BABY DRIVER (2017)

Genre: Action / Thriller
Running Length: 1:53
Cast: Ansel Elgort, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, Lily James, Kevin Spacey, Eiza Gonzalez, CJ Jones, Jon Bernthal
Director: Edgar Wright
Screenplay: Edgar Wright

Life lesson: Not everyone appears the way they seem. So don't be too quick to judge and be kind to everyone you meet, for they could be fighting their inner demons you know nothing about.

From a narrative standpoint, BABY DRIVER doesn't really break any new ground. The story is about Baby (Elgort), a getaway driver who works for a criminal mastermind (Spacey). After finishing his "one last job", Baby retires to spend time with his new found love (Lily James). As predicted, nobody really gets to leave the world of violent crime.

Sounds familiar but yet, writer director Edgar Wright manages to create a very visual and fresh viewing experience. And it's all gotta do with the directing, the magic of editing and the SONGS! Almost the entire movie was cut in time to the songs employed. It was edited in such a way to have us hear Baby's personal soundtrack as he goes through his day-to-day.

His choice of songs not only informs us of his mood but we get to also know his character better with every song played. Such a concept reminds me of Guardians of the Galaxy but Wright's technique is much more refined here. As a result, this movie feels like a pseudo-musical especially its first half. What more with some scenes where bright colours are exploited.

Eventhough such an approach hint a world of fantasy, this movie is actually pretty grounded especially the second half where things take a dark turn. The car chase scenes generated real suspense (vs the Fast and Furious kind which are...kinda boring) and I felt nervous when a character is about to shoot another person (vs the John Wick kind which is also...kinda boring). Perhaps the latter movies remind us of video games where we are desensitized by its CGI violence. People do get hurt in this movie, sometimes in shocking ways.

That said, some characters are not really well written particularly the female characters. They felt one-dimensional. The same can't be said for their male counterparts as they have much more layers in their characters. I didn't really enjoy Ansel Elgort's smarty pants performance in The Fault In Our Stars but in this film, he is perfectly cast and is charismatic as hell. And Jamie Foxx! He is so intense here as the live wire and walking time-bomb of the group, I was genuinely terrified whenever he appears on screen.

Not the best movie of the year but definitely the most fun.

RATING: 8.5/10  

WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES (2017)

Genre: Adventure / Science Fiction

Running Length: 2:20

Cast: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Steve Zahn, Karin Konoval, Amiah Miller, Terry Notary, Ty Olsson

Director: Matt Reeves 

Screenplay: Mark Bomback & Matt Reeves 

What I learned from this movie is that leaders are flawed individuals too. They are capable of making irrational mistakes (which could lead to grave consequences). When they err, most leaders will usually cover up, blame others, deny or rationalise their actions. But when a leader acknowledges his own flaws, apologizes and quickly rebound to make good with his actions, his people would trust him even more because they see authenticity, ownership and courage. And courage begets courage because these followers will most likely ape their leader's actions. So when tough times come, these followers will most likely rise up and take ownership of their problems too.

Just like Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES defies the conventional summer blockbuster. You would think from the trailer and the title for this final film to the prequel trilogy will lead movie goers to a full-on apes vs humans battle finale, but instead, the filmmakers choose NOT to take the predictable path. 

What we are presented instead is a tale on betrayal, obsession and sacrifice. Everytime I thought I knew where the film was going, it took me to a complete unexpected direction. Some would find such an approach fresh, but I personally think it was tad overdone. Perhaps I like my movies to go deep instead of wide ie. explore only one, maximum two themes but expound on it.   

And it doesn't help that War borrows heavily from classic war pictures and epic biblical movies. As a result, there are just too many references from scenes of finding the promised land to public flogging and crucifixion to an Act of God intervention. It felt a little copy-and-paste at times. 

That aside, the motion capture special effects that transform Andy Serkis into Caesar, as well as the other actors into the different ape characters is the highlight for me. It's the most impressive technical achievement I've ever seen. The close-ups are so realistic I actually felt the emotions and compassion, especially from Maurice the orangutan (played tenderly by Konoval). Harrelson who plays the human character here is equally brilliant too.   

