IP MAN 4: THE FINALE

Release Date: Malaysia, 20 Dec 2019

Genre: Action

Running Length: 1:45

Cast: Donnie Yen, Scott Adkins, Danny Chan Kwok-kwan, Vanness Wu, Wu Yue, Chris Collins, Kent Cheng

Director: Wilson Yip

Screenplay: Edmond Wong, Dana Fukazawa, Chan Tai Lee & Jil Leung Lai Yin

IP MAN 4: THE FINALE is indeed the concluding chapter of the popular Ip Man franchise which started way back in 2008 and have since created many spin offs and alternate versions in the last ten years. For the uninitiated, this saga is an inspired version (not exactly autobiographical) of the life of Ip Man, the famed teacher of the the Wing Chun style of martial arts and of course, the sifu of the legendary Bruce Lee. 

The year is 1964, and Ip Man (Donnie Yen) makes a trip to San Francisco from Hong Kong with the purpose of enrolling his teenager son in a school there. Due to the problems of immigration, he soon finds out it's not so easy to get a place in the local schools and he needs to engage the chairman (Wu Yue) of the Chinese Benevolent Association from Chinatown to write him a recommendation letter.  The chairman is not so co-operative because he is unhappy with Ip Man's student Bruce Lee (Danny Chan) for teaching martial arts to non-Chinese.  And the plot also include a racist Marine officer (Scott Adkins), intolerance towards immigrants and finding your passion.

Yeah, it's a mixed bag to be honest but just like all the earlier entries, it's really an excuse to showcase a collection of martial art duels. In terms of fight choreography, the hand-to-hand fights here are the weakest compared to the earlier episodes. To be fair,  all the scenes were serviceable but none were memorable. 

I was expecting an emotional "send off" since this is the finale, but I was actually more moved by Ip Man 3.

As for the performances, I still cannot brain how come Caucasians who appear in HK movies always end up as caricatures. Their dialogue are always cringe-worthy and their acting; over-the-top.  No different here. I guess it's just a poor understanding on the filmmakers' end on how they view the "ang mohs". Now, who's the racist here? 

A big shout-out to Danny Chan's impression as Bruce Lee. He perfectly captures Bruce Lee's charisma, swagger and his signature moves. Danny is a refreshing highlight.

The Ip Man movies have always been about nationalistic triumphs. So, it's pretty obvious the filmmakers of this movie were going for the social commentary angle aimed at the bigotry of the Trump-era. Unfortunately, it's heavy handed here. Thankfully, there is a heartfelt montage from the previous three films at the end which saved Ip Man 4 from being a below average finale. 

RATING: 6.5/10

STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

Release Date: Malaysia, 19 Dec 2019
Genre: Science Fiction / Adventure

Running Length: 2:21

Cast: Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Carrie Fisher, Joonas Suotamo, Anthony Daniels, Domhnall Gleeson, Richard E. Grant, Billy Dee Williams, Ian McDiarmid

Director: J.J. Abrams

Screenplay: Chris Terrio & J.J. Abrams, based on characters created by George Lucas

The next paragraph is really not a spoiler if you've seen the trailer. But if you want to watch STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER, the finale of the Skywalker saga, without knowing anything at all, then please turn away. 

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Still here? Ok, here's the iconic opening crawl of this movie that will set the audience up pretty nicely for the following 2 hours+: 

EPISODE IX THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

The dead speak! The galaxy has heard a mysterious broadcast, a threat of REVENGE in the sinister voice of the late EMPEROR PALPATINE.

GENERAL LEIA ORGANA dispatches secret agents to gather intelligence, while REY, the last hope of the Jedi, trains for battle against the diabolical FIRST ORDER.

Meanwhile, Supreme Leader KYLO REN rages in search of the phantom Emperor, determined to destroy any threat to his power…

(Actually for geeks out there, this "mysterious broadcast" was revealed much earlier in Fortnite (yes, the game!). And here's the message) 

I am aware that fans and professional reviewers worldwide are shredding this movie into pieces at this very moment.  As for me, I actually enjoyed it. It's not life-defining or anything of that sorts. I mean it's Star Wars after all.

