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Archive for May 2014
The movie frenzy continues and I think it's time to finish reviewing films in this year's Spoils list since my holidays is at its end. I've already started with Godzilla 2014 which was spectacular. Of course, I did forgot to review Robocop and perhaps I'll get to it soon. For now, I wanna review the film that sort of catalyzed my frenzy towards films; abandoning video games which I always turn to during semester breaks.
Eyes are windows to the soul
Upon watching the trailer, I was concerned that the CGI of Spidey really looked cartoon-ish. Perhaps, it was a good thing because many fans has claimed that this is a design that stays closer to it's source material. I, personally, love it (I even plan on buying the figure!). Spidey actually looks like a teen. What's more impressive is that the suit actor looks more lively; being more expressive with body language unlike Sam Raimi's Spidey. As I watch the film, I turned out to be wrong and Spidey looks just as alive in live action. I love the fact that he's suit wrinkles as he jumps. Some might say that the eyes could make or brake a character's design; considering the fact that most people relies on it for emotional engagement. It sounds like an unfair burden--I know--but they pulled it off with this incarnation of Spidey. For example, Iron Man's eye holes are shaped in a small and narrow holes; mimicking an angry eye. So, when the audience sees this as he is fighting; it syncs as one always associates anger with violence. Spidey's eyes has a balance between angry and emotional as it's narrow on top but continues to be cursive at the bottom. It gives him a more peculiar and engaging attraction. The design from the first Amazing Spidey didn't bothered me as much however when this was released, it made the old one seemed like a Spider-man wannabe.
The Chemistry
I re-watched the first installment of Marc Webb's take a few weeks before the sequel and I'm glad I did. Sometimes, the notion of what an adaptation should be really ruins your experience. You should focus on what a story can be and from there, you can appreciate and learn wonders. Before Spidey, Marc Webb directed 500 days of Summer and upon knowing that, it's obvious that he brought his arsenals from there to this new one. It bothered me that Spidey didn't had much say in the first one; in a way that the character couldn't carry or express himself emotionally without a partner. Spider-Man always narrates his stories in comics and even in Sam Raimi's take. He always have something to say. So, to see him relying so much with Gwen Stacy took us away from his charisma. Then again, Spider-Man is also most famous with his love interests and to see a love story that's realistic brings new perspective of the beloved character. Let's face it, Mary Jane in the old one is a bit of a guy's fantasy. I love how Gwen brings out Peter Parker in a new way. Fortunately, the balance between Spidery's charisma and love interests was satisfying in The Amazing Spidey 2; being able to express himself as the costumed hero we love and as a person. If not for this knowledge, I couldn't have enjoyed it as much because this is the aspect that really pulled me in.
Milking it too much
Unfortunately, it wasn't the best of Spidey and the flaws are big enough to weigh it down. These aren't flaws that's personal but more constructive as you can see clearly a huge franchising attempt here. Sigh, it's Iron Man 2 all over again. It was surprising as they went with a one dimensional villain again; same as the ones on Sam Raimi's. Presenting a quick 360 turn of a normal person turning pure evil without much character developments. I thought they were unwelcome anymore ever since Batman Begins. Electro--although was the best villain for visuals--wasn't the best of villains in terms of story. He felt like a pond in this story which was the only depths I can see fit because the franchise seems to have Oscorp as it's primary villain. The whole Max Dillon being a victim to Oscorp is good enough. Hey, it's better then Sandman 'accidentally' fall into a experiment site and gain powers; 'conveniently' evening the odds with Spidey. Max's motivations were also undeveloped. Harry Osborne was the true villain here and his character was well develop. Although, he seems to much of a wimp to me, Dan Deehan's acting proves why he was cast. He's design, however, seems a bit rushed; combining an exo-suit with a half mutated face. It seemed like they were unsure of how the new Green Goblin would fit in this new franchise. Rhino was just a thug which didn't bothered me as much. The franchising attempt clearly puts in too much information that prohibits the story to be fully develop. I'm not even convinced that a Venom movie would work.
Verdict
All in all, this is a Spider-Man film that I enjoyed very much; having fun with it's humor and action while staying true to it's source material. It's really awesome that they finally use the whole hunting for Spidey's blood plot. Who knows, maybe Scarlet Spider would finally make his cinematic appearance! However, with such a solid premise, I would have big expectations for the next one; to really represent Spider-Man's legacy. Perhaps, like Iron Man 3. This wasn't the main event film of 2014 but I'm having second thoughts. I'm glad it proved me wrong. Thus, I give The Amazing Spider-Man a 4/5.
Salam readers!
The term of re-watching films has a new meaning for me as a film could be entirely different when you watch it again as an adult. Sometimes a film from your childhood is good because of the sentimental value it means to you and not because of the film itself. I cannot deny that I myself always yearn for childhood reminiscence but this predicament has lead me to be more encouraged when it comes to re-watching films; to appreciate it in a different perspective represented within the story. To be frank though, what lead me to re-watch Roland Emmerich's take on the Kaiju is my newly found fandom of Godzilla. Another reason is to learn and boy did I learn a lot of things while watching this. Thus let's move on the review.