Just like Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in the original trilogy, Dawn was my favourite because it became deeper and darker thus it carried the highest emotional impact. But if viewed as an entire arc, War is a fitting way to end this excellent trilogy. It is a satisfying conclusion to witness the journey undertaken by Caesar from a baby in Rise to a reluctant leader in Dawn and finally to a Moses-like leader in War.

RATING: 8.5/10 

DUNKIRK (2017)

Genre: War / Thriller
Running Length: 1:46
Cast: Fionn Whitehead, Mark Rylance, Tom Hardy, Harry Styles, Cillian Murphy, Kenneth Branagh
Director: Christopher Nolan
Screenplay: Christopher Nolan

What I learned from this movie is that regardless of our social position in our society, whether you're lame or able, we can still serve others. Because not only helping others makes us feel good, it gives us purpose.  

War movies like Saving Private Ryan and the recent Hacksaw Ridge are about characters in a war situation. DUNKIRK is all about the war situation. There are no dramatic Braveheart "Freeeeeedom!!!" moments, no inspiring war cry speeches, no small talk during downtime introducing themselves and their loved ones waiting for them at home. None of those.

The moment the first frame kicks in, the action starts. And the tension builds and builds and builds right until the satisfying payoff at the end. By the time the credits roll, I was just staring at the screen in stunned silence, breathless.

This movie is about the true story of the evacuation of more than 300,000 soldiers (allied soldiers from Britain, France and Belgium) at Dunkirk, France back to England. During this evacuation at the beach front (which happened between May 26, 1940 to Jun 4, 1940) they were attacked by the German forces.

The narrative sounds simple but the storytelling is not. Just like most of Nolan's films, this film unfolds itself in a non-linear-cross cutting-three perspectives manner. To me, it wasn't distracting as it actually kept me more focused.

Dunkirk is a cinematic event and it demands to be watched on the biggest screen available in your city (I watched it on IMAX). If you can't find one, then at least watch it in a cinema with the bestest sound available. I wouldn't be surprised if it wins an Oscar in the Best Sound categories next year. And coupled with Hans Zimmer pulsating tick-tock score, it really amped-up the intensity.

The performances in this movie are very good but Tom Hardy wouldn't be winning any awards (eventhough he's very good here with his eyes and eyebrows, just like how he used them effectively in The Dark Knight Rises and Mad Max: Fury Road). Like I mentioned earlier, Dunkirk is not about any specific characters but it's all about transporting the audiences into an immersive experience of "being there" in the evacuation itself.  

With Dunkirk, Nolan has added another engaging chapter to his impressive body of work. He's arguably one of the few directors out there who still challenges himself with each film, and we're not talking about small films but big budget tent-poles. Dunkirk is akin to a roller coaster experience - it deserves to be watched again.

RATING: 9.5/10

SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING (2017)

Genre: Action / Adventure
Running Length: 2:13
Cast: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jr., Laura Harrier, Jacob Batalon, Bokeem Woodbine, Zendaya, Jon Favreau, Marisa Tomei, Donald Glover
Director: Jon Watts
Screenplay: Jonathan Goldstein & John Francis Daley and Jon Watts & Christopher Ford and Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers

Tom Holland's Spider-Man in SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING is the most relatable Spider-Man to me. When I was growing up, I read the comic strip off The Star newspapers and I would have a very specific voice for Spidey in my head whenever he talks or even thinks. Somehow, Holland's version of Spidey matches this voice to the T. This IS the Spider-Man that I grew up with.

There are just a lot of nice tiny details of Holland's performance which made his portrayal of our beloved superhero believable (and I really like what they did to the eyes on his suit whenever he emotes). And speaking of tiny, there are just a chock full of easter eggs in this latest iteration which will definitely please fans.

