Review: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

Release Date: Malaysia, 8 Nov 2018

Genre: Drama / Musical

Running Length: 2:13

Cast: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy, Joseph Mazzello, Aidan Gillen, Allen Leech, Tom Hollander, Mike Myers.

Director: Bryan Singer

Screenplay: Anthony McCarten, based on a story by Anthony McCarten and Peter Morgan

What's this movie about? 

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY chronicles 15 years of the classic rock band Queen, from their early days in England to the their legendary performance at Live Aid in 1985.

Of course, this movie centres around lead singer Freddie Mercury's (Malek) flamboyant and "drama mama" life as he struggles with fame.

Highlights and Lowlights

The most compelling thing about the movie is the celebration of Queen's music and its musical sequences. It was a good move on the the filmmakers part to opt for a behind-the-scenes look at how some of their "greatest hits" were developed. I tell you...those instances were feel-good-toe-tapping-sing-along moments man.

Unfortunately, despite a strong performance and dynamic stage presence by Malek, the non-performance part of the movie just can't find its footing. The dramatic arc is well...predictable. The filmmakers had to insert a "villain" and even re-arranged the timeline of certain events to make the film more cinematic.

To be fair, it's not plain but it's an expected story of a 70s/80s rock band; their meteoric rise, the break up and getting back together again. We've seen all these before. 

Speaking of Malek, his version of Mercury is initially distracting but as he loses the big hair and grows the moustache in his later years, his transformation is complete.

There are some nice little touches peppered throughout the film that made me smile such as the customized 20th Century Fox opening theme, some good old British one-liners and Mike Meyers' character. 

Of course, the highlight to me was the re-creation of the 1985 Live Aid performance which book-ended the film. That 15-minutes was so electrifying I had tears in my eyes. That voice, that energy, that defiance - there will never be another Freddy Mercury again.

In summary

This is a bias review because I enjoy Queen's songs - alot.

Those expecting a warts-and-all version of a Queen biopic will be disappointed. Instead,  BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY is more of a celebration of the band's songs. If you're a fan, this movie will leave you stomping your feet (twice) and clapping your hands (once) when the credits roll.

RATING: 8/10

A STAR IS BORN

Release Date: Malaysia, 18 Oct 2018

Genre: Drama / Musical

Running Length: 2:16

Cast: Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper, Sam Elliott, Andrew Dice Clay, Ravi Gavron, Anthony Ramos, Dave Chappelle

Director: Bradley Cooper

Screenplay: Eric Roth and Bradley Cooper & Will Fetters, based on a story by William A. Wellman and Robert Carson

Note: The best way to enjoy the full experience of A STAR IS BORN is not to have watched any of the previous versions (this Bradley Cooper's take is the 4th, the last one was in 1976), read any reviews or even listen to any of the music from this soundtrack. 

I will keep my review as spoiler free as possible, but that said, please discontinue reading if you've yet to watch this movie.

What's this movie about?

In essence, A STAR IS BORN is about one comet rising while another crashes. 

Jackson Maine (Cooper) is a fading country rock music star who accidentally discovers a talented unknown, Ally (Lady Gaga). They started a whirlwind romance as he took her under his wings. 

We've seen this story many times, haven't we? Soon, Ally's singing career skyrockets, leaving Jackson behind. It doesn't help too that Jackson is an alcoholic.  

Highlights!

I'm in awe of Bradley Cooper's capability as a first time director. I could really feel his passion and raw-ness on every frame of the movie.   

The technical choices he makes; the camera angles, the sound and the very close-up shots of the characters, made me invested in Jackson and Ally at get go. It felt immersive - like I was right there next to Jackson and Ally when they were singing in front of thousands of audience.

As good as Lady Gaga's performance is (her acting and the her chemistry with Cooper's character is so very believable), I thought Cooper gave his best performance ever here. 

One can really feel him spiraling out of control and losing the battle to his inner demons. As a rock star, he is never cocky. In fact, he's a good man. That's why it was difficult to watch him struggle through his emotional agony. 

The supporting cast are all very capable too. 

And the songs - it's really good! A big portion of the movie's screen time is devoted to performances which ranges from familiar covers to original composition (some were co-written by Cooper himself). I read today that the soundtrack has held on to its No.1 spot this week on the Billboard 200 chart for the second straight week.

Lowlights

I thought the middle portion was a little flabby. I get what the filmmakers were trying to achieve, but yet, it was draggy at times. 

Also, I'm not sure if it was done on purpose but I couldn't seem to keep track of the timeline of this movie. There were moments I went, "Wait a minute, did months just passed by?" Maybe Cooper was trying to inform his audience that his character Jackson was so drunk, he just couldn't keep track of time? I dunno.  

