JOHNNY BRAVO THE MOVIE (2014)

Genre: Action/Comedy
Running Length: 1:34
Cast: Channing Tatum, JC Chasez, Will Arnett, Elizabeth Banks
Director: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller

Oh wow, this came out of nowhere! I've always been skeptical about materials meant for kids being blown up into a big screen live action extravaganza. But guess what? JOHNNY BRAVO THE MOVIE is surprisingly very entertaining. The scriptwriters have successfully written something to cater for both kids and adults; it's smart and satisfying. And it managed to strike a balance between Johnny Bravo's brand of cheesiness and seriousness. In fact, the origins story was so well told it gave an emotional heft to the reason behind our protagonist's habitual uttering of awkward one-liners in front of the ladies eg. "Wanna see me comb my hair, really fast?" I've never been a fan of Channing Tatum but in this movie, he's perfectly cast as our pompadour hairstyle beefcake man. His Elvis Presley-like voice is spot-on. Throughout the course of the movie, I didn't see "Channing Tatum in make-up" but Johnny Bravo himself. But the highlight to me is seeing former 'N Sync member, JC Chasez dominates every scene he's in as our main antagonist. This is probably the best thing he's done since the band disbanded. He's never OTT but he's just deliciously sinister throughout with his smirks and threats yet still maintains a certain charm. You’re not supposed to root for this guy but you just can’t help being captivated by him. Of course, not everything works. Some CGI scenes are so badly rendered it's embarrassing. But nevertheless, who goes into a Johnny Bravo movie to watch special effects but to see him do his one-liners, "Sweet. Bring on the Danish chicks and cream soda." as he chase down the women.

Rating: 7.5/10

Updated 02 Apr 2014: April Fools!

127 HOURS (2010)

Genre: Thriller
Running Length: 1:34
Cast: James Franco
Director: Danny Boyle

Finally dared myself to watch 127 HOURS and it wasn't all that gruesome. Maybe it's because there was an anticipation of THE scene so it didn't come as a shock. Needless to say, that scene is difficult to watch as the camera doesn't shy away from our protagonist as he "gave away" his right arm for a chance at survival. It's a bloody and unpleasant experience. For the uninitiated, 127 Hours is a true story of 27 years old Aaron Ralston (James Franco) adventure into Utah's Blue John Canyon. A terrible mishap happened during one of his venture that resulted him being trapped between a rock and a hard place literally (his right arm was crushed between a boulder and a tunnel wall. The ordeal lasted over 5 days). The highlight of the film was not the "his will to live" story because it didn't generate any level of tension and intensity which I was expecting. Instead, I was more fascinated with the form the film makers employed to tell the story. For example, to introduce our main character as a live for the moment person, the director employed multiple angle shots of the same scene presented across three panels, turned up the colour and brightness of the landscape shots and layered it with a throbbing score. As a result, there was so much manic energy I couldn't peel my eyes away from the screen. I'm impressed that the same crew behind Slumdog Millionaire is responsible for 127 Hours as it bears little resemblance to one another. It's a testimony to the talents of these creative folks. James Franco to my opinion was effective but not outstanding. He didn't make me care for him as he transformed from a cocky and selfish person to a grateful and appreciative individual.

Rating: 6.5/10

AMERICAN HUSTLE (2014)

 

Genre: Thriller/Comedy/Drama
Running Length: 2:09
Cast: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence, Louis C.K.
Director: David O. Russell  

AMERICAN HUSTLE is such a letdown especially after just watching David O. Russell's last effort, Silver Linings Playbook. And this film was marketed as a comedy - really?! I only chuckled once or twice. Despite its stellar cast and great production creds, the film didn't hold my interest at all and I was bored for most of it. This movie is all about the con; from small jobs to big time operations but Russell never loses focus on the small group of characters and their relationship with one another as the center of his story. Christian Bale is memorable as a sympathetic (or pathetic) con artist. The costumes and hair/make-up is effective circa 70s. The song choices are appropriate. Everything reminds me of the award-winning Boogie Nights. But why then didn't I enjoy this film?? It's actually driving me up the wall not liking this effort when established movie critics are raving about it. Maybe it's the heavy dialogue. Maybe it's the length. Maybe it was trying too hard to be clever. Maybe it's just me.

