, we feel worried about the characters because the updated versions are truly relentless. There are a few particularly suspenseful moments, such as one zombie shootout scene, and a heart wrenching scene involving one of the characters. These are reminders that it is the personality and choices of how the characters see their world that makes things seem so positive, and that danger lurks everywhere in Zombieland. The pacing is good, and the movie does not waste time getting to the story. There is not a boring moment, and I agree it will not win Oscars for best performances, or story, it is absolutely great entertainment.
Binding Souls
(2018)
No scares, and bad acting. Not recommended
16 October 2019
Binding Souls have a great idea for R-rated horror. It is set in an abandoned place with a horrific past, but fails to deliver on anything. It is about 4 students who visit a school before it closes down. As they stay, paranormal occurrences happen. The movie tries to provide mystery and suspense but fail. The acting is wooden, and the twist can be seen a mile away. The climax is underwhelming, and there is no fear for the characters. I guess the director wanted to portray the characters as innocent teens, which they succeeded. But with their cheery mood, it destroys the dark tone of the movie and fails to make anyone scared. The ghost design is generic, and there are no scary sequences at all. The only decent acting comes from one of the cast, who pretends she can see ghosts. Not a movie I would recommend
47 Meters Down: Uncaged
(2019)
A combination of Descent and Crawl, absent the character depth, but delivers on relentless suspense and scares
16 October 2019
47 Meters Down : Uncaged is like a mix between the Descent and Crawl. Like Descent, we have several women exploring caves, get trapped, and meet a killer creature, however, it lacks the character depth that makes Descent more impactful. As for Crawl, this movie involves flooded enclosed spaces, and near brushes with killer creature. Also similar to Crawl, the characters progress through different set pieces until the very ending. Despite the lack of character depth, the movie delivers more than it is supposed to. The underwater cave scenes are very claustrophobic. The shots are immersive and makes you hold your breathe even when there are no sharks around. The sharks are eerily frightening. They are huge, realistic, and since they are cave sharks, their unique look make them even more frightening. The movie also uses sound and light strobes to generate discomfort. Such as the scenes with flashlights (it is an underwater cave after all, so no spoilers there), and sound. It also wastes no time to set the scene for the story. Once the action begins, the pacing is relentless. In fact, this movie keeps you on edge till the very last minute. The claustrophic camera shots accentuate the danger, making you feel that danger can lurk any corner, and we are as clueless as the characters on where to find safety. While the ending may be a bit far fetched but it shows that even in the final moments of the movie, the danger does not let up. I really recommend this movie.
Abominable
(2019)
A very entertaining fantasy adventure
7 October 2019
The trailer for Abominable did not give away much, nor did it help in knowing what to expect. However, it is a brilliant fantasy adventure about a group of kids out to help a yeti called Everest return home. It also features the voice talents of Eddie Izzard (a very sympathetic character), and Sarah Paulson as Dr. Zara (coincidence). It also features the grandson of Tenzing Norgay as Jin. Without the fun trivia mentioned, Abominable is an entertaining fantasy adventure. It has some emotional moments and humor. The story is like different set pieces where the character faces a unique challenge along the way. It is interesting that they have a strong female protagonist, where the male characters serve as comic relief, or a pretty face. Chloe Bennet's Yi (the heroine), and Tenzing Norgay Trainor's Jin have character arcs, though Trainor's seemed forced. There are no deep philosophical questions to ponder in the movie, just pure visual delight and escapism. With 3D, you can experience magic with the characters, as you travel across China to the Himalayas. In short, it is a brilliant piece of family entertainment.
Joker
(I) (2019)
The most grounded portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime, and a phenomenal performance by the great Joaquin Pheonix
5 October 2019
Joker is the most grounded take on a comic book supervillain. With Joaquin Phoenix playing the titular character, I was completely absorbed into the story. Phoenix's Arthur Fleck, who would eventually become the Joker, is a struggling, mentally ill individual who meets constant bullying, and backstabbing. Gotham City, as portrayed in this movie is cold, and decaying. The people are not innocent victims as usually portrayed in other comic book movies. The tone of the movie is very dark, though the visuals is not. Phoenix is able to make his character sympathetic, and while he commits brutal acts of violence, the audience can understand where he is coming from. Phoenix carries the movie completely. None of his scenes are boring, and we see him a lot. Even his physique, frail and contort is like a physical manifestation of his mental state. From start to finish, Phoenix's Arthur Fleck endures physical and mental beatings. It can be seen how a person in need like him is abandoned by society, and nudges him to the dark side. When he commits his first crime and descends into madness, it feels natural. The movie itself does not condone violence, it only shows how violence is ever present, and the social tension was already brimming before it reached a boiling point. While the first question about Joker would be if his performance could compare to Heath Ledger's performance, I would say Phoenix's interpretation is no doubt very impactful and memorable. It feels like a fitting origin story to the Joker. Here, the Joker is no less menacing than Ledger's but only more grounded, more sympathetic, and we actually get to understand what is going on in his head. I highly recommend this movie for any cinema fans. Joaquin Phoenix's performance alone is worth the admission price, and that is not to mean that everything else is not good. The score was perfect, the cinematography, and performances of other actors were great too. My favorite performance was Brett Cullen's Thomas Wayne. The scene where Arthur Fleck meets Thomas Wayne is one of the greatest scenes in the film, and a pivotal moment too. It is great that Thomas Wayne plays an important role in the movie, and that there are no superheroes to save the day. I highly recommend this movie, but if you are expecting comic book action like in a Marvel movie, don't bother. This is a serious cinema piece featuring a comic supervillain. I guess DC movies have found their niche.
