GODZILLA (2014)

Genre: Adventure
Running Length: 2:03
Cast: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Bryan Cranston, Juliette Binoche, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, David Strathairn
Director: Gareth Edwards 

GODZILLA the movie clearly propagates an anti-nuclear message - play with fire and you will get burned. Godzilla is like the consequence of man's folly with power, a force of nature so unstoppable when it fights back, men can prepare all they can to execute search and rescue missions, but there's not a lot they can do to stop him. Two things I like about the movie's direction; (1) the movie offers a slow build-up and takes its time with the big reveal because when Godzilla finally appears in its full glory rampaging self, jaws will drop (Godzilla looks absolutely amazing and its deep "throaty" roar sent chills down my spine) and (2) although the movie is about Godzilla, the events that unfold are observed from the human perspective. But here is where the biggest problem lies - the human characters are absolutely wasted. I was totally not invested in them at all. I blame it on bad casting and perhaps a terrible script. The cast is so one-dimensional they barely exist (there were times when they became so dull I wish they were crushed by the monsters). Thankfully, the film makers nailed the last 30 minutes with the jump off the plane scene and the smackdown between Godzilla and other giant monsters.

Rating: 5.5/10

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 (2014)

Genre: Action/Adventure
Running Length: 2:22
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Colm Feore, Paul Giamatti, Sally Field, Embeth Davidtz, Campbell Scott
Director: Marc Webb

Real-life couples do not usually translate well to the silver screen but in THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2, Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone white-hot chemistry are the real asset here. So much so that the climax of the film felt real and honest - it gave a good unexpected emotional punch in the gut. As for the rest of the film, it's terribly inconsistent; constantly veering from genuinely touching moments to serviceable action sequences to overexposed CGI (Spider-Man is still obviously the product of computer graphic artists as he swings from building to building). And the villains here are underwhelming and OTT (maybe comics turned movies should stop explaining the origins of its villains as no matter how "real" it's being told, it still ends up childish ie. man with chronic low-self esteem and anger issues being bitten by mutant eels = Electro! -___- And it doesn't help they go "I am Electro!" or "I am Rhino!"). As for Andrew Garfield, he still makes for a good webslinger especially when he does the smart-ass part.

Rating: 6.5/10

CHEF (2014)

Genre: Family/Comedy
Running Length: 1:55
Cast: Jon Favreau, Sofía Vergara, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Oliver Platt, Bobby Cannavale, Dustin Hoffman, Amy Sedaris, Robert Downey, Jr
Director: Jon Favreau

Although it's not, CHEF felt like an autobiographical movie of Jon Favreau; the writer, actor and director of this wonderful film. The story of a celebrity chef rediscovering his love for life, family and food do share some resemblance of Favreau's career; rediscovering  his indie roots after his recent big budget dud Cowboys & Aliens. CHEF is a small, intimate and light hearted movie that will guarantee to get you craving for Cuban sandwiches the second you walk out of the cinema. The wide range of music used, the road trip, the soul and culture of each locations and the food (the FOOD, OMG!) are infused so flavourful together to support the heart of the narrative - a father and son story. Emjay Anthony who plays the boy character has a very authentic and endearing chemistry with Favreau, especially the quieter moments between the two. A special shout out to John Leguizamo who plays the role of a loyal friend to Favreau's character, as he injects so much joy and energy into the film. The scenes with him, Favreau and Anthony on the road are so much fun to watch.  And thankfully the big cast of recognizable cameos was not a distraction ie. spot the cameo moments. In the end, the resolution was pretty simplistic but the spirit of passion still shines. Oprah Winfrey's quote expresses this appropriately, "Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you."

Rating: 8/10

TRANSCENDENCE (2014)

Genre: Science Fiction
Running Length: 1:59
Cast: Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Paul Bettany, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, Kate Mara, Cole Hauser
Director: Wally Pfister

When I first saw the trailer to TRANSCENDENCE, I was intrigued; sentience intelligence, top-notch cast and produced by Christopher Nolan. It sets up the premise of an intelligent-cinematic-character driven movie but it turned out to be an unsatisfying experience. To be fair, the screenplay explores big thought provoking ideas but it remained a potential as it suffers from poor execution. Instead of focusing on one thing, it tries to cover many grounds in the artificial intelligence folder (Spike Jonze's Her, which asks some of the same questions was more focused and eloquently told). Although Johnny Depp's muted performance here is a pleasant change after a recent series of over-the-top roles, I just felt he wasn't totally invested in his character as an AI genius. And there's no chemistry between Johnny Depp and Rebecca Hall where their characters' romantic tragedy is absolutely critical to making the narrative come alive. It just didn't move me at all. But from a technical standpoint, I must say the decision to tell a story about digital intelligence using film (it was shot on film vs digital) is an interesting choice. It looks great with lush and rich images. The soundtrack is also above average.