Then it dawned upon me that I'm not a die-hard Star Wars fan after all. I mean I know the characters and the overall folklore lah but I could never really remember the storyline from any of the installment. (Perhaps, I'm just not into epic fantasy trilogies and series like The Lord of The Rings, Game of Thrones etc)

However, what I do like about the Star Wars series were all present in The Rise of Skywalker. Stormtroopers? Checked. The Force on display? Checked. Weird creatures? Checked. X-wings and Tie Fighters dogfights? Checked. Epic lightsaber duels? Double triple checked.

I mean this movie is like watching my favourite band in concert playing all of the crowd-pleasing greatest hits as their tens of thousands of fans sing-along.

Abrams really displays a firm understanding on the power of nostalgia. He really knows what the fans want. "Forget about the plot. Just focus on creating sweeping and breathtaking epic scenes. And remember to pepper the scenes with familiar faces!" Greatest Hits indeed.  

To be fair, there is a story, of course. But as mentioned, it just consists of a bunch of events and, if you pause long enough to think through the plot, it falls apart very quickly. Probably that's why this movie is currently rated barely fresh at 55% on Rotten Tomatoes. 

I think the biggest mistake Disney made with this "new" trilogy (Episode VII, VIII, IX) was to have different directors to bring forth their unique vision for the episode they helm. I mean as terrible as the "first" trilogy (Episode I, II, III) was, at least it was consistent because it was written and directed by the same person. Just look at what Johnson did with The Last Jedi?? I think all he wanted was to disrupt the entire Skywalker saga. Thankfully J.J. Abrams of Episode VII The Force Awakens is back to helm the finale.  

Hence, that's why I think J.J. Abrams and his team really tried and did the best way they knew how with what was handed to them after the disastrous The Last Jedi and of course, the unexpected demise of Carrie Fisher. For better or worse, I'm glad the Skywalker saga is over. Disney, please move on and tell other Star Wars stories. 

RATING: 8/10 

JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL

Release Date: Malaysia, 05 Dec 2019

Genre: Adventure / Comedy

Running Length: 2:02

Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Awkwafina, Nick Jonas, Danny Glover, Danny DeVito, Alex Wolff, Ser’Darius Blain, Morgan Turner, Madison Iseman, Rory McCann, Colin Hanks

Director: Jake Kasdan

Screenplay: Jake Kasdan and Jeff Pinkner & Scott Rosenberg, based on “Jumanji” by Chris Van Allsburg

Those who enjoyed 2017's hit Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle will definitely enjoy JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL. The content is practically a regurgitation of its predecessor; it's more of the same. At least, it's entertaining on a popcorn level.

Everyone from the 2017 movie returns in this sequel with additional cast of Awkwafina, Danny DeVito and Danny Glover.  

This time round, there is a change-up in the "pairings of the virtual avatars". Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson plays Danny DeVito's character, Kevin Hart plays Danny Glover's character and instead of playing the millennial girl character, Jack Black plays the character of the buff black dude. Yeah, it sounds all so confusing if you've not seen Welcome to the Jungle but trust me, it's easy to follow. (Eventhough my parents have not watched the 2017 movie, they recently went to see this movie in a 4DX cinema and they thoroughly enjoyed it!)

The fun part of the movie isn't seeing how these avatars survive in the Jumanji world but seeing the likes of The Rock, Kevin Hart and Jack Black (and even Awkwafina) inhabiting and impersonating other characters. In fact, I felt like I was watching a film version of the improvisational comedy TV show, Who's Line Is It Anyway?

The least convincing "impersonation" is The Rock playing Danny DeVito's character. I mean on paper it sounds hilarious but not so from paper to film. Surprisingly, the best impersonation goes to Kevin Hart playing Danny Glover's character! (In the last movie, my money went to Jack Black). Kevin Hart was playing Kevin Hart in the last movie, but in this outing, he's really good here as the subdued zoologist. Another standout is Awkwafina playing a particular character very much later in the film.         

Although The Next Level is entertaining and has some solid LOL moments (and a touching ending), it does feel a little too much like a money grab move. 

RATING: 7/10

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   

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME

Release Date: Malaysia, 03 July 2019

Genre: Action / Adventure

Running Length: 2:09

Cast: Tom Holland, Jake Gyllenhaal, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Angourie Rice, Tony Revolori, Samuel L. Jackson, Jon Favreau, Marisa Tomei, Cobie Smulders

Director: Jon Watts 

Screenplay: Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers 

The first half of SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME felt more like an epilogue to Avengers: Endgame while the second half; the sequel to Spider-man: Homecoming.  The beginning of this film addresses the events of Thanos' The Snap and Endgame, especially the mourning of Tony Stark/Iron Man's death (sorry, spoilers for those who are yet to watch Endgame). 

This is your standard entertaining lighthearted MCU movie which is very much a welcome after the heavy and emotional Endgame.  There are some funny moments and very decent action sequences - pretty much MCU textbook stuff. 

To me, the overall tone and manner is very much similar to Homecoming. It's the typical high-school coming-of-age movie with superhero elements. Not really a bad thing for me but it's just not my favourite genre.   

Thankfully they didn't go overboard with the Peter Parker/MJ romance as it balances out very nicely with Peter's constant struggle of living up to his calling "with great power comes great responsibility" vs. being your regular teenager. 

Tom Holland is becoming more comfortable and believable as the nice guy neighbourhood superhero but the standout here is Zendaya. Her version of MJ is kinda edge and yet, has hints of vulnerability. It's very current and it works. 

You can see Jake Gyllenhaal is having fun doing this movie. This is not your dark and serious Jake as seen in Prisoners or Nightcrawler. 

It's also refreshing to have a change of environment here since the majority of the movie takes place in Europe (Venice, Praque, London) instead of the usual swinging from building to building in New York. 

If anything, the villain here is not as memorable as Michael Keaton's Vulture in the first movie. There are no memorable "highly tensed conversation in the car scene".

Do stay back for two post credit scenes. The mid-credit scene is the more interesting one as it opens up a whole new possibility for Spidey in the third installment while the after credit scene is perhaps an introduction to MCU Phase 4.  

RATING: 7.5/10

TOY STORY 4

Release Date: Malaysia, 20 June 2019

Genre: Animated

Running Length: 1:40

Cast (Voices): Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Madeleine McGraw, Christina Hendricks, Jordan Peele, Keanu Reeves

Director: Josh Cooley

Screenplay: Andrew Stanton & Stephany Folsom

A couple of years ago when Pixar announced they are going to do another Toy Story, the first words that dropped into my mind were, "cash grab". And when the trailer to TOY STORY 4 was released, I wasn't impressed. The plot macam same-same with the rest of the other Toy Story episodes and it kinda looked...boring.

I had a similar feeling towards Finding Dory, the sequel to Finding Nemo. But I still watched it then because it's Pixar yo. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed with Dory because it felt the same.

So with all these precedents, I walked into Toy Story 4 with my bar set very low.

And I'm glad to say I really enjoyed this movie! Here's why

In terms of the plot for all the Toy Story movies, I never really could remember much of it. It all somewhat blend into one because it usually involves Woody (Hanks) and Buzz (Allen) fighting for their owner's attention. And somehow a toy or two will get stranded and the whole gang will go on a rescue mission.

However, what I do care about this series is its characters, especially Woody and Buzz. And in this movie, eventhough it involves another rescue mission, something more happens to a major character. And because I care for this character, the heart-wrenching conclusion ripped me to shreds.

And speaking of characters, there are some new ones introduced in this installment and I absolutely love them especially Forky, Ducky and Bunny and Duke Caboom (voiced by the ever reliable Keanu "Woah" Reeves). They are super funny!

Oh, and don't forget to stay till the end after the final end-credits involving Duke Caboom and a G.I. Joe-like action figure.

And finally, as for the themes explored here, it's beautifully bleak. More mature kids watching this may be affected by real-world themes such as being unlovable, losing one's purpose and making a difficult decision to follow your heart. (There are some horror elements too, so those bringing kids, you've been warned)

In conclusion, I'm glad Toy Story 4 wasn't a cash grab. Even if it was, I felt a sense of relief that the filmmakers put in so much care in these characters and the superior photo-realistic animation.

RATING: 8.5/10

GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS

Release Date: Malaysia, 30 May 2019

Genre: Adventure

Running Length: 2:11

Cast: Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Ken Watanabe, Zhang Ziyi, Bradley Whitford, Sally Hawkins, Charles Dance, Thomas Middleditch, Aisha Hinds, O’Shea Jackson Jr.