Rating: 3/10

THE BUTLER (2013)

Genre: Drama
Running Length: 2:07
Cast: Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo, Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr., Lenny Kravitz
Director: Lee Daniels

LEE DANIELS' THE BUTLER is too ambitious for its own good. It tries too hard to tell a tale of the Civil Rights movement in America (60s - 80s) from the perspective of Cecil Gaines, a White House butler who served under eight presidents. The movie is based on the real-life events within the White House during the tenure of Eugene Allen, THE actual butler. The irony is that the White House scenes are among the least effective as viewers will be distracted by famous big name actors playing the different presidents. It just doesn't work. The movie shines when it focuses on the relationship (or the lack of) between Cecil and his eldest son Louis where both have a divergent perspective on the "rights" of a black man in America. One believes the way to advance in life is to be hard-working, non-confrontational and quietly blends in while the other prefers to take a stand, be heard and be seen. Forest Whitaker as Cecil is effective and his portrayal of the butler's later years is the most convincing. For non-Americans (and the uninitiated like myself), this movie will provide a good introduction to the struggles of a black American living in the 60s to 80s where viewers will be given a fast track history lesson on who's who and what's what such as Martin Luther King Jr, Freedom Ride, KKK, Malcolm X, Black Panther party etc.

Rating 6/10

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (2012)

Genre: Comedy/Romance
Running Length: 1:57
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DeNiro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, Julia Stiles, Brea Bee
Director: David O. Russell

I'm never a fan of Hollywood romantic comedies because it's just so..."templatized". But SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK is such a quirky adult romantic comedy it goes beyond the standard of this genre. Although it's a funny movie, the underlying premise is actually quite sad. Its characters and the relationships they are in are all broken and dysfunctional to various degrees. What's interesting is that the film makers use mental illness as a catalyst to romance (thankfully it was treated with respect ie. they didn't "Adam Sandler" it). Our couple, played by Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence are so well-matched as a screen couple their chemistry is electrifying! Whenever the two appeared on screen, I was completely engaged. And there's Robert DeNiro who reminds us why he is among the greatest actor of his generation (and it's actually possible for him to appear in a comedy without making a fool out of himself). There's this moving scene where DeNiro's tough character opens up to his son (Cooper's character) and breaks down in the middle of it. And the song choices used is a standout as it establishes the setting and enhances the scenes. Good thing is that despite the doom and gloom theme, the film ends (oh, and what a moving ending!) on a hopeful and life affirming note - a silver lining indeed. "This is what I believe to be true. You have to do everything you can. You have to work your hardest. And if you do, if you stay positive, then you have a shot at a silver lining."

Rating: 8.5/10

ALL IS LOST (2013)

Genre: Adventure
Running Length: 1:46
Cast: Robert Redford
Director: J.C. Chandor

Watching ALL IS LOST is like watching one of those one-man contemporary stage performance. The premise is simple enough: an elderly man (played by the 77 year old Robert Redford) sailing on his yacht met with a bizarre accident which wiped out all working radio equipment and thus, left floating alone in the middle of the ocean. The entire movie is about our protagonist struggling to survive vs. giving in to hopelessness and die. What is compelling about this motion picture is the director's approach to the subject matter. Director J.C. Chandor (writer/director of the underrated Margin Call) is indeed an actors' director. Redford's character has no name and no backstory. There is hardly any dialogue and thus, the weight of the entire movie falls upon Redford's facial expressions and body language. His approach to survival in the beginning is business like; calm and methodological. There is no Wilson or Richard Parker to keep him company. But overtime, despair starts to seep in and you can see our lone mariner trying very hard not to give up. I thought the ending was a bit of a let down and I would have preferred it otherwise - to give the viewers an emotional punch in the gut.

Rating 6/10

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB (2013)

 

Genre: Drama
Running Length: 1:58
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto, Jennifer Garner
Director: Jean-Marc Vallee

In many ways, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB is all about Matthew McConaughey's eye-opening performance. I will reserve my opinion on whether or not he deserved the Best Actor nod for this film but what I would like to highlight is his transformation from former leading romantic lead to a dramatic actor. After taking a hiatus from film-making three years ago, McConaughey made an important decision to rebrand himself by breaking away from romantic comedies in favour of dramatic roles in several independent films. He was relentless in this pursuit (including his Christian Bale/The Machinist-style physical transformation in this movie) and as a result, earned himself a well deserved Oscar. There's a lesson here, folks. One of the most compelling aspect of Dallas Buyers Club comes from watching McConaughey's character develops from a macho redneck into someone who shows respect for gay men and women, and from a bum into a person who takes charge of his life. McConaughey is supported by Jared Leto, whose portrayal of a transvestite is effective. Another thing the movie successfully accomplishes is to recreate the AIDS-related paranoia climate of the mid-to-late 1980s. A secondary plot of the film revolves around the allegation of the US government "collaborating" with Big Evil Pharmaceutical Companies on which drugs to approve for the treatment of AIDS. The movie does what it sets out to do by providing a story of the journey of a broken character and offering a history lesson about AIDS sufferers during the dark ages of the 1980s.

