THE GREATEST SHOWMAN

Malaysia Release Date: 28 Dec 2017
Genre: Musical / Drama
Running Length: 1:45
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Keala Settle, Sam Humphrey
Director: Michael Gracey
Screenplay: Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN is supposedly based on a true story of P.T. Barnum, the creator of the "circus" we all know today, yes...the trapeze, elephants, lions etc all under the signature red and white striped tent. Although the filmmakers featured characters and key events that actually happened, I highly doubt the motivations of P.T Barnum (Jackman) is truly represented in this movie. (I believe this article reported in The Daily Mail UK is more accurate of his colourful life)

Nevertheless, what really worked for me are the songs. To side track, I dislike musicals, even cartoons with characters singing about "no worries for the rest of your days" or "letting it go". (La La Land worked for me not because of the songs but because of its realistic ending). So you can imagine the feeling of dread as I sat uncomfortably on the cinema chair. But the moment the opening number kicked off the film, it got my attention!

I think what worked for me are the pop and hip-hop inspired tunes. It was written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the duo behind La La Land. It's upbeat, clappy and foot-stomping catchy good! (The soundtrack is currently the no. 1 album in US, UK and a few more countries). And the singing and high energy dancing are all very well choreographed. It just makes the audience feel happy.

As for the story of how the poor boy Barnum became the rich and famous P.T. Barnum, it's ok but not remarkable. In fact as mentioned earlier, the screenplay downplays the aspect that Barnum was actually exploiting the misfits of society for his personal gain. However, he is re-framed here as someone who provides equality, diversity and self-empowerment. As well-meaning as these elements are, it feels forced to fit today's context.   

Jackman, as always is reliable, charismatic and highly energetic. Overall, it’s an entertaining family friendly film packed with infectious and crowd-pleasing numbers. (The other highlight for me was this couple sitting next to me who was so into the movie the girl would exclaimed loudly during key moments; "Oh NO!" "SH T!" "Nonononono").

RATING: 8/10

LOGAN (2017)

Genre: Drama / Action
Running Length: 2:17
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen, Boyd Holbrook, Stephen Merchant, Richard E. Grant
Director: James Mangold
Screenplay: Scott Frank, James Mangold and Michael Green

LOGAN is a very different kind of superhero movie. There are no portals opening up from the sky. No giant robots. No loud noises and definitely not a CGI fest. This is a very grounded and gritty film. Both bad and innocent people die violently in this film.

First and foremost, this film is set up as a drama with a depressing theme; mortality. Yes, there are enough intense action pieces to keep the traditional superhero audience going, "Oh sh*t!" But overall, it's a slow paced movie. There are a lot of dialogue and even a homely scene of our protagonists having a decent conversation with a family over dinner. Yep, some folks I know said Logan was boring.

A quick summary of the plot. It is set in a post-apocalyptic world of 2029 where mutants are mostly extinct. An aging Logan/Wolverine (yes, he is not immortal. He just ages much much slower) lives a secluded life as a chauffeur. The measly income he earns is used to buy illegal meds to treat an even older and frail Charles Xavier/Professor X (Stewart). Charles is suffering from early stages of a brain degenerative disease. When Logan agrees to accept a big cheque to chauffeur a lady and a young girl to the border of Canada, he soon realised that the young girl is no ordinary girl.

In no time, the baddies are after them with truckload of firearms. And when our hero face off with them, it is unapologetically violent. It truly deserves its 18 years+ rating.  The wounds inflicted by Logan is extremely graphic (imagine a ferocious and powerful lion swiping its claws continuously across your soft flesh). And there are alot of swearing. In fact, the first word in the movie is, "F*ck!"

And there lies the problem for me. No doubt that fans will be pleased with an R-rated Wolverine (finally!) but just because it's not kids friendly, the filmmakers need not have to insert curse words in every other sentence. And they made the film as graphically violent as it can be. Curse words and violence, when used appropriately, can be very powerful. Here, it just loses its power.

And I get it that director James Mangold wanted to make a Western, but there is a particular scene where he hammers home this point in a "Get it?! Get it?!??" manner. In fact, there are many of such "Get it?!?" scenes just to make a point. And there is this particular villain which I thought was a little out of place.

But in terms of performance, Jackman and Stewart delivers one of their finest performance. They are totally committed. And I was particularly captivated by newcomer Dafne Keen's passion and ferality. Technically, the film is beautiful to look at and the score complements the movie well.

I was actually hoping the filmmakers would explore deeper the anger and emotional pain Logan had to experience in his lifetime due to his "curse of immortality". Alas, it was just briefly mentioned. I really wanted this film to punch me emotionally in the gut since this would be Jackman's last performance as Wolverine, but it didn't.

RATING: 7.5/10

X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST (2014)

Genre: Action/Science Fiction
Running Length: 2:11
Cast: Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, Jennifer Lawrence, Peter Dinklage
Director: Bryan Singer

"The past: a place of potential promise, and possibility. We are the sum of our choices, as what we do now defines what we will do. Infinite decisions mean infinite consequences, for the future is never truly set." Professor X

X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST is a film of grand ambitions and epic achievements but yet managed to retain an intimate scale. It doesn't feel like your typical superhero movie ie. no final grand showdown where our hero/heroes beats the pulp out of a bad guy. In fact, there is no single readily identified villain; the main characters have legitimate reasons for their behaviour. Days of Future Past is a very intelligent (aka Nolan's Dark Knight series) film and it plays out more like a sci-fi film aka Terminator, where our distant future is horrific and grim; mutants are massacred and graphically killed by the Sentinels - machines without soul or conscience. The only way to reverse the apocalypse is to travel back to 1973 and undo it all, where the meat of the film rests. Thankfully, Singer occasionally cuts the doom and gloom tension by inserting in some wit especially a jaw-dropping playful action sequence. Michael Fassbender, who dominated X-Men: First Class, is once again magnetic here but this sequel is truly McAvoy's show. The most powerful scene for me was a quiet sequence involving the past Charles Xavier who was desperate to numb his pain and failure and the dystopian future Charles Xavier who's wiser and hopeful; "The greatest gift we have is to bear their pain without breaking and it comes from your most human part, hope."

Indeed, hope is a function of pain/struggle.

Rating: 8.5/10