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

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

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2 (2017)

Genre: Action
Running Length: 2:02
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Riccardo Scamarcio, Common, Ruby Rose, Ian McShane, Claudia Gerini
Director: Chad Stahelski
Screenplay: Derek Kolstad

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2 is more of the same, which to me, is not something I was looking forward to. The only thing I marginally enjoyed about the first movie is how its action scenes were filmed. It reminded me of the good old yesteryear Hong Kong action flicks; you can actually see Reeves moving smoothly from shooting to punching to throw downs in one take. The audience know what's happening as oppose to the recent action movies which favours shaky cameras and kinetic editing.

But what I didn't like was watching Wick eliminate a stream of baddies over and over again, which became a tiresome experience after awhile. In this instalment, there's more of these moments. Watching Wick dispatch waves of henchmen reminds me of watching a video game. After a while, you just feel desensitized. I didn't feel the pain when the baddies gets their head shot or their chest stabbed (but the pencil scene...ouch)

The violence here is gratuitous. Sadly, I preferred watching the violence to seeing Reeves act. His version of the reluctance for his character to go back to his old violent ways looks more like he was having constipation. Keanu Reeves.cannot.act. It was so painful for me to watch.

Thankfully, this movie doesn't take itself too seriously. The scenes where Wick suits up and weaponised provided some lighter moments. There is also a standout scene in a bar involving Common and Reeves. Come to think of it, their scenes are the most memorable.

Just like the sequel to The Raid, John Wick: Chapter 2 expands its universe from a hotel in New York to an underworld of organised crime (with its own gold coin currency. Pretty cool, I must say). And just like The Raid also, the John Wick series is nothing but a series of action choreography strung together with a weak narrative. Action junkies would love this movie.

RATING: 4/10

JOHN WICK (2014)

 

Genre: Action/Thriller

Running Length: 1:41

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Willem Dafoe, Adrianne Palicki, John Leguizamo, Ian McShane

Director: Chad Stahelski, David Leitch 

 

JOHN WICK is a straight forward revenge-based movie. Such movies do not have much of a plot. The narrative, just like a video game, is all about following our hero fighting through a series of increasingly difficult bad guys until he meets the Big Boss for a final showdown (usually under the rain because fighting under the rain is just more 'jantan'). It's all about the action scenes and the creative kills. Thankfully, they are delivered in truck loads and in old-school brutality fashion. The shootouts are short but effective and the mano-a-mano fight scenes don't drag on forever. Casting Keanu Reeves as the lead is perfect as Reeves' screen presence has always been his strongest asset (vs his acting range) and the directors really know how to capture that. There are some intentionally amusing scenes to give the film a little breather from being overly action-packed. A special shout-out to the portrayal of the villains as they (especially the Big Boss) are not the usual frothing-at-the-mouth bad guys but are portrayed more as business people (special note: after 25 years, nobody can still come close to Alan Rickman's Hans Gruber baddie). 

Rating: 6/10