FORD V FERRARI

Release Date: Malaysia, 14 Nov 2019

Genre: Drama

Running Length: 2:32

Cast: Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal, Caitriona Balfe, Tracy Letts, Josh Lucas, Noah Jupe

Director: James Mangold

Screenplay: Jez Butterworth & John-Henry Butterworth and Jason Keller

Do not be put off by the average looking trailer. When I first saw it, it looked uninteresting. But thanks to some positive reviews and buzz worthy word-of-mouth, I'm glad I checked it out. FORD V FERRARI is anything but boring!

This movie is probably the most entertaining feel-good movie of the year for me. And this is coming from someone who has zero interest in cars. Why I really enjoyed this film:

• It has all the beats of a good sports movie; the underdog, the washed up coach, the training montage, the competition, the tension, the victory. 
• Excellent chemistry between movie stars Damon and Bale. It's their "bromance" that makes this movie rise up above the other movies from the same genre. (Side note: This seems to be the year where star-driven movies are making a comeback vs superhero action genre. Case in point; Once Upon A Time in Hollywood)
• The races are beautifully shot. It's not confusing and you can easily make out who's leading the track and who's lacking behind. The race scenes feel real and dangerous, with death a high possibility. Apparently, no CGI was used for the racing scenes. The energetic and pulsating score also added to the intensity of these "action" pieces. 
• The father (Bale) and son (Jupe) relationship here is touching.
• The filmmakers take on who's the true villain (and it's not Ferrari).  

Overall, Ford v Ferrari isn’t necessarily a ground breaking movie, but it’s a solid entertaining blockbuster driven by human drama.

RATING: 9/10

ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP

Release Date: Malaysia, 31 Oct 2019

Genre: Comedy / Horror

Running Length: 1:39

Cast: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Zoey Deutch, Avan Jogia

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Screenplay: Dave Callaham, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick

ZOMBIELAND: DOUBLE TAP, the sequel to the 2009's Zombieland is more of the same. Really. It's the same movie, just with slightly more humans. And the filmmakers are not shy about repeating the same formula. Hence, if you enjoyed Zombieland, you’ll probably like this sequel, just not as much.

 

It has some clever moments and good laughs (don't miss the opening scene, yes, the one with the Columbia Pictures torch lady!). However not everything lands especially some running gags. 

There are some interesting cameos; some worked, some didn't. 

Double Tap is best enjoyed laughing-out-loud with a friend who also liked the first movie.  

RATING: 7/10

TERMINATOR: DARK FATE

Release Date: Malaysia, 24 Oct 2019

Genre: Science Fiction / Action

Running Length: 2:08

Cast: Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mackenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes, Gabriel Luna

Director: Tim Miller

Screenplay: David S. Goyer & Justin Rhodes and Billy Ray, based on a story by James Cameron & Charles H. Eglee & Josh Friedman & David S. Goyer & Justin Rhodes

From an entertainment standpoint, TERMINATOR: DARK FATE is an improvement over the recent sequels but it still can't match the level of the first two entries in the series. In fact, the series should have just ended at T2.

This movie is somewhat a remake of T1 and T2 by taking what worked in that two entries and smashed it together in this one to serve a new generation of audience. Yeah, there is a bold move in Dark Fate which happens right at the beginning but other than that, it's actually more or less a T1 and T2 mashup. 

Action junkies would enjoy this entry but I disliked it. The action sequences here are the Fast & Furious type where it defies physics and it goes up to eleven as the movie progresses: loud, CGI-packed action and just numbing. There was hardly any tension. 

Performance wise, Arnold still steals the show everytime he is on screen. He is the king of one-liners. The filmmakers introduced emotions into Arnold's Terminator here and he does it with surprising effectiveness without coming across awkward and forced. Linda's Sarah Connor is fine here. She looks great for her age but I just can't help but be distracted by how much her face has aged. Perhaps it's a reflection of how much I have aged too >.<

As for the younger actors, Mackenzie's Grace is a standout while the rest of the cast were serviceable.

All in all, they should just stop making more Terminator movies. 

RATING: 6/10