Man vs Mankind's ego
Being mutual brings a lot of good things; teaching you the bigger picture of the problem. Admittedly, I kept comparing it to Gareth Edward's Godzilla. Make no mistake, I'll compare it nonetheless because it's suppose to be an adaptation. But in this section, I'll try to appreciate it as it is. As a stand alone film (As in without the Godzilla's legacy weighing it down), it doesn't take itself seriously. Of course, the premise is mankind versus monster but the character developments and silly humor wasn't engaging. The beginning of the film really pulled me in; showcasing that old 90's film feel. It all went away when Zilla (A rename given by Toho since their copyrights with sony had expired) comes into the picture because the way that the characters react to it was so unrealistic. The only character that felt real was Kevin Dunn as the Colonel. Everyone else didn't take the disaster seriously and to make matters worst, we're presented with a love story that's just ridiculous. The politicians in this film are portrayed as if the city is run by a 16 year old. Was it suppose to be a social commentary for politicians? Dr. Niko Tatopoulous , played by Matthew Broderick, felt like a zombie; making no expressions or reactions of what a sane man would do in such predicament. He was there as a coincidence; no analogies, no strong relationships, no social commentary. He was there for the sake of being there! In this incarnation, Zilla is a product of a nuclear explosion and throughout the story, he was presented as a threat to the extinction of human species. However, it didn't felt like humans versus an apex predator. Mankind was represented with the worst kind of people. I wanted mankind to loose. During the death scene of Zilla, suddenly we're shown that Dr.Niko sympathizes Zilla. Where on earth did that come from? There were no establishment of the character's caring nature towards the creature. Either that or I couldn't tell it by his face. This flick feels more like Man vs their ego. Hear me out, Zilla exist because of those nuclear bomb tests and now they want to destroy it. Jean Reno's character, Philippe' Roachee, was from French secret service. Instead of preventing or taking responsibility of Zilla, the French tackles the situation secretly; failing to gain information of the creature's habitat prior to the Manhattan attack. It was even established that they knew long before the United States did. And Dr. Niko's speech of human extinction seems narcissistic. There you go, man and their ego.
Using the Godzilla's name
This is an adaptation and I try to be open minded; venturing into the director's perspective of the literature. But this isn't a different perspective of Godzilla. It's basically Jurassic Park. How do you expect me to accept it as it is when the story itself is weak. I have to give credits that it did--in a way-- follow the plot of the first Godzilla film in 1954; only the plot and not the substance. What's amazing about Godzilla is that he has character even though he's a non-talking giant lizard. This could just be a spin-off of Jurassic Park and would still work. The whole giant monster feel was almost diminish when the human characters were chased by baby Zillas; straight away taking us away from the basic premise and into a new one. How was it there were baby Zillas? Were there two Zillas? The Zilla reproduced Asexually...
...WHAT?!
REALLY?!
Sure! Why not?! For the sake of the plot, it's a he that reproduces asexually by laying freaking eggs! That fact is obviously a sad plot device just to give a little more action and that's not a good thing.
The design
But I can't deny the good design of the creature. It's pretty smart that the sleek and thin design was used in Zilla's arsenal; enabling him to move quicker in the city. The design also gave it a more dangerous looks with it's long neck and thicker jaw line. That's the only positive thing I can give. Job well done to the designer.
Verdict
There's only one good thing I'd gain from this flick and it's that I learn a few pointers in storytelling; especially if it's a disaster movie because I have no knowledge in writing such genre. To conclude, I give Zilla a harsh 2/5 for reasons mentioned above.
This is the first local movie review of 2014. Sadly, I don't watch a lot of local films newly released. It's not just because of the constant disappointment that it brings, it's more to my lack of discipline of going to theaters. I only make time for my list and, even so, I still missed a few. While I try to stay consistent in supporting local films, let's review another installment of Mamat Khalid's Zombi franchise.
I'm having a blast with my movie marathon and while there are plenty of awesome movies, there's also a fair share of horrible ones as well. While my previous reviews of films are very positive, this is one of few bad ones. I feel sort of bad starting it with Zombi Kilang Biskut.
No Plot
Don't get me wrong, I love Mamat Khalid's films. He's constant subtexts of social commentary in Malaysia are always fun. As I watched this film, it made me longing for Man Laksa and Rock oo; genres that are much more suited for his style. I also enjoyed Hantu Kak Limah Balik Rumah which was a surprise to me. I try to give sympathy for Zombi Kilang Biskut but I just can't. It had no freaking plot. Trust me, I looked for it! It had this superhero trope-like story of having two ghosts (Equivalent to having two villains)? What? The Pontianak (Female Vampire) and hoards of zombies was a terrible idea in terms of plot. The Pontianak had this horror suspense story going on while the zombies carried the survival horror feel. It was confusing. It felt like they had no idea what they're writing about. One might say that it's comedy so give it a break. No! The genre and plot should help the humor; giving a more strong feel when one watches a film. What made it worse was the very lazy franchising attempt at the end. Yes, all Zombi films end with a cliffhanger but at least, it had a strong enough ending. In Zombi Kilang Biskut, I was just confused, speechless and disappointed. I never liked a hint of the sequel's plot and to face one that's just lazy is a whole different level.
