OCEAN'S 8 (Malaysia, 14 Jun 2018)

Genre: Thriller

Running Length: 1:47

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham-Carter, Sarah Paulson, Rihanna, Mindy Kaling, Awkwafina, Richard Armitage, James Corden

Director: Gary Ross

Screenplay: Gary Ross & Olivia Milch

What's this movie about?
A spinoff from the Ocean's franchise, OCEAN'S 8 is about Debbie Ocean (Bullock) and her right hand partner Lou (Blanchett) together with their motley crew attempting to pull off a heist to steal a US$150 million necklace during the glamorous annual Met Ball.

Highlights!

• The performances and interaction. It's fun to see eight talented actresses interacting through the proceedings of the film. They have great chemistry and the cast seems to be having fun making this movie! A special shout out to Anne Hathaway, one of the most underrated badass actress of her generation. 
• Stylish. Just like the original series, everything from the leads' performances to camerawork to editing oozes style. The jazzy and breezy score definitely ramps up the cool factor.  
• The final reveal. 

Lowlights

• A safe movie. As much as I enjoyed Ocean's 8, I felt it didn't take enough risk. It felt like a cash grab by the studio's male-dominated head honchos - make some quick money by switching the genders to ride on the current gender inequality movement in Hollywood. I personally feel the best example of a truly feminine movie is Wonder Woman by Patty Jenkins. It has love, strength and sensitivity. As a result, it made A LOT of money. The least they could have done here was to hire a female director.       
• Lacks tension. A memorable heist movie is defined by its edge-of-the-seat sequences but there's nothing like it here (except for one sequence). The execution part is fun to watch but it was underwhelmingly safe. Missing were moments where what was planned goes wrong and what wasn't turned out right in unexpected ways.
• The unnecessary bit at the end.  As much as I enjoyed the final reveal, the last act where James Corden's character is introduced was unnecessary. Instead of ending high, that bit caused the film to end low. 

In summary

OCEAN'S 8 is definitely from the same universe as the other Ocean’s movies. It's very watchable. It's fun, stylish and the leads are cool and confident. But I wished the filmmakers took more risk and made this film its own movie because conceptually, making an all-female version of an Ocean’s film sounded appealing.

RATING: 7.5/10

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

INTERSTELLAR (2014)

 

Genre: Science Fiction/Adventure

Running Length: 2:49

Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Wes Bentley, David Gyasi, Matt Damon, Michael Caine, Casey Affleck, Mackenzie Foy, Topher Grace, Ellen Burstyn, John Lithgow

Director: Christopher Nolan

 

"The depth of the love of parents for their children cannot be measured. It is like no other relationship. It exceeds concern for life itself. The love of a parent for a child is continuous and transcends heartbreak and disappointment." James E. Faust

INTERSTELLAR is arguably Christopher Nolan's most ambitious movie to date. He is one of today's great modern cinema showmen. He is a master at balancing cerebral storytelling with moments of grandeur. And Interstellar checks those boxes; it simultaneously displays complex physics (but yet accessible to laymen and sounded reasonable enough) told on an epic big-budget cinematic canvas, but at the heart of it is a simple tale of sacrificial love that binds a father and his daughter. And without a doubt Matthew McConaughey is the human factor of this movie. His believable love for his family (and the despair he has to go through) makes this one of Nolan's most emotional film. The scenes between father and daughter made me shed some tears (thankfully it didn't go the way of Armageddon). But Interstellar is not all weepy as its incredible imagery is an amazing achievement that deserves to be seen on the biggest screen with the best sound system possible (watch it on IMAX) - the space travel and new worlds feels like the real thing (and not CGI) and the scene where the rocket lifts off, the bass shook the entire cinema I was in. And Hans Zimmer's score (with heavy use of organs) is gripping. That said, Interstellar is almost too perfect and there lies the problem. It has just the right balance of everything; family drama, love, great effects, action, some light hearted moments, betrayal etc. Personally, I find things more beautiful when they are still imperfect than when they are too perfectly crafted. Also, this film may not provide enough traditional entertainment value compared to Nolan's The Dark Knight or Inception, and thus could leave certain movie goers feeling underwhelmed. On many levels, Interstellar is a very good film. I liked it but not as much I wanted too.

Rating: 8.5/10