Rating: 6.5/10

RUSH (2013)

Genre: Drama
Running Length: 2:03
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Bruhl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara
Director: Ron Howard

Ron Howard'a RUSH is a very different kind of sports movie. The ones I have been exposed to are usually about the underdog going against all odds to beat the giants and wins the championship in the end. The "good guy" and "bad guy" are clearly defined. I love those movies so I was pleasantly surprised that I actually enjoyed this movie - a true story which presents a balanced view of the rivalry between two race car drivers in Formula One racing, an inherently non-cinematic sport. The movie's strength lies in the character study of the two drivers (James Hunt vs Niki Lauda), the forces that motivate them and the mutual love/hate for each other. Oh, it's not all serious drama as it balances out with plenty of tension in the racing sequences especially the rainy finale in Japan (probably fuelled by Hans Zimmer's booming score). Ron Howard's filming approach is very different from his previous movies; it's actually "refreshing" although the film is set in the 1970s. The details given to that period is impeccable especially the recreation of the 1976 Formula One season. It also educates the viewers of the dangers of F1 racing circa 70s/early 80s. There are many personal leadership lessons one can learn from the two characters but the biggest lesson I walked away from this film - although we know that the majority of the time the race of life is against ourselves, sometimes we need a challenger to push one another to the glorious finishing line.

Rating: 8.5/10

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON (2014)

Genre: Drama
Running Length: 2:01
Cast: Masaharu Fukuyama, Machicko Ono, Yoko Maki, Riri Furanki, Jon Fubuki, Shogen Hwang
Director: Hirokazu Kore-eda

I find the premise of most Japanese art films rather weird but once in a while, they will produce an unforgettable motion picture so forceful it will tear you into pieces from the inside out. Departures (2008) did that to me and now - LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON. It's a simple plot about two 6 year old boys who were accidentally swapped at birth - now their parents faced with the heartbreaking prospect of having to exchange them after they found out about the incident. The highlight of the movie is not the resolution but where it really shines is the character study on each of the parties involved and their relationships (between husband and wife, between the two parents and of course, between the parents and their child). A crisis indeed will reveal the true nature of a man; either to deny and march-on or allow oneself to be broken and pick up the pieces to rebuild his life. There are several scenes in the movie which were too heart wrenching to watch (at least for me) because it reveals who we really are and when faced with the same circumstances, we would probably approach it the same way too. Everything about this picture - tone, pacing, acting, editing, cinematography, score - is nearly perfect.  Few movies moved me to tears but this was an exception.

Rating: 9/10

THE JOURNEY (2014)

Genre: Family/Drama
Running Length: 1:42
Cast: Ben Pfeiffer, Joanne Yew, Sai Peng Lee
Director: Chiu Keng Guan

I finally caught our locally produced THE JOURNEY and...it was worth every bit of the hype it has generated (and still is) on social media and social settings. The movie is marketed as an east-west/father-daughter-Ang Moh son-in-law tension themed story but if you peel away the layers of expected cultural and traditions nuances, the core of it is a beautiful and quiet story of forgiveness, reconciliation and closure. Other than the Caucasian lead, the rest of the actors are amateurs - I am glad the film makers went this route as this resulted to an authentic and honest performance on screen. And the production quality and photography are top notch. The Journey tells a tale of a Malaysian Chinese daughter seeking the blessings from her conservative elderly father to marry a foreigner but what ensues is a road trip of sorts and an alumni gathering.   After almost a month in the cinemas, the admissions has not declined (the cinema I was in was packed out with young  couples, families + their po-po and other ethnicity) and I can't help but smile that this critically acclaimed and commercially successful hit (it's currently the no.1 local movie of all time in the BO) will change the fate of Malaysian films. Of course, the Journey is not without its flaws but it's almost perfect for a Buatan Malaysia film.

Closing monologue: I suspect Malaysians are urging their friends, family and relatives to catch this film because it speaks deep into us. I find this quote from another movie fitting in expressing the feelings one will feel (well, at least for me) even during the show, "All of life is an act of letting go but what hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye. It's important in life to conclude things properly. Only then can you let go. Otherwise you are left with words you should have said but never did, and your heart is heavy with remorse."

Rating: 8.5/10