And of course, the resolution. As emotionally heart wrenching as it was, I personally felt some people would take it the wrong way and may view it as a permissible way to cop-out. 

In summary

Bradley Cooper's A STAR IS BORN has Oscars written all over it. It has the package - strong performances, a very good soundtrack, capably directed and most importantly, it's relatable to today's social issues. 

This is a raw and heartbreaking movie man...

RATING: 8.5/10

MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN (Malaysia, 19 Jul 2018)

Genre: Musical
Running Length: 1:53
Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Andy Garcia, Lily James, Alexa Davies, Jessica Keenan Wynn, Dominic Cooper, Julie Walters, Christine Baranski, Hugh Skinner, Josh Dylan, Jeremy Irvine, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Meryl Streep, Cher
Director: Ol Parker
Screenplay: Richard Curtis and Ol Parker and Catherine Johnson

What's this movie about?
This prequel-sequel is about Sophie (Seyfried) learning of Donna (Streep), her mother's past. In the prequel part of things, it explores how her mother met the 3 men (Brosnan, Firth, Skarsgard) who changed her life.

Meanwhile in the present, (no spoilers here) we are informed from the start of the movie that Donna has already passed on. Her friends are still grieving while Sophie is striving to fulfill her vision of re-opening the newly renovated Hotel Bella Donna.

Highlights!

• Lily James as young Donna. She is really believable here as a free-spirited woman. And yes, she can sing and she can dance and is very likable. She lights up the room everytime she's on screen. 
• The ensemble of cast is good especially the younger version of the 3 men. They are much more believable here when they sing vs their older self (Brosnan, Firth and Skarsgard). 
• Speaking of songs, of course I was toe-tapping and fingers snapping when the cast belted out Abba's popular songs like Dancing Queen (which was done much better here compared to the first film). Ahh...such a good nostalgic feeling! 
• The look of this film with its blue tone and gorgeous location is also more memorable. 
• I really like the "fantasy" post credit scene!
• Eventhough Streep only "appears" at the end in a cameo role, I could really feel her character's presence throughout the film. Probably I was sold that the cast was mourning for Donna, so much so, when she appears at the end to sing My Love, My Life, I was very moved.

Lowlights

• At times, the story gets a little unfocused. I supposed that's what happens when a narrative is crafted around a bunch of popular songs. Contextually, it feels forced.
• As the original have used up most of Abba's popular songs, the filmmakers here have no choice but to re-use some of their greatest hits and mixed it with their lesser known playlist.   

In summary
MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN is not a great musical. This prequel-sequel is more of the same as the original but it's actually not a bad thing here.


RATING: 7/10

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

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (2017)

Genre: Musical
Running Length: 2:09
Cast: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Kevin Kline, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Emma Thompson, Ian McKellen, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Stanley Tucci
Director: Bill Condon
Screenplay: Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos

You've got to give it to the House of Mouse for creating yet another stable revenue $tream; adapting their classic animations into live-action movies. With Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella and The Jungle Book, and now BEAUTY AND THE BEAST breaking all sorts of box office records, we will definitely be expecting more of such adaptations coming our way.

In all honesty, I did enjoy myself with this movie. Not because it offered anything new to add another layer to a classic we all know (like how Maleficent did), but it just felt familiar - like meeting an old friend. It was 2 hours of pleasant nostalgia. It's probably because it follows the 1991 animation classic to the tee.

This is not necessarily a bad thing. I found myself humming to the songs and was actually looking forward to the iconic scenes; the lively Be Our Guest number and of course, the ballroom dancing scene. 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'. To be fair, there were some new compositions but they were mostly forgettable. And the attempt to provide some additional background to the characters were commendable but unfortunately, it didn't add any depth to them.

As for the casting, all were solid. But a big shout out to Luke Evans for playing the narcissistic Gaston. I remembered the animated Gaston to be this stereotype beefcake with not much happening up there. But Evans somehow managed to give Gaston a more "human" quality. Whenever he's on screen, he delivers his part with plenty of gusto.

I suspect for those who have not watched the predecessor, this 2017 version could be a magical experience for them. But for purists who grew up with the classic, I can only imagine it would suffer by comparison.

RATING: 7.5/10

QUEEN MOVIE: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY (2017)

Genre: Drama / Musical
Running Length: 2:25
Cast: Rami Malek, Gemma Arterton, Johnny Flynn, Matt Smith, Dominic Cooper, Tom Wilkinson
Director: Bryan Singer
Screenplay: Anthony McCarten

I remember reading quite recently a movie about the legendary Freddie Mercury and his band Queen was in the making but it caught me by surprise that QUEEN MOVIE: BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY is out now and is actually showing in our local cinemas!

