NETFLIX: UNCUT GEM

Release Date: Netflix Malaysia, 31 Jan 2020

Genre: Drama / Thriller

Running Length: 2:16

Cast: Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel, Lakeith Stanfield, Eric Bogosian, Judd Hirsch

Director: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie

Screenplay: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie, Ronald Bronstein

The backdrop that UNCUT GEMS transpires against is not new - the gemstone industry. But the way this movie unfolds is refreshing.

The pace is relentless with shady characters and con artist talking and shouting on top of each other at any one time. I was trying hard to understand what was going on 10 percent into the movie and my head wanted to explode. I wanted to scream, "WTF is going on??! Can all of you just SHUT UP!!!"

But if you can power through and not be distracted by pausing or fast forwarding or even walking to the fridge to get something (since this is streaming on Netflix), the payoff is worth it.

Gemstone dealer Howard Ratner (Sandler) is the film’s high-strung protagonist who likes to live on the edge and is always on the verge of an eruption. He is a womanizer, compulsive gambler and all-around crook. Howard is pinning all his hopes on an Ethiopian opal that would get him out out of his debt situation. Throughout the film, he is a ticking time bomb. 

This is one of those rare gems of a movie that almost everything about it, from the directing to the acting and the technical aspects of it, is flawless. Adam Sandler received so many critical praises for his performance here I had to check it out (I'm never a big fan of Adam). If I'm one of the film studio executives, I wouldn't be able to imagine Sandler in this role, "C'mon, this role is totally out of his league!"

It’s a tough part for anyone to pull off, but Sandler nails it. His character is repulsive but yet, oddly charismatic. I can't help but to root for him.

Set in New York in 2012, the Safdie Brothers successfully captures the overwhelming and chaotic energy of the city with the extreme close-ups of the characters, intentional haphazard editing and its synthesized score.

This movie is uncompromising, stressful and exhausting - but a very necessary watch.

RATING: 9.5/10

KNIVES OUT

Release Date: Malaysia, 28 Nov 2019

Genre: Thriller

Running Length: 2:00

Cast: Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Don Johnson, Toni Collette, Lakeith Stanfield, Christopher Plummer

Director: Rian Johnson

Screenplay: Rian Johnson

KNIVES OUT is one of the most entertaining, smart and enjoyable films I've seen this year. 

The movie starts off like the board game Cluedo. Harlan Thrombey (Plummer), a renowned and rich crime novelist is found dead in his huge mansion the day after his 85th birthday party. He has invited his dysfunctional family, and there are many of them, to his party. Of course, everyone at the party is a suspect and in comes famous Detective Benoit Blanc (Craig) to investigate this mysterious death. 

And that's all I can say about this movie. Because anything more than that will rob you of your joy in watching this well-written, well-directed and well acted movie. 

The highlight of this movie is Daniel Craig's Blanc. His southern drawl is one of a kind and his method of investigation is refreshing. He is detached from logic and intuition and believes that the evidence will eventually show up. It's nice to see him moving around in a nonchalant laid-back manner, compared to his portrayal of James Bond. 

The other highlight is of course the ensemble cast of calibre actors, with most of them playing against type. You are glued to what's unfolding in front of you because of its sharp dialogue and not because of some car chase action scene. In fact, there is only one car chase scene in the entire movie and the remark at the end of the chase was funny in a self-parody way. 

Go watch this classic whodunnit? murder mystery on the big screen!

RATING: 9/10

EL CAMINO: A BREAKING BAD MOVIE

Release Date: Malaysia (Netflix), 11 Oct 2019

Genre: Thriller / Crime

Running Length: 2:02

Cast: Aaron Paul, Matt Jones, Charles Baker

Director: Vince Gilligan
Screenplay: Vince Gilligan

EL CAMINO: A BREAKING BAD MOVIE is strictly for the fans. 

Those who have not watched the series will hard it to follow. As a massive fan of Breaking Bad, I hyperventilated when Netflix dropped (out of the blue) a teaser trailer for this "Netflix event" two months ago. "It's REAL. It's FINALLY happening!" 

So is this movie any good?