Rating: 5.5/10

THE WIND RISES (2014)

 

Genre: Animated
Running Length: 2:06
Cast: (voices)  Hideaki Anno, Miori Takimoto, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Masahiko Nishimura, Steve Alpert, Morio Kazama, Keiko Takeshita, Mirai Shida, Jun Kunimura, Shinobu Otake, Nomura Mansai
Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Hayao Miyazaki's THE WIND RISES is an ambitious historical drama attempting to cover many grounds; moral implications, romance, sacrifice, ambition, autobiography, legacy and the value of imagination.  It tells of a fictionalised account of the life and times of Jiro Horikoshi, the designer and engineer of Japan’s Zero plane. (The Zero fighter plane, which put Japan on the map in World War II, was a long-range aircraft with a high degree of maneuverability) Unfortunately, the movie's bloat prevents it from taking off and soaring into the sky. Granted that this is a down-to-earth serious story ie. no parents being turned into pigs, no moving castles and no fish-girls turned into humans, but it's just too slow moving. The first two thirds of the film drags and haphazardly stumbles between what's real and the many dream sequences as Jiro goes through various breakthroughs in construction and design. Thankfully, there was a lift in the final act where the audience will witness one of the most moving and beautiful love story ever filmed drawn. And speaking of animation,  the hand-drawn style embraced by Miyazaki is as per expected; rich, smooth and pays alot of attention to details ie. it is visually stunning.

Rating: 4/10

 

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (2014)

Genre: Comedy/Adventure
Running Length: 1:39
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, Adrien Brody, Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Saoirse Ronan, F. Murray Abraham
Director: Wes Anderson

If only Stephen Chow continued the trajectory of making his brand of "nonsensical" movies, he would have created something like THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL as he matures in his profession; a much richer and denser experience but still possesses all his trademarks - a relatively easy to follow storyline set in a surreal world littered with exaggerated characters caught in quirky situations (and blood bleeding from their nose). But I digressed. Wes Anderson's Budapest Hotel is an engaging 90+ minutes of unconventional adventure and idiosyncratic humour all framed up in obsessively carefully composed and symmetrical shots (with beautiful bright striking colours). There are sudden burst of unexpectedness throughout the movie. My favourite was a particularly lengthy chase scene where the action becomes increasingly elaborated. Ralph Fiennes is our main protagonist, the concierge of the The Grand Budapest Hotel and he plays a caricature of himself - the impeccable gentleman (some of the film's most amusing moments occur when he gets angry, slips out of character and goes on a profanity laced rant). I could never imagined Ralph Fiennes being attached to a film like this but he owned it. A big shout out to Tony Revolori (the lobby boy, Fiennes' protege) for his debut as Fiennes supporting actor. I must say he held himself up very well among all the A-list supporting cast and cameos. Not everyone will enjoy this movie but if you're looking for a "matured Stephen Chow" fix, you will be pleasantly surprised.

Rating: 8.5/10

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDEIR (2014)

Genre: Action/Adventure
Running Length: 2:17
Cast: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Mackie, Robert Redford, Sebastian Stan, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER is one solid piece of entertainment. It easily surpasses the original in every department. I never really grew up with Marvel superhero comics but the comic book elements are all here; side-kicks, no important characters actually die because they will come back again, intertwining stories and characters within the Marvel universe etc. However, it doesn't feel childish at all because CA:TWS has a certain realism to the narrative (and it's a strong standalone movie as it doesn't feel obligated to lead to the next Avengers extravaganza). Two thirds of the movie is reminiscent of a Cold War-era espionage thriller; a suspicious government, double agents, spy games, corrupt bureaucrats and Robert Redford. This film also works because it takes the time to develop its characters and their relationships. As a result, I’m now more invested in the Captain’s world. Despite his extraordinary powers, he is a sympathetic character, stuck in the past while struggling to adapt to the present. He is indeed the moral compass of the Avengers. Chris Evans is no Robert Downey Jr but he is definitely more than a choir boy,  giving Cap's character depth and humanity. The final one third of the movie is the expected special effects-laden (yawn) big battle scene but what made it different is Cap's side-kick Falcon's thrilling aerial acrobatics. And The Winter Soldier is one striking killing machine. Another thing noteworthy is that the filmmakers isn't afraid to shake up the status quo as one wonders how the proceedings in this film will affect SHIELD the TV series.
(End credits watchers take note. There are two scenes; one occurs mid-way and another after the end credits have completed)

Rating: 7/10