First and foremost, this film is not a bio-pic of Freddie Mercury. There are already many documentaries out there. Instead, screenwriter McCarten and director Singer chooses to focus on the dynamics between the genius of Mercury and the rest of the band members. As a result, the final product gives a better coverage of Queen as a band, instead of exploring the wild stories of its frontman.

Bohemian Rhapsody is structured as a three-part story; how the band got together, Queen at Live Aid and when Mercury learned he was dying. Occasional flashbacks are employed to flesh out more of its characters - their motivations and fear. Surprisingly, the movie features very few set pieces but relies more on the acting and dialogue; except Act 2.

Thankfully it wasn't boring thanks to the pacing and camera work. But that said, the big standout to me was the Live Aid concert moment, dubbed as the "20 minutes that changed music". The moments leading to the band playing in front of 72,000 people at Wembley Stadium was filled with so much anxiety I could literally feel the characters cracking under pressure. And when they finally performed, W.O.W, it was such an immersive experience!

So, did Mr Robot's Rami Malek do justice to playing the iconic Freddie Mercury? Well, he doesn’t bear a strong physical resemblance to Mercury but he definitely exudes presence and magnetism. Throughout the course of the film, Malek = Mercury. The supporting cast especially newcomer Flynn (who plays Brian May) are solid and provides an element of balance.

In my mind, Queen always begins and ends with Freddie Mercury. Although the filmmakers made a compelling movie of the band's career as a whole, I would have loved to see more of the madness of Mister Fahrenheit himself.

RATING: 8.5/10

Spoilers! Go to the comments section to reveal an unexpected famous actor who made an unforgettable cameo appearance!

LA LA LAND (2017)

Genre: Musical
Running Length: 2:06
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend
Director: Damien Chazelle
Screenplay: Damien Chazelle

I dislike watching musicals.

But LA LA LAND was a different experience for me. Director and script writer Damien Chazelle who gave us the stunning Whiplash proves he is no one hit wonder with his second feature.

This film is beautiful to look at with its 1950s feel eventhough it is set in modern day. The camera work and approach somehow creates an immersive experience for the audience (perhaps it's the close ups). Musically however, the songs are not instantly memorable except for two songs, sung by both stars Gosling and Stone individually.  

Speaking of both our main stars, although they are very capable with their acting, singing and dancing, it's their chemistry that shines through. Their relationship feels believable. So much so, the cinema-goers in the cinema I was in were swooning and sighing out loud watching their characters falling in love.

So what made this film different from other musicals? I don't think it's the feeling of nostalgia, although there are plenty of it in the first 2/3 (which felt a little draggy to me). But it's the realism of the final 1/3 of this otherwise fairy tale-like movie that knocked me out of the park. Oh, that ending!

Although I felt this film could have benefited from snipping 15 mins from its running length, nevertheless, it's an emotionally satisfying movie. It reminds us that chasing after a dream demands a price.

Rating; 8.5/10

INTO THE WOODS (2015)

Genre: Musical 

Running Length: 2:05

Cast: Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt, Chris Pine, Johnny Depp, James Corden, Lilla Crawford, Mackenzie Mauzy, Daniel Huttlestone

Director: Rob Marshall

Screenplay: James Lapine, based on the musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine 

"Was that me? Yes it was. Was that him? No it wasn't. Just a trick of the woods!" sings The Baker's wife from INTO THE WOODS. 

The "woods", however, is not devious. In fact, it's neither good nor bad - it is directly influenced by those that are in it. The "woods" can also represent a reflection of sorts for those in it - it brings either the best or the worst out of a person. The movie starts out as a straight forward fairy tale movie but along the way, the smart screenplay reveals the brokenness of its characters and the "grey" world they are living in. Although positioned as a Disney musical featuring a mash up of popular fairy tale characters (from the tales of The Brothers Grimm's), the premise is actually pretty dark as it's filled with adult themes such as; sexual innuendos, infidelity and death. This stuff is not for kids. Probably there lies the problem of the movie. The adult elements are noticeably muted. A large portion of the movie is spent establishing the characters and the choices they make, while the more challenging and interesting content which deals with the consequences are rushed through. Also, the production value of this film feels cheap as most of the scenes look stage bound (yes, it's based on a Broadway musical but...). I just wonder if it would have been a more satisfying experience if it was made into a TV mini series instead, thus giving its characters more space to develop. The songs are somewhat forgettable except for one number, "Agony" sung by Chris Pine (in smug handsome scumbag mode). 

Rating: 6.5/10