"Bitch!" This film was a letdown. The plot is so thin, the filmmakers had to add in unnecessary flashbacks to stretch it into a feature-length film. And these flashbacks do not add anything to the character of Jesse Pinkman except as an excuse to showcase some familiar characters from the  Breaking Bad series.

Among all of these cameos, only one was memorable. When he showed up on screen, my eyes just lit up! He looked the same as he was in the series! I can't say the same for the other characters especially one of them who put on so much weight here. Eventhough his performance was on point, his appearance was such a distraction.    

Also, there were a a few decisions that Jesse made which was not believable. In an earlier scene, he couldn't carry out an obvious decision because he was broken and vulnerable but in a much later scene, he was cool as a Marlboro Man cowboy. Perhaps Vince Gilligan (the director and writer) wanted to convey the message that Jesse is finally comfortable in his own skin? I dunno. 

El Camino could have worked better as a one-hour epilogue episode. It's a decent closure to the character of Jesse Pinkman but a lackluster addition to the Breaking Bad universe.  

RATING: 5/10

TV Review: MINDHUNTER (SEASON 2)

Release Date: Now streaming on Netflix (Malaysia)

Genre: Crime / Drama / Thriller

No. of Episodes: 9

Cast: Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Anna Torv, Albert Jones, Lauren Glazier, Stacey Roca, Michael Cerveris

Series created by: Joe Penhall

When MINDHUNTER first came out almost 2 years ago on Netflix, I was completely captivated by it. It showed the power of dialogue done right. I was genuinely creep out by the interviews between our two FBI protagonist (Groff and McCallany) and the serial killers. This video explained it best. 

So when the second season recently came out, I was stoked. So, is season 2 better than the first one?

But before I give my review, for those who have yet to watch Season 1, here's what this crime series is all about. Set in the late 1970s, two FBI agents are tasked with interviewing serial killers to determine patterns on why they did what they did. By profiling them, such behavioral research will be used to solve open cases.

Season 2 picked up immediately from the ending of Season 1. Some of the infamous serial murderers who appeared in this season include: Son of Sam, Charles Manson, Tex Watson, Paul "Bag Murderer" Bateson, BTK and Wayne Williams.

I found this season not as gripping as Season 1. Perhaps I was expecting more of those chilling interviews to understand deeper what was going on in the minds of the criminals. But this season instead chose to tackle an ongoing case, the politics and bureaucracy of the justice system and the personal drama of some of the characters.

If there is one thing I learned about a profile pattern from this season is the need to control. Also, this season competently explores the question of, "Are serial killers born or made?" through a family tragedy.

All in all, I'm still invested in this series and I can't wait for Season 3!

RATING: 7.5/10

PARASITE

Release Date: Malaysia, 15 Aug 2019

Genre: Thriller / Drama

Running Length: 2:12

Cast: Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-Kyun, Jo Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-Shik, Park So-Dam, Lee Jeong-eun
Director: Bong Joon-Ho
Screenplay: Jin Won-Han, Bong Joon-Ho

PARASITE, the latest from Bong Joon-Ho (The Host, Snowpiercer, Okja) tells the tale of a lower-class unemployed family of four. Luck (or some may argue bad luck) came upon them when they chanced upon a glamorous higher-class family of four and in no time, their lives get entangled in the most unexpected way. 

Bong Joon-Ho has crafted a rare and bizarre movie but yet it's very accessible and believable to audiences worldwide. Parasite is a multi-genre movie where it has elements of dark comedy, drama and thriller. And somehow it works. 

The performances are on point. What I do like are the restrained set pieces and how the cinematographer is able to bring out the best with the limitations. The spaces where the poor lives feels really claustrophobic and "smelly" while the rich; spacious and clean. 

Just like Okja, if there is one thing which I felt was a tad too heavy-handed is its social commentary. Also, the length of the movie especially the middle portion could have benefited if it was trimmed down a little. 

RATING: 8/10 

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

FLY BY NIGHT

Release Date: Malaysia, 11 Apr 2019

Genre: Crime / Thriller

Running Length: 1:30

Cast: Sunny Pang, Jack Tan, Fabian Loo, Bront Palarae, Eric Chen, Frederick Lee

Director: Zahir Omar

Screenplay: Dain Said, Ivan Yeo, Frederick Bailey

FLY BY NIGHT is another step in the right direction for Malaysian cinema. 