Parody of Malaysians
Perhaps, this is the main reason why I would watch it. I immensely enjoyed Rock with it's never before seen story of highlighting Malaysian Pop Culture. Here in this film, the subtexts were still there. They were presented with a few funny scenes. I enjoyed it. It add the humor even more. But it lacks a bigger picture; of what specific topic that it's trying to tackle. No doubt, it was due to the inconsistent genre as it's premise.
Verdict
I recommend to watch this with your family as I find it to be more funny to laugh in a group. However, unlike my family, I didn't enjoyed it as much as they did. I give Zombi Kilang Biskut a disappointing 2.5/5.
Here's hoping for better days, Salam and thanks for reading!
How convenient it is that most awesome movies are released now that I'm in my holidays. This particular one is in my list of must see films and I must say...it. Was. Incredible!
I definitely grew up watching Kaiju shows which mostly consists of the Ultraman franchise. However, I'm not at all familiar with Godzilla; of what he's legacy stands for. Heck, it boggles my mind as to how does a monster versus monster story could be ever so popular. Obviously, this is an influence from Ultraman; seeing that at least the hero has more flexibility within the costume. The limited movement of the Kaiju's suit really leaves not much room for variety in fighting. Fortunately, Gareth Edwards take on this one sucked me in so deep; I've automatically proclaim myself a legitimate Kaiju fanatic...to a certain extent, of course. Thus, let's continue to the review.
Force of nature!
It's surprising that there were efforts in telling a story because the overall premise, at first glance, seems to demand another explosive popcorn flick. Unfortunately, it did produced negative opinions which I totally disagree based on their illiterate perspectives. This is the flare of passion that drives me to write this as most fails to see what Godzilla actually is in this film. From a perspective, this is a disaster film; Godzilla and the Mutos are representation of Tsunamis, earthquakes, hurricanes and so on. Mankind can only bear witness this monstrosity and save themselves. That is how the Kaijus and man is portrayed; series of search and rescue missions while Godzilla goes hunting. That's it. It's also very intriguing that the Mutos are portrayed as a mother and her offspring; highlighting that we're just witnessing one of nature's beautiful event. It's like watching Sea Turtles laying eggs but mankind is in it's way. It's amazing that if you look at it at a different perspective, mankind and Godzilla are actually the villains who disrupts the phenomenon. Godzilla is nothing more than a hunter but yet we're left with so many questions of his habitat. Why did he hunt the Mutos? Like them, he eats radiation. From here, you're venturing in the thoughts of a zoologist; yearning to learn more of this creature's secret.
Mankind's journey
To consider the negative thoughts of that there weren't much of Godzilla in the film, it's understandable that the human characters aren't as appealing. Aaron Taylor-Johnson (whom played as Lieutenant Ford Brody) didn't meet up to the bars that Bryan Cranston (played as his father, Scientist Joe Brody) created. His character was softly written to reflect how mankind is affected; not presented in an obvious or preachy manner. Sadly, Aaron couldn't really deliver as much as the fans wanted because people nowadays really invests themselves with character developments in films. It's a shame that Bryan Cranston's character died because it seemed that he was the spark of the movie though it is understandable to why he had to go. Scientist's Joe Brody's death represents a legacy that his father left for his son; a problem or a solution. It's up to you to decide although I thought of it as a problem at first. Then I love how Ford Brody ventures on and meets people that represents the drastic effect of the disaster had done. The public whom are reflected as a lost boy in a train; painting that innocence feeling to the audience. Then Brody ventures on to the military, as he is a Lieutenant himself, and discovers the demands and burden that those people had to go. It reminded me of the state of economy; always ever changing and demands so much from the people whom are involved. This film had it's fair share of awesome quotes and this one describe this theme very well.
"I guess we're monster hunters now"
-Sergeant Tre Morales-
The Brody family is also a, somewhat, easy way to engage with the audience; associating by putting themselves in the situation. Instead of having man versus monster, the final fight had the soldiers trying to diffuse a nuclear bomb while Godzilla faces the Mutos; letting nature takes it course and stopping it is futile as it only creates more problems. They're fixing their own mistake. Indeed, the human aspect of the story is detailed but softly written.
Painting the canvas
This is the layer that makes both Godzilla and the film itself all the more unique. How do you give character to an animal? This is no cartoon where it can talk or have more humanly expression. It's the same principal that I've noticed while watching WWE. To really sell a wrestler, he/she needs charisma; having a unique way to communicate with the audience. Somewhere along the way, some wrestlers--most of them being big power house--don't have that natural ability. So, what do you do? They usually give these monsters managers to talk for them. Like Paul Heyman to Brock Lesnar (Whom I really hate right now!) or Paul Bearer to Undertaker, Dr. Ishiro Serizawa speaks for Godzilla. Ken Watanabe's character speaks of his scientific findings and of the mythology; giving the audience an idea of who Godzilla is. Godzilla brings balance to world. How do we know that? We don't. It's a perspