SUICIDE SQUAD (2016)

Genre: Action
Running Length: 2:10
Cast: Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Cara Delevigne, Karen Fukuhara, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jay Hernandez, Jai Courtney
Director: David Ayer
Screenplay: David Ayer

SUICIDE SQUAD had a similar effect on me as Batman V Superman. It feels and look the same as BVS but way more disappointing because of all the hype thanks to the awesome trailers.

To be fair, the premise of recruiting some of the baddest villains in the DC universe and assemble them as a team to fight a much bigger threat to the world, sound interesting. Unfortunately in this case, the concept sounds better than the execution.

I went in with a curious mind hoping to like some of these oddball characters just like how Guardian of the Galaxy did it for me. I didn't super enjoy Guardians as a whole but I would definitely want to watch its upcoming sequel. But it can't be said with this movie if the studio decides to develop a follow-up.

Probably it's because it didn't really make me care for any of its offbeat characters. Only Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Jay Hernandez characters' backstory are fleshed-out well. Leto's Joker looks creepy but somehow ends up being more of a lost lover boy than a menacing villain. And speaking of "villain", the chief villain here is...boring. Her motivations are never really clear. In fact, Viola Davis' tough-as-nails character is even more scary. Robbie's character even remarked in one scene, "Are you the devil?"

In terms of action and effects, it's nicely done and beautiful to watch. Unfortunately, it's just not enough to save this movie.

Rating: 4.5/10  

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB (2013)

 

Genre: Drama
Running Length: 1:58
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto, Jennifer Garner
Director: Jean-Marc Vallee

In many ways, DALLAS BUYERS CLUB is all about Matthew McConaughey's eye-opening performance. I will reserve my opinion on whether or not he deserved the Best Actor nod for this film but what I would like to highlight is his transformation from former leading romantic lead to a dramatic actor. After taking a hiatus from film-making three years ago, McConaughey made an important decision to rebrand himself by breaking away from romantic comedies in favour of dramatic roles in several independent films. He was relentless in this pursuit (including his Christian Bale/The Machinist-style physical transformation in this movie) and as a result, earned himself a well deserved Oscar. There's a lesson here, folks. One of the most compelling aspect of Dallas Buyers Club comes from watching McConaughey's character develops from a macho redneck into someone who shows respect for gay men and women, and from a bum into a person who takes charge of his life. McConaughey is supported by Jared Leto, whose portrayal of a transvestite is effective. Another thing the movie successfully accomplishes is to recreate the AIDS-related paranoia climate of the mid-to-late 1980s. A secondary plot of the film revolves around the allegation of the US government "collaborating" with Big Evil Pharmaceutical Companies on which drugs to approve for the treatment of AIDS. The movie does what it sets out to do by providing a story of the journey of a broken character and offering a history lesson about AIDS sufferers during the dark ages of the 1980s.

Rating: 6.5/10