What's interesting about this locally made movie: 

1. The director Zahir Omar. A non-Chinese dude directing an ensemble cast of primarily Chinese actors speaking their own native language ie. Cantonese and Mandarin. Respect!
2. The risque content. Aside from the occasional shocking violence, this movie does not shy away from the topic of power abuse and misconduct by the local police force.  

"U nak kopi atau kopi?"

Such a movie, together with last year's One Two Jaga would never have seen the light in our local cinemas before Malaysia Baru.

This movie is about a group of taxi drivers who operates a low-key extortion racket targeting rich passengers. Of course, things go awry when some of the group members became impatient and greedy and got themselves entangled with various "interesting" parties.

I read somewhere that the director is a huge fan of Quentin Tarantino's earlier films (Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction). So, it's no big surprise to see some of QT's signature style appearing in this movie. 

As for how I felt about this movie - it didn't really move me. It's a very nicely shot film but there were some jarring continuity and tonal inconsistencies. Perhaps, there were just too many characters and too short of a time to unpack some of these characters. As a result, some of them unintentionally came off as caricatures. 

"I should've been a Grab driver instead"

Maybe that's why I couldn't find anyone in the cast I could root for. Moreover, the stakes just wasn't high enough to be immersed into this film. 

Nevertheless, when this film gets picked up by a streaming service in the coming future (I don't think they are showing it anymore in the cinemas), I strongly encourage you to catch it then. Fly By Night demonstrates that Malaysian filmmakers are capable of telling compelling crime stories and we as Malaysians, should support our own products.    

RATING: 7.5/10

US

Release Date: Malaysia, 21 Mar 2019

Genre: Horror / Thriller

Running Length: 1:56

Cast: Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker

Director: Jordan Peele 

Screenplay: Jordan Peele 

Get Out was my #02 film of 2017 so I was naturally excited to see Jordan Peele's next film. Eventhough I was told that his follow-up US has more horror elements compared to his directorial debut, I dragged myself to watch it. 

For those who know me, I don't enjoy the straight out horror genre (I HATE JUMP SCARES!). I would only go watch one if the filmmakers have something fresh and creative to tell. For example, Get Out is a social commentary in the horror genre. 

So was Us fresh?

Packed with symbolism and metaphors, this movie is trying to say something...but I don't know what. 

"Kids, don't play with fire"

Whereas Get Out was a focused movie, I felt that Jordan Peele was too busy preaching a variety of topics to the viewers in this one; the current political red-blue divide in US ("US" get it??), the marginalized, free will etc. 

What's the plot about? 

A family of four wishing to spend some pleasant vacation time together is disrupted when a group of four people who look like them showed up on their front door and start terrorizing them. I mean, "terrorizing" is an understatement because halfway through the movie, things just go absolute bonkers. 

"Hello neighbour, can we borrow some salt?"

This is a horror movie after all. So was it terrifying? 

Well, there are some memorable moments like the home invasion sequence but overall, it's actually pretty tame. There are some mild gory moments played for laughs.   

As for the performances, both Lupita and Winston are very good here as the couple (they both appeared in Black Panther). Lupita is very believable as the anxious and paranoid mother while Winston is the comic relief. 

In summary, despite its puzzling and thought-provoking premise (I was pondering about it over two days), Us was somewhat mixed for me. That said, I will still be anticipating Jordan Peele's next movie as I admire his "social thriller" approach to his creations. 

RATING: 7/10

PROJECT GUTENBERG, 無雙 (Malaysia, 04 Oct 2018)

Genre: Thriller / Action

Running Length: 2:11

Cast: Chow Yun-Fat, Aaron Kwok, Zhang Jingchu, Catherine Chau, Liu Kai-chi, Joyce Feng, David Wang, Alien Sun, Deno Cheung, Justin Cheung

Director: Felix Chong

Screenplay: Felix Chong

What's this movie about?

In PROJECT GUTENBERG, the Hong Kong police is hunting down a mysterious group of counterfeiters led by a mastermind with a code-name "Painter" (Chow). No one has seen him before. 

In order to unmask and track down Painter, the police interrogates a timid Lee Man (Kwok), a former gang member of Painter. Lee was imprisoned in Thailand. He was employed by Painter for his talent of copying paintings to a T. 

And thus begins the Usual Suspects-type of flashback where Lee reveals his time with the gang and the meticulous details of their counterfeiting operations.

Highlights!

Despite the rubbish Chow Yun-Fat has been putting out since his return to Hong Kong, he is extremely watchable here. He channels some of his most iconic screen presence here as a suave gentleman criminal who is capable of bursting out in sudden scary temper tantrums. When he is in the latter mode, Chow's Painter is rash and violent. He is convincingly menacing here. 

The ensemble cast is very capably supported by veteran Liu Kai-chi.  

What I like is also a very detailed exposition on how greenbacks are counterfeited. In fact, it's almost documentary-like with close-ups and hidden details on the US hundred dollar bill.

There are a few homage-to-the 90s action set pieces. It's always nice to see Mr Chow fires up two guns (and two machine guns, hell yeah!) while leaping in slo-mo - eventhough I personally think he's too old for this.    

Lowlights

Aaron Kwok - he is always overacting and he does it here again. He is not a terrible actor but throughout the movie, I was thinking who could have better played his role to give Chow a run for his money.

Overall, this movie is over-bloated and could have benefited from some trimming.  

In summary

Coming from the writer of the modern HK classic Infernal Affairs and starring the legendary Chow Yun-Fat, I had high hopes for Felix Chong's PROJECT GUTENBERG to catch another lightning in a bottle but alas, it's more of a case of 'lightning never strikes the same place twice'. 

Don't get me wrong, everything about the movie was original, entertaining and even educational...until the very last act. 

The last 15 minutes of the movie is a baffling choice coming from someone as capable as Felix. Some viewers would call it, "Brilliant!" but ultimately, it's very much dependent on whether one has seen this other classic movie. 

My reaction was, "Appreciation, not imitation, is the sincerest form of flattery".

RATING: 7/10

SEARCHING (Malaysia, 20 Sep 2018)

Genre: Thriller

Running Length: 1:42

Cast: John Cho, Debra Messing, Michelle La, Joseph Lee, Sara Sohn
Director: Aneesh Chaganty

Screenplay: Aneesh Chaganty & Sev Ohanian

What's this movie about?

The narrative of SEARCHING is nothing new - a teenage daughter goes missing and her father David Kim (Cho) goes full frantic to search for her when the police investigation comes to a dead end. The more digging he does, the more questions he unearths.

But what's super engaging about this movie is the stylistic approach the filmmakers chose to unfold this riveting thriller. The entire movie is told from a first person + computer desktop + mobile screen perspective.   

Highlights
When I first saw the trailer, I thought such an approach was gimmicky. But nooo....it's BECAUSE of this method that got me glued to the whole 90+ mins of this film. It's one of those movies that you just can't sit back. Instead, you're forced to lean forward and "participate".

When the movie was over, I felt exhausted - but in a good kind. I just went, "Oh wow".

From a story perspective, it's an effective mystery-thriller with a powerful emotional component. Usually such whodunnit movies defy logic when the big reveal comes. But for Searching, I couldn't help but to feel for the characters. Because when I think about their actions, it was motivated by one thing - love. 

Everything about this movie feels absolutely real - the social media effect of getting more likes, how we judge people from their Instagram photos and their captions and the way the texting is written (and deleted).

In terms of the "set pieces", the attention to details are impeccable from the old Windows design to the iconic sounds of the software/programs/apps used in this film.

Lowlights
Eventhough I said the greatest asset of this movie is its stylistic approach but I felt the filmmakers were stretching it too thin towards the last 15 minutes when the proceedings demanded an expansion from the confines of a computer screen.

In summary

A standing ovation for feature film debut director Aneesh Chaganty for such an innovative way of telling a familiar story, thus making SEARCHING fresh but yet retaining all the red herring and suspense elements of a traditional mystery-thriller. 