Director: Michael Dougherty 

Screenplay: Michael Dougherty & Zach Shields 

GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS is a direct sequel to Gareth Edwards’ 2014 Godzilla. One of the major complaints from the fans back then was that it featured "too little Godzilla" and "not enough kaiju smackdown". That movie had a more dramatic approach as it centred around its characters. 

I guess the filmmakers took those feedback and boy, did they double-double down on the monsters. You gotta see it on the big screen to fully appreciate the spectacle and the visually stunning kaiju smackdown! There was a scene in the movie where I literally exclaimed, "YEAAAH!!!" when one of the monsters literally "power up" by chomping on some power grid.

It was like watching a WWE match.

"I've seen stranger things"

However on the flip side, when it came to its characters, boy oh boy, I really don't know what were the filmmakers thinking. I have no idea what's the purpose of the human beings in this movie except to give exposition. Everytime when the characters appear on the screen (usually in-between the monsters fight sequences), they are there telling each other stories on the legend of the gods (the kaiju). Mind you, whoever is explaining this usually has images magically ready on their monitors to help the other people in the room to visualize better what he/she is talking about. Yes, like a powerpoint presentation.

And the dialogue is JUST TERRIBLE. Who talks like this! And I really pity the actors involved in this movie as they are capable artist but unfortunately, they were dealt with a poor script. So when some of these characters die, I just couldn't care less.

And don't get me started with the baffling decisions these characters make throughout the movie! All in all, the plot is supposed to be simple but it turned out to be so convoluted. When I checked on IMDB who is this "Michael Dougherty" director, I was surprised to find out that he is primarily known for being a screenwriter. But yet, he could churn out such a garbage script! Makes me wanna scream!

"Hehe. That tickles!"

If there is one movie which did an excellent job in balancing the monsters and the human beings, it's the original Jurassic Park. 

That being said, if you're into seeing cities being torn apart and flattened as these god-sized monsters collide with one another (accompanied with a dramatic soundtrack) , you won't leave disappointed.

RATING: 6/10

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 - PARABELLUM

Release Date: Malaysia, 16 May 2019

Genre: Action / Thriller

Running Length: 2:10

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne, Mark Dacascos, Halle Berry, Asia Kate Dillon, Lance Reddick, Angelica Huston

Director: Chad Stahelski

Screenplay: Derek Kolstad and Shay Hatten and Chris Collins & Marc Abrams

These events in JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 3 picks up exactly where Chapter 2 left off: 

Excommunicado.

Tick tock tick tock.

$14 Million bounty.

Stylized neon nightscape.

Book fight.

Knife fight.

Fight on a running horse.

The Director.

The Adjudicator.

Casablanca.

"He finds you."

Woah, Halle Berry! You go girl!

Two awesome Belgian Shepherds!

Rules and consequences.

Desert.

Ouch! 4 Fingers.

High Table.

Motorcycle fight.

"I'm a fan!" (Woah, that was totally left field)

Deconsecrated.

"Gun, lots of guns."

Fight in a hotel.

Mirrors.

Hand to hand combat.

"If you want peace, prepare for war" ie. Parabellum.

Back alley.

"Because I am...pissed!"

"Yeah!"

RATING: 3/10

AVENGERS: ENDGAME

Release Date: Malaysia, 24 Apr 2019

Genre: Action / Adventure

Running Length: 3:01

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd, Brie Larson, Bradley Cooper, Scarlett Johansson, Josh Brolin, Karen Gillan, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Don Cheadle

Director: Joe Russo, Anthony Russo 

Screenplay: Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely 

WARNING: Eventhough this is a spoiler-free review, I would still recommend you to turn away if you've not watched Avengers: Endgame and especially the last movie Avengers: Infinity War as I'll be making references to the events that happened in Infinity War. If you want a full-on 100% spoiler-free experience, avoid any sort of reviews, commentaries and even crowded places. 

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Still here? Ok, you've been warned. 

AVENGERS: END GAME picks up almost immediately after the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War. With whoever is left, the Avenger assemble once more in an attempt to undo Thanos' actions. 

"Whatever it takes"

The story structure to this film is clearly broken into 3 parts. 