Can You Keep a Secret?
(2019)
Funny and not overly dramatic
25 September 2019
I am not a fan of romantic comedy, but this one is quite enjoyable. When the heroine spills out her secret to a stranger when she thinks her flight would crash, little did she realize the consequence of her actions when it turns out that the man she confided with was her boss. This premise provided much amusement for the first part of the movie, and Alexandra Dadarrio was great. Her wide, sparkling blue eyes, and goofiness made you immediately relate to her situation. Tyler Hoechlin, who I had seen as Superman in the Supergirl series was great. He was charming, and funny as a leading man in a rom com should be. While we may question the reactions of Dadarrio's characters, this movie is not something deep to delve into. It is just an ordinary lady thrown in an awkward situation, and we just have to accept it as that. Bear this in mind, and you will be entertained.
Nakee 2
(2018)
Weak story, subpar acting, but good production values
25 September 2019
Nakee 2 is a continuation of a popular Thai TV series and expands on the story. In this movie, a new police officer is sent to investigate bizarre killings which villagers believe is caused by the mythical serpent called Nakee. The prime suspect is a young lady who guards the idol of Lady Nakee of the said legend. The movie has good soundtrack, and nice gore. But it fails to provide any sense of mystery to the killings. The acting is subpar, but it has a rather epic naga showdown at the end. I actually enjoyed the naga battle. The flaw of the movie is probably the script and the acting. The production values, such as the cinematography, the make up effects, the use of setting, and even the CGI are decent. The movie has its moments of good entertainment, and some comedy. If you are willing to suspend disbelief, this is quite enjoyable.
Rambo: Last Blood
(2019)
Different but not out of character for Rambo
25 September 2019
This installment has a different tone from other Rambo movies. It is not set in a far away Asian country, nor does Stallone's character sport a bandana and a huge gun. This is more like a western, where ' Uncle John' manages a ranch and lives with his niece. When his niece decides to search for her lost father in Mexico and does not return, that is when the story begins. The trailer captures the tone of the movie well and wisely does not reveal much. The first half of the movie seems to drag a bit, and only serves to provide a reason for Rambo to go on rampage. It tries to establish Rambo as still suffering from PTSD and his efforts to be able to save people. To cope, he digs tunnels, and volunteers in rescue work. Despite the runtime, the effort to display Rambo's frailty and humanity fails, and when the action starts, we see Rambo as the one-man army we have known him to be. The actions are great, and literally explosive. There is a lot of blood and gore, yet we understand why Rambo resorts to such such brutal retaliation. In other words, the action does not disappoint at all. Some may comment the movie's villains being Mexicans near the border, but plotwise, where can you find bad guys who are as deadly as any of Rambo's previous enemies. Also Rambo cannot just invade Mexico to rid the country of cartels. However, I am in no position to argue for the director's decision. What I can say is as an action movie, it delivers with tonnes of explosion, and rage-fuelled gore. Yet though I enjoyed it, I still believe that this movie could have been much more epic if they handled Rambo's character better. If they succeeded at highlighting how Rambo struggles with PTSD, and has insecurities about not being able to save people, the climax (great as it is) would be extremely fulfilling. Thus, this conclusion to the franchise serves as a slightly louder than average bang. ... But wait for the post-credit montage. It is worth the watch.
Kuntilanak 2
(2019)
Underwhelming and generic
17 September 2019
I was first hooked to Indonesia horror watching Satan's Slave and was hoping Kuntilanak was as good. However, the only good thing about the movie is the wide shots of the landscape. The acting is wooden, but is saved by the cute child actors. It is underwhelming and generic. However it has jump scares that had audiences screaming, which heightens the movie watching experience. So I would not recommend you watch it alone, as it may bore you to sleep.
Funny, nostalgia-filled, and violent
3 September 2019
To sum up Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood, it is funny, nostalgia-filled and violent. The movie transports us to the 1960s Hollywood, where Leonardo di Caprio's Rick Dalton struggles with the changing times and is supported by his stunt double/pal (played by Brad Pitt) Cliff Booth. The color, and vibes is very 1960s, and you could feel the positivity and innocence of that era. This innocence is best embodied by Margot Robbie's Sharon Tate. The movie is filled with fun cameos such as Al Pacino, Kurt Russells, Tarantino regular Zoe Bell. There is also a very captivating performance by Julia Butters as a young Method actress, who manages to go toe-to-toe with the talented di Caprio. The pacing is a bit slow and leisurely, and some scenes could be cut out, but all the performances of the stellar ensemble are in fact stellar (funny that these stellar performances are played by stars playing stars). There are some really tense senses, sprinkled with humor, and a violent conclusion. It is a movie to experience and breeze through. For that quality alone, it is worth a watch. And of course Leo and Brad are excellent!
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