RATING: 9/10

ONE TWO JAGA (Malaysia, 06 Sep 2018)

Genre: Drama / Thriller

Running Length: 1:20

Cast: Zahiril Adzim, Rosdeen Suboh, Ario Bayu, Asmara Abigail, Timothy Castillo, Iedil Putra, Azman Hassan, Amerul Affendi

Director: Nam Ron

Screenplay: Ayam Fared, Pitt Hanif, Nam Ron

What's this movie about? 

ONE TWO JAGA, an indie film produced by Bront Palarae and directed by Nam Ron, is an important local release post GE-14.  It's the first film in Malaysia that PDRM (Royal Malaysia Police) has approved which depicts the corruption within the Malaysia's police force.

The title of the movie is taken from the chant of the children game, "Police and Thief". For those old enough to remember, it goes something like, "Police and thief one two jaga. Police mati, pencuri jaga!" 

The plot of this crime drama threads on grey morality; that thin line between the good and the bad, as it deals with police corruption and illegal immigrants.

Highlights!

• Finally a local movie which doesn't preach at you. I like how corruption is depicted here - it is what it is as a way of life as characterized by the partnership of Hassan, a senior cop and Hussein, a rookie. Also the similar approach is used effectively to chronicle the story of Sugiman-Sumiati, a brother and sister from Indonesia who works as foreign workers in Malaysia.  
• Good performances from the main and supporting cast especially from Zahiril Adzim who plays the rookie cop, Ario Bayu the hardworking foreign labourer and Amerul Affendi a loose canon with a heart. (Interestingly, Zahiril, Amerul and Iedil Putra have acted together in Pekak, a 2016 local production which I enjoyed)

Lowlights

• Pacing issue. I have no problems with slow burn thrillers but the uneven pacing somehow made the film draggy and boring during some parts. 
• Too many characters. Perhaps the problem with the pacing has got to do with an unnecessary story dedicated to a cash-strapped Filipino immigrant (Castillo). The filmmakers could have omitted that whole story line altogether and focused on the stories of Hassan-Hussein and Sugiman-Sumiati. 
• Bleeped out dialogues and blurred out images. If only the censorship board allowed these parts to pass through, it could have showcased a more realistic day-to-day life of our characters. 

In summary
ONE TWO JAGA is a mashup of Denzel Washington's Training Day and the current foreign labourers situation in Malaysia. 

Despite an unnecessary side plot and the uneven pacing, the third act redeems itself. Not as explosive as Denzel's "King Kong ain't got sh*t on me!" conclusion in Training Day but it's memorable nevertheless.    

The intertitle ending reminded me of the alternate Infernal Affairs cut which markets like us and China got. Personally, it's not the ending I wanted. That said, this movie is definitely an important stepping stone for more gritty and realistic Malaysian cinema to come. 

RATING: 7.5/10

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

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

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

JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM (Malaysia, 07 Jun 2018)

Genre: Science Fiction / Adventure / Thriller

Running Length: 2:08

Cast: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jeff Goldblum, Ted Levine, James Cromwell, Toby Jones, Rafe Spall, Daniella Pineda, Justice Smith, Isabella Sermon, BD Wong

Director: J.A. Bayona

Screenplay: Derek Connolly & Colin Trevorrow, based on the novels by Michael Crichton

What's this movie about? 

Three years after the closure of the Jurassic World theme park, the island's dormant volcano threatens to erupt and would wipe off all the remaining dinosaurs there. Claire (Bryce) and Owen (Chris) return to rescue the dinosaurs but in the process, discover a group's unlawful secret plan.

Highlights!

• The first 1/3 of the movie. One of the best opening scenes ever in the Jurassic series leading to the erupting volcano sequence, as shown in the trailer. What a ride! 
• The movie direction. Director J.A. Bayona does a good job with shadows and silhouettes to create a horror-like atmosphere. He does a competent job in pushing the action forward too.
• The dinosaurs. I read that most of these dinosaurs were a mixed of animatronics + CGI. They look real and fantastic! And there is a variety of them in this outing. Ooo...the Indoraptor is one nasty predator.  
• Ethics and social commentary. Although some of these themes were heavy handed, I thought it was necessary. Some of it actually got me thinking.  
• The ending. Pandora's box. Wow. Enough said.    

Lowlights

• Nothing we haven't seen before action scenes. It was still a thrilling ride to see screaming people running away from hunting dinosaurs but after a while, it becomes predictable (except the escape from the erupting volcano sequence). Smart nasty dino goes around hunting for frightened kids? Seen that. Evil hearted villain deservingly gets eaten up? Check. 
• The performances. To be fair, they are not forgettable but just serviceable. Chris is more subdued in this sequel but still as charming as ever while Bryce has more to do this round. In fact, the interactions between the humans and dinosaurs were more believable than the human ones.  
• Humanizing the dinosaurs to tug at the heartstrings. I don't remember tearing at a Jurassic film but some of the scenes were designed to manipulatively open the floodgates. Animal lovers, you've been warned!   

In summary

I like how the filmmakers took the risk in this 5th installment (of the Jurassic series) to a brand new direction. Meant to be a trilogy, I have no idea where the filmmakers will take the third Jurassic World to - and that's a good thing. In my opinion, the overall Jurassic series has just been recycling itself but FALLEN KINGDOM felt fresh. This film managed to successfully mix nostalgia with a new story. 

   

RATING: 8.5/10

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (2017)

Genre: Mystery / Thriller
Running Length: 1:54
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, Leslie Odom Jr., Josh Gad, Willem Dafoe, Penelope Cruz, Johnny Depp, Judi Dench
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Screenplay: Michael Green, based on the novel by Agatha Christie

Knowing nothing about MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (which includes the book and the earlier movie/TV adaptation) is probably the best way to watch this updated version. Despite the dialogue heavy and at times slow pace, the final reveal and its implications were extremely satisfying.

Narrative wise, I felt like I was reading one of those good old fashioned murder mystery novels. There's just something very old school about this film's approach which I don't think Hollywood would ever churned out these days (probably, that's why they needed so many star power packed in one film just to get today's movie goers to watch this film).

Although the filmmakers employed interesting camera angles to tell the story and a sweeping melancholic soundtrack to accompany it, what really made this a compelling watch are the characters. It's like watching a well acted stage play. All the performances here are top notch but the two that really stood up was Branagh as our lead detective and Michelle Pfeiffer. Oh, there are so very good here!

What I learned from this movie:
"Humans are irrational and unpredictable creatures. So who am I to judge another when I too...walk imperfectly."

RATING: 8/10

 

THE FOREIGNER (2017)

Genre: Thriller / Action
Running Length: 1:54
Cast: Jackie Chan, Pierce Brosnan, Charlie Murphy, Orla Brady, Dermot Crowley, Rory Fleck Byrne, Ray Fearon
Director: Martin Campbell
Screenplay: David Marconi, based on “The Chinaman” by Stephen Leather

WARNING: What you see in THE FOREIGNER trailer is not what you're going to get in the movie itself.

There is more going on than just a simple revenge flick as suggested by the trailer. I suspect movie-goers expecting another Taken-like movie will be sorely disappointed. To be fair, there is enough action scenes to keep viewers occupied but 70% of the movie is mainly centered around a political thriller.

As I was expecting a good old fashioned revenge flick ie. Payback, I was pleasantly surprised to be introduced to a bigger world of dirty politics set against the tension of the Irish-British relations. This approach kept me engaged.

That said, the biggest problem I have with The Foreigner is I felt like I was watching two separate movies at the same time, interweaving one another clumsily. You have Jackie Chan's character as a grieving disheveled father doing whatever it takes to seek revenge for his daughter's death, and you have Pierce Brosnan's character as a government minister with a shady past trying to move up the political ranks.

What I think could have worked better if this film was made into a series instead. It's because there is just so many things going on - the story ended up pretty complex. As a feature length movie, it didn't give enough time for the different characters and sub-plots to breathe. Perhaps it was just bad editing?

In terms of performance, Chan's dramatic turn here is believable. There is this emotional scene in the beginning of the film where you see his character cradling his dead daughter. I just couldn't help but felt sorry for him. As for Brosnan, he equally gives a solid performance here as his character desperately tries to do what's right before his past catches up with him.

RATING: 7/10