1. The first one showcases whatever's left of our superheroes; all of them tries to move on with their lives but just can't.    
2. The second part focuses on our superheroes trying to undo what Thanos did.
3. The showdown. This part deals with the consequences of trying to undo what Thanos did.   

I like the first two parts because it feels like a drama. Our heroes are the most "human" here instead of the usual explosions and fights. I've not seen anything like this in any of the MCU movies. It's moving and affecting thanks to the performances of our ensemble cast, especially from the original Avengers.  

The usual signature random funny scenes are present here thanks to The Hulk, Thor, Ant-Man and Don Cheadle's War Machine but overall, the atmosphere of this movie is bleak.

I also like the approach that the filmmakers took for the middle section of the movie. Let's just say it feels like a "Best Of" episode but with a fresh take on it.  

"Why so serious?"

Did the filmmakers take any risk in this outing in comparison to the last one? Yes, they did. 

Although not as "shock-to-the-system" impactful as Infinity War, but this movie still carries an emotional punch to the gut. In fact, I was "punched" a few times. 

Overall, comparing the two latest Avengers movies, Infinity War has a stronger narrative and is more focused. The stakes felt really high. Endgame does a good job in mixing the quieter dramatic elements with big special effects sequences but there are some pacing issues here and there, and a few things to nitpick. Also, I had a lot of questions after the film but thankfully (don't click if you've not seen the movie!) I got most of the answers from this link. 

In conclusion, Avengers: Endgame is a super satisfying ending for me that has the right balance of closure and setup for future installments for some characters. 

RATING: 9/10 

(this "9" is a shade lower than the "9" I gave for Infinity War)

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 3 (THE HIDDEN WORLD)

Release Date: Malaysia, 31 Jan 2019

Genre: Action / Adventure / Animation

Running Length: 1:45

Cast (voices):  Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Cate Blanchett, Craig Ferguson, F. Murray Abraham, Gerard Butler, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Kristen Wiig, Kit Harington

Director:  Dean DeBlois

Screenplay: Dean DeBlois based upon the "How to Train Your Dragon" book series by Cressida Cowell 

In this last installment of the How to Train Your Dragon series, I went in with some anxiety anticipating for the worst. If you followed part 1 and 2, you would have realized that the series creators take risk. 

In the first one, our heroes Hiccup (Baruchel) and Toothless lost their leg and tail wing respectively. And in Part 2, as Hiccup finally found his mother, his father dies! 

So, going into HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 3, I had all these thoughts in my mind, "Does Toothless die?" , "Does Hiccup die?", "Do Hiccup and Astrid get married?" 

Well, all I can reveal for now is that the character arc (the transformation or inner journey of a character over the course of a story) of both Hiccup and Toothless is complete in an emotionally satisfying way. 

With Hiccup as head chief now, he and Toothless (being the alpha dragon) safeguard their island and keep everyone safe, both humans and dragons. However, there is a new threat to this peaceful dragon utopia where the villagers are forced to make a decision to vacate their village.  

Meanwhile, Toothless has fallen in love with another dragon, a Light Fury. 

This is where Hidden World soars. It's such a delight to see the courtship of this cute couple, from a clumsy mating dance to a no dialogue high-flying sequence official date across the clouds and beautiful "magic hour" cinematic landscape. It's one of the most beautiful and heart warming sequence for me ever created using animation.  

The visuals in this movie is stunning and accompanying score is just perfect.  

The villain (Abraham) in this installment is also much more memorable than Part 2. I swear his demeanor and voice sounded so much like John Lithgow. 

Speaking of the non-verbal, there is this powerful moment somewhere at the end where Hiccup and Toothless communicates without any words. Such an emotional scene.   

How to Train Your Dragon 3 is a fitting ending. Much better than part two, whereas the first one was still the best. 

RATING: 8/10

Review: RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET

Release Date: Malaysia, 22 Nov 2018

Genre: Animated

Running Length: 1:52

Cast (Voices): John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Gal Gadot, Taraji P. Henson, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyk, Ed O’Neill

Director: Phil Johnston, Rich Moore

Screenplay: Phil Johnston & Pamela Ribon

What’s this movie about?

