PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: SALAZAR'S REVENGE (2017)

Genre: Action / Adventure
Running Length: 2:09
Cast: Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem, Geoffrey Rush, Brenton Thwaites, Kaya Scodelario, Orlando Bloom

Director: Joachim Ronning, Espen Sandberg

Screenplay: Jeff Nathanson, based on a story by Jeff Nathanson and Terry Rossio

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: SALAZAR'S REVENGE has the shortest running length in the series but yet it felt long. That is usually an indication I was not fully engaged. I think the problem with this outing is that it recycled what was familiar from its predecessors and regurgitated it. As a result, it felt uninspired. As the famous saying goes, don't rock the boat. I believe audiences who have yet to be exposed to any of the Pirates movie would enjoy this 5th installment.

When the first movie came out way back in 2003, I thought Cap'n Jack Sparrow (Depp) would be the answer to Indiana Jones in-the-sea but alas, it wasn't the case. What is missing from the subsequent Pirates movies (including this one) is a sense of danger and adventure.

For example, in the beginning of this movie, there is this runway bank/house chase scene which just kinda goes through the motion. Now compared that sequence with Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade tank chase scene, I was at the edge of my seat! Come to think of it, the runaway bank chase scene was so cartoon-y, it looked like something out of a Looney Tunes episode.

Thankfully, Depp's Sparrow was not left, right and centre in this installment but he is well balanced out with "mini Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann"; Henry (Thwaites) and his gutsy love interest Carina (Scodelario). As for Depp's portrayal of Cap'n Jack Sparrow, it feels like Jack Sparrow is doing a parody of Jack Sparrow :(

In conclusion, Salazar's Revenge (I still don't get it why they use that subtitle in this part of the world vs Dead Men Tell No Tales. Mungkin more edgy-kut...) has some really impressive CGI work but its plot is unnecessary convoluted. Hence, it ends up as another one of those loud and busy but ultimately forgettable summer movie.

RATING: 6/10

COLOSSAL (2017)

Genre: Fantasy / Comedy / Drama
Running Length: 1:50
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis, Dan Stevens, Austin Stowell, Tim Blake Nelson
Director: Nacho Vigalondo

Screenplay: Nacho Vigalondo

Anne Hathaway's character in COLOSSAL discovers she is directly connected to a kaiju (a giant monster) terrorizing Seoul. It's as though she is remotely controlling the monster's actions from the other side of the planet. The story gets more quirky as the film progresses and in the third act, it takes an unexpected turn into dark territories. 

I can't elaborate much about the film's plot as I will definitely spoil it for the readers. But all I can say is if you're expecting to see a dark comedy about Hathaway's character discovering her connection with the monster, you'll be pleasantly surprised because this movie will take you to unexpected places. Just don't expect it to be another Pacific Rim. 

Eventhough it's a comedy, this film actually deals with very serious social issues. And if it's not dealt with overtime, it would grow into something colossal. And the monstrosity of our problems will affect or even destroy the people around us. 

Hathaway is perfectly cast in this indie fare and she does a very believable job here. But it's Jason Sudeikis' performance here that caught me by surprise. There's this intense scene involving a fire hazard which Sudeikis really owned it.   

I enjoyed the direction, clever camera angles and sound employed in this film. For example, the filmmakers were able to capture the carnage of the monster without actually showing any of it. Overall, I enjoyed this film because it's a refreshing way to tell a familiar story. 

But it does get too clever for its own good and as a result, the main message gets lost amidst its unconventional storytelling. I reckon this film would never be able to reach the masses but would end up as a cult flick. Nevertheless, Colossal is an impressive mix of comedy, tragedy and dark drama. Plus it's filled with hidden meanings, symbols and metaphors worth discovering and researching when you get back home from the theaters.  

RATING: 8.5/10

MAD WORLD (2017)

Genre: Drama
Running Length: 1:41
Cast: Shawn Yue, Eric Tsang, Elaine Jin, Charmaine Fong
Director: Wong Chun
Screenplay: Florence Chan

MAD WORLD (not to be confused with the famous HK comedy It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World) is a difficult film to sit through not because it's bad. It's because of the subject matter that makes it uncomfortable and even at times, unbearable to watch. The film covers the subject matter of mental illness, living in a dysfunctional family and social illness in Hong Kong. Yes, this is depressing stuff.

The guy sitting next to me in the cinema was fidgeting throughout the movie and was constantly playing with his phone. Perhaps he thought he was expecting to watch a comedy (Eric Tsang!) or a romantic movie (Shawn Yue!) or maybe, just maybe, the story presented resonated with him and was getting under his skin.

This is an indie movie with strong performances throughout (except for Fong, who was trying too hard). Tsang and Jin deserve the Best Supporting Actor and Actress win at the recent 36th HK Film Awards. Although Elaine Jin was only in a few scenes, she definitely dominated every scene she was in.

Shawn Yue's dramatic performance here as a patient suffering from bipolar is very effective - he is retrained and thankfully didn't "go full retard". At some angles, he reminded me of a young Chow Yun-Fat.

I'm glad the filmmakers decided to highlight this topic of mental illness because not many people in this part of the world (Asia) really understand the challenges of a person who has mental health problems and the impact it has on their loved ones. As efficient Asians, we usually hope such "problems" will just quickly and conveniently go away, but it doesn't. At one point in the film, Tsang's character rightly sum it up, "Not everything can be outsourced".  

In conclusion, Mad World is not a perfect film (I get what the filmmakers were trying to convey during the church scene, but they need not demonize the faith) but nevertheless, it's a very brave film.

RATING: 8/10

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 (2017)

Genre: Action / Adventure
Running Length: 2:16
Cast: Chris Pratt, Michael Rooker, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Zoe Saldana, Elizabeth Debicki, Pom Klementieff, Kurt Russell, Karen Gillan, Sean Gunn, Sylvester Stallone
Director: James Gunn
Screenplay: James Gunn

When Vol 1 was first released in Aug 2014, I was probably the minority who didn't really enjoy it. No doubt it was a fun and bright outing but I didn't find it as humourous and engaging as most laud it to be. That's perhaps why I enjoyed GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 better as I went in with very low expectations. It's still not a very good movie but it's not terrible either.

I realised it's probably because I am unable to appreciate writer and director James Gunn's sense of humour. His jokes are politically incorrect and somewhat childish (just check out his YouTube's shorts - PG Porn). Eventhough it has more pointless gags this round, fortunately, some of it does lead somewhere when it's explained at a later stage (like why Cooper's Rocket always behaves likes an a-hole)

Although Vol. 2 is significantly more CGI heavy, I'm glad Gunn also doubled down on the character development too. Vol. 1 focused on assembling a group of misfits to save the galaxy and as a result, I didn't know much back story of most of the team. But this round, there are more quite moments where the characters are given more breathing space to reveal their vulnerabilities. As a result, I care more for the characters especially Michael Rooker's Yondu and Karen Gillan's Nebula.

The final emotional scene with Cat Steven's Father And Son soundtrack - that was where everything landed beautifully.

There are a few standout action set pieces especially the introduction scene with Baby Groot doing an impromptu dance routine and Yondu's escape. As I'm not too familiar with the songs used here compared to Vol. 1, I didn't really dig it much here. In conclusion, eventhough Vol. 2 delivers more of the same provided by its predecessor, it doesn't feel like a retread. 

RATING: 6.5/10