I think what the filmmakers did right this time (after the disastrous Andrew Garfield's reboot) was that they didn't set out to make another superhero movie but a genre movie. Just like Logan, that movie was more of a quiet Western flick than your typical giant beam from the sky kind of superhero movie. As for Spider-Man: Homecoming, it felt like more of a high-school coming-of-age kinda movie. In fact, the filmmakers here inserted a tribute clip to Ferris Bueller's Day Off. 

Overall, I was OK with the movie's light and fun tone with the occasional emotional moments; like when an eager-to-prove-himself Peter Parker was confronted by his "mentor" Tony Stark. But the final 1/3 of the film took a turn into "this shit just got real" territory and that saved the movie for me.

The surprising reveal really upped the risk for Peter Parker as he now has a personal connection to the villain (played brilliantly by the ever dependable Michael Keaton), which then led to the highly tensed conversation in the car. That scene is arguably the most memorable scene for me. The other memorable scene is when Spidey got really vulnerable when he was trapped under some really heavy concrete slabs.

That said, there are some things in this film which didn't work for me like Parker's irritating best friend and the hot Aunt May. And after 6 films, they still couldn't get Spider-Man's swinging right; he still looks very CGI to me when he swings from building to building. That said, Spider-Man: Homecoming is a legit and complete standalone movie and doesn't feel like a set-up to other up-coming Marvel movies.

Note: Stay right to the end of the credits roll for one of the best post credit scenes in recent times.

RATING: 7.5/10

OKJA (2017)

Genre: Fantasy / Adventure
Running Length: 2:00
Cast: Ahn Seo-hyun, Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Steven Yeun, Lily Collins, Jake Gyllenhaal, Giancarlo Esposito
Director: Bong Joon-ho
Screenplay: Bong Joon-ho

(Although this Netflix original feature length production was not released in the local cinemas, it was released in selected US cinemas and simultaneously on the Netflix platform, including Netflix Malaysia. That's why I'm reviewing it here. Note: Don't miss the cool post-credits sequence)

OKJA feels like a Korean movie starring white people. Just like most Asian movies, the tone shifts pretty rapidly from one to another; from adventure to childish jokes to heavy use of F-bombs to serious action to horror and to tragedy. Viewers who are more accustomed to straightforward genre films may find Okja a weird watch.

Thankfully, somehow it worked for me because the tonality shifts felt seamless. At least it moved the story along without feeling terribly awkward. That said, I felt the film was manipulative in arm-twisting its audience to sit up and take notice of the meat packing industry. Its unflinching depiction of what happens at the assembly line in a slaughterhouse is so graphic and heart wrenching - it broke me.

Perhaps there is no other subtle way to convey this message as consumers these days are too desensitize. Or maybe, we just choose NOT to know how/where our food comes from. I believe this is true because just like how the consumers behave in this movie, we DO know. But instead, we choose to believe the marketing; "free range", "organic", "stress-free".

This movie tells of a tale of a little Korean girl (Ahn Seo-hyun) and her pet, Okja, a genetically enhanced pig (which looks like a hippo + elephant + pig). From the trailer, the little girl faces the possibility of losing her best friend to corporate capitalism and as a result, Okja would end up on a plate.

Never do we doubt that Okja the creature is real, thanks to the amazing CGI and convincing performance of Seo-hyun towards her beloved companion. Because of that, we become emotionally connected to the adorable and intelligent Okja.

This movie boast an impressive A-list cast; Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano and Jake Gyllenhaal. In my opinion, Dano is the most effective while Gyllenhaal is totally miscast. Whenever he appeared on screen, I was ready to cringe with his OTT Nic Cage-y performance. As for Swinton, what's with her teeth? Overall, the production value is high and I like the subtle score.

But for now, I'm staying away from eating meat.

RATING: 8.5/10

KAUSERN REVIEWS TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2017 (SO FAR)

We're almost halfway though 2017 and I'm glad to report that this year's quality of movies are much higher compared to the first half of 2016. Most of the movies I watched this year are rated in the strong 7s.