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET is a sequel to one of my favourite non-Pixar animation Wreck-It-Ralph (2012).

While the first movie was confined within the good old arcade universe, this follow-up expands the adventure of Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) and Vanellope (voice of Sarah Silverman) into the huge and exciting universe of the World Wide Web.

Highlights and Lowlights

The WWW universe that the animators have produced is bright and filled with so many details per frame you need to watch it on the big screen to fully appreciate it.

And I like how the Internet is structured and presented - like this big city where every website is represented by skyscrapers and real estates of different sizes.

The most entertaining sequence involves the Disney Princesses. I LOL a few times at the tongue-in-cheek take on our beloved characters especially the importance of a “princess song.”

However, the overall story is a little laggy and draggy. In fact, some parts tend to meander and there were so many final acts I couldn’t keep up. When you think it has come to a conclusion, then there’s more.

Although it’s a bold move by the filmmakers to not include a true villain, somehow the final result was not as satisfying as say...Inside Out.

In summary

Just like the first movie, RALPH 2 is packed with pop culture references and clever product placements.

Clearly, this sequel aimed to be bigger. But in my opinion, it went a little over bloated.

Rather than going big in its storytelling, the filmmakers chose style over substance. Case in point was the unnecessary "King Kong" Ralph sequence. Personally, I would have preferred a stronger story.

That said, the central theme of the real meaning of friendship shines through towards the end. It made me shed a tear or two or maybe, three.

Note: Stay to watch two hilarious post-credit scenes (one mid and the other right at the end of the credits). Interestingly enough, the cut here included a music video by Indonesian jazz band Payung Teduh.

RATING: 7/10

THE EQUALIZER 2 (Malaysia, 30 Aug 2018)

Genre: Action / Thriller

Running Length: 2:05

Cast: Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Melissa Leo, Bill Pullman, Jonathan Scarfe, Orson Bean, Ashton Sanders

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Screenplay: Richard Wenk based on the television series created by Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim

What's the film about?

Just like the first Equalizer movie, THE EQUALIZER 2 is a slow burn thriller which will build and build until it burst into violent outcomes.When Robert McCall (Washington) turns on his kill mode, it will usually end up in shocking and brutal consequences. No prolonged action sequences and crazy stunts like the recent Mission: Impossible.

With so much violence on screen these days, I thought I would be desensitized but there were moments in this movie which made me flinch. The difference between those films and this one - the pain here feels real.

In terms of the plot, it's not much different from the first one. Our superhero protagonist is the judge, jury, and executioner for citizens who are exploited and oppressed (Gotham's Dark Knight-like). But this time, it gets personal.

Highlights!

• Fuqua, the director really knows how to deliver nail-biting sequences; Melissa Leo's character walking back to her hotel room, a car ride and a scene in which a teen has to hide from some killers.  
• The closing action piece, which occurs at the height of a hurricane, provides a perfect setting for the climax. 
• Watching Denzel punish the villains. Something about it appeals to the middle-aged male fantasy. 

Lowlights

• There is a problem with the plotting. Too many unnecessary episodic fillers which doesn't add to the main plot. 
• The filmmakers tried introducing some dramatic elements like a surrogate father relationship between McCall and a teen who is involved with some bad company. And there's a subplot involving a very elderly Holocaust survivor. Eventhough all these side characters performed very well, their stories just didn't add anything to the table. Yes, I get it that we would know our mysterious McCall better from these relationships but there's this short scene of him talking to his former colleague in a park which was much more effective in unveiling his past than all these other subplots combined.   
• I didn't really like the final fight scene as it was too stunt double heavy (that said the final blow was still satisfying).

In summary

EQUALIZER 2 is more of the same with the first movie but at least in the latter, it had more "Bollywood action-hero" style, like the warehouse scene where McCall walks slo-mo under the sprinklers - wah...maximum alpha male fantasy unlocked. This chapter was dull despite the realistic violence.

I think what adds to the lack of excitement is also McCall's God-like indestructibility. You know he's going to survive in the end...for the next sequel.

RATING: 6/10

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT (Malaysia, 26 Jul 2018)

Genre: Action / Thriller

Running Length: 2:27

Cast: Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Rebecca Ferguson, Henry Cavill, Michelle Monaghan, Vanessa Kirby, Angela Bassett, Sean Harris, Alec Baldwin

Director: Christopher McQuarrie 

Screenplay: Christopher McQuarrie, based on the television series by Bruce Geller 

What’s this movie about? 

In MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT, Ethan Hunt (Cruise) and his IMF team join forces with CIA assassin August Walker (Cavill) to race against time to prevent three nuclear warheads from being detonated by an evil organization called The Apostles.

In the process, the mission becomes complicated as the team gets entangled with a mysterious woman named “White Widow” (Kirby), former ally Ilsa Faust (Ferguson) and arch-enemy from the last movie Rogue Nation, Solomon Lane (Harris).

Highlights!

• The white-knuckle action sequences. The M:I franchise started out as a thriller and have now morphed into this full-on relentlessly-paced action adventure.  All the action scenes are meticulously planned from the halo jump to the final OMG! WTF! crazy helicopter chase scene. My favourite one is the motorcycle chase scene in Paris - I was like on the edge of my seat!
• The camera work.  The tourist location stunts especially of Tom running and jumping from one rooftop to another is clean and breathtaking. No green screen shaky camera BS. 
• Tom Cruise. You know he brought his A game and wasn’t phoning in. Every run, every leap, every punch, every fall and every climb = 100% Tom Cruise.

 

Lowlights 

• The story. It’s nothing new. We have seen this plot many times before. 
• The score. Nothing really memorable here. It was actually distracting especially the earlier action scenes. They need not dramatize it with a score where it’s already breath-taking enough. It was an overkill (except the motorcycle chase scene where a score was absent – that’s probably why that sequence was much more effective). 
• No real danger. Yes, there are suspenseful moments but at the back of my mind, I knew everything will be ok. That’s why I still preferred the first Mission: Impossible - it was designed to be a thriller first, the action came in thereafter. In that movie, there was that tensed and "quiet" iconic cable-dangling backflip moment. In Fallout, it is just loud balls-to-the-wall action. 

In summary 

The 2.5 hours of non-stop action can be exhausting and draining. If they shaved off 20 to 25 mins, the film could be a much tighter experience. Nevertheless, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT is probably the best action blockbuster this year. 

Rating: 8/10

MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN (Malaysia, 19 Jul 2018)

Genre: Musical
Running Length: 1:53
Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Andy Garcia, Lily James, Alexa Davies, Jessica Keenan Wynn, Dominic Cooper, Julie Walters, Christine Baranski, Hugh Skinner, Josh Dylan, Jeremy Irvine, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Meryl Streep, Cher
Director: Ol Parker
Screenplay: Richard Curtis and Ol Parker and Catherine Johnson

What's this movie about?
This prequel-sequel is about Sophie (Seyfried) learning of Donna (Streep), her mother's past. In the prequel part of things, it explores how her mother met the 3 men (Brosnan, Firth, Skarsgard) who changed her life.

Meanwhile in the present, (no spoilers here) we are informed from the start of the movie that Donna has already passed on. Her friends are still grieving while Sophie is striving to fulfill her vision of re-opening the newly renovated Hotel Bella Donna.

Highlights!

• Lily James as young Donna. She is really believable here as a free-spirited woman. And yes, she can sing and she can dance and is very likable. She lights up the room everytime she's on screen. 
• The ensemble of cast is good especially the younger version of the 3 men. They are much more believable here when they sing vs their older self (Brosnan, Firth and Skarsgard). 
• Speaking of songs, of course I was toe-tapping and fingers snapping when the cast belted out Abba's popular songs like Dancing Queen (which was done much better here compared to the first film). Ahh...such a good nostalgic feeling! 
• The look of this film with its blue tone and gorgeous location is also more memorable. 
• I really like the "fantasy" post credit scene!
• Eventhough Streep only "appears" at the end in a cameo role, I could really feel her character's presence throughout the film. Probably I was sold that the cast was mourning for Donna, so much so, when she appears at the end to sing My Love, My Life, I was very moved.

Lowlights

• At times, the story gets a little unfocused. I supposed that's what happens when a narrative is crafted around a bunch of popular songs. Contextually, it feels forced.
• As the original have used up most of Abba's popular songs, the filmmakers here have no choice but to re-use some of their greatest hits and mixed it with their lesser known playlist.   