Here's my Top 10 of 2017 (so far):

#10 MAD WORLD (8/10)

A difficult film to sit through not because it is bad but because of its subject matter; mental illness and the reaction from the Hong Kong public. A necessary watch.


#9 DANGAL (8/10)

The true story of the journey of India's first female wrestler to winning the Gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. A gamut of emotions; tender, funny and that "YES!!!" rousing finale.


#8 WONDER WOMAN (8/10)

I'm infatuated with Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman...(*deep sigh*)
So as the rest of the world; both male and female.


#7 HACKSAW RIDGE (8.5/10)

Mel Gibson is one of those rare directors who can pull off a balance between extreme violence and delivering a clear spiritual message. Andrew Garfield's performance as the anti-hero is solid and Oscar worthy.


#6 LA LA LAND (8.5/10)

The filmmakers reel you in with its beautiful, magical, immersive and believable chemistry between the two leads and then gut you where it hurts with that finale.


#5 THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE (8.5/10)

"Adults who avoid intimacy or closeness with someone, usually stems from the emotional abandonment they experienced in childhood from one or both of their parents."
Daddy issues - that basically sums up the source material for this movie. Dark indeed but yet, it's extremely entertaining, filled with over-the-top LOL moments and definitely worth re-watching.


#4 GIFTED (8.5/10)

This movie about unconventional parenting has #SoMuchFeels I teared up in a couple of scenes. The performances here are so genuine and authentic especially from little McKenna Grace.


#3 COLOSSAL (8.5/10)

"If our personal issues are not dealt with overtime, it would grow into something so monstrous it would affect or even destroy our relationships."
Quirky, funny, refreshing, clever and tragic.


#2 GET OUT (8.5/10)

It's one of those very rare films that just gets better the more you think about it. An exceptionally tight and clever movie which masterfully blends social commentary with the horror genre. And it's funnier than expected.


#1 ARRIVAL (9/10)

For the thinking and patient viewers, they will find Arrival intellectually, emotionally and perhaps even spiritually very satisfying. Everything here from performances, cinematography, set design, sound and score are almost perfect. I genuinely felt the "painful hope" our heroine had to endure when she decoded the purpose of the aliens' arrival.


And...it's a wrap for the first half of the year! Can't wait for what the rest of the year has in store for us cinema goers. Looking forward!

THE MUMMY (2017)

Genre: Action / Horror
Running Length: 1:50
Cast: Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, Annabelle Wallis, Sofia Boutella, Jake Johnson
Director: Alex Kurtzman
Screenplay: David Koepp, Christopher McQuarrie and Dylan Kussman

Tom Cruise's THE MUMMY has a few memorable moments but the narrative is so inconsistent it feels like the writers borrowed heavily from an assortment of ideas and stitched it clumsily together. End result: a Frankenstein monster (UUUUUGGGGHHH...)

Perhaps it's a case of too many cooks spoil the broth (the writing talents here is insane), coupled with an incapable director. The soundtrack seems off. And there were unnecessary roles like Russell Crowe's character and Jake Johnson's. And don't get me started with the poor casting; a weak and irritating female protagonist who actually plays an important role to Cruise's character motivation. As for Sofia Boutella's mummy, she is not even menacing.

As for Maverick himself, Mr Cruise as we all know, is always 101% committed to the moment and the audience can feel his intensity. Whether he's acting (boggle-eyed, doing the "What.The.Hell..." expression, screaming) or running or even flashing his signature smile, he is ALWAYS ALL IN. Even so, he is totally miscast here. It would be an interesting choice though if he played a supporting role in this movie, perhaps Russell's character. Hmmm...

I supposed the main goal of The Mummy is to kickstart a Marvel MCU / DC DCEU multi-movie crossover franchise with classic monster characters like Dracula, The Wolfman and yes, Frankenstein monster but judging from the supposedly lacklustre box office taking and the horrible reviews it's currently receiving, I am not sure this would be happening anytime soon.

Well, compared to the Brendan Fraser's 1999 The Mummy, at least that was was fun in a National Treasure / Indiana Jones-ish way.

RATING: 5.5/10