In summary
MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN is not a great musical. This prequel-sequel is more of the same as the original but it's actually not a bad thing here.


RATING: 7/10

ANT-MAN AND THE WASP (Malaysia, 04 Jul 2018)

Genre: Action / Adventure

Running Length: 2:00

Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Michelle Pfeiffer, Laurence Fishburne, Hannah John-Kamen, Walton Goggins, Michael Pena

Director: Peyton Reed 

Screenplay: Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers and Paul Rudd & Andrew Barrer & Gabriel Ferrari 

What's the movie about?

As Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Rudd) is under house arrest for 2 years following the events of Civil War, Hope van Dyne (Lilly) and Dr. Hank Pym (Douglas) present him with an urgent new mission. Shy of two days from completing his sentence, he is tasked to go into the quantum realm to save Hope's mom Janet van Dyne (Pfeiffer) who is stuck in there for 30 years. 

Highlights!

• This time round, we have a good balance of Rudd, Lilly and Douglas. They share almost equal screentime which I feel is a nice approach. 
• Similar to the first Ant-Man, Michael Pena steals every scene he is in!

Lowlights

• After the recent grandeur of Avenger: Infinity War this movie feels like a very small movie (no pun intended). The narrative is almost made for Netflix kind, just that the effects and action pieces are more polished thanks to a big budget. 
• The villains here have very little purpose beyond providing roadblocks to our heroes' mission to save Janet.
• Not too sure if it's because of Paul Rudd's laid-back personality or just the fault of the writing team, this film lacks energy. It gets pretty boring at times even during the action sequences.    

In summary

As fun as it gets, this movie is somewhat pointless. The only scene that got me excited is the first post-credit scene (the second one which is right at the end is rubbish) which leaves behind a clue to what's going to happen in Avengers 4. 

RATING: 6.5/10

SICARIO: DAY OF THE SALDADO (Malaysia, 28 Jun 2018)

Genre: Thriller

Running Length: 2:02

Cast: Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin, Isabela Moner, Jeffrey Donovan, Catherine Keener, Matthew Modine, Elijah Rodriguez, David Castañeda  

Director: Stefano Sollima 

Screenplay: Taylor Sheridan

What's this movie about?

The cartels are smuggling terrorists across the US border. FBI agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) is ordered to assemble his team, including Alejandro (Benicio Del Toro) to instigate a cartel war to disrupt such operations. Of course, nothing goes right and very quickly, sh*t hits the fan. 

(SICARIO: DAY OF THE SOLDADO stands on its own. One does not require to have seen the first film Sicario, but by understanding the background of Graver and Alejandro it would help viewers to have a better appreciation for the series) 

Highlights!

• Expanding the Sicario universe. Rather than the lazy rinse and repeat approach to sequels, I like what returning writer Taylor Sheridan did here - exposing a whole other facet of the drug and human trafficking war among the cartels that wasn’t explored in the first. The first film felt small while this one seems much bigger.  
• The realistic violence. Eventhough the trailer markets this film as an action film, the violence here are not the same as that genre. No heroic slo-mo gun play. The 'action sequences' are so well crafted it makes you feel that you're right there and the violence is usually quick, brutal and efficient.  
• Same look and feel. Eventhough the original super trio (Director Denis Villeneuve, cinematographer Roger Deakins and composer Jóhann Jóhannsson - RIP) were not involved in this sequel, it still looks and feels the same. This movie maintains a lurking sense of dread with some unbearable moments of intensity.
• The performances of Josh Brolin and Benicio Del Toro. Both Brolin's 'do whatever-it-takes' character and Del Toro's character are more fleshed out this round. There's one scene where Del Toro's character used sign language to reveal a little bit of his background - that quiet moment was heartbreaking. 

Lowlights

• The ending bit. I would have preferred a bleak ending where redemption is not possible for certain characters.  
• The casting of Catherine Keener and Matthew Modine. Their performance is serviceable here but distracting. It would have been better to cast lesser known actors.

In summary

Eventhough DAY OF THE SOLDADO didn't deliver a gut-punch ending as what Sicario did, it’s a worthy follow-up delivered from the perspective of the ugly world of international politics and male aggression. 

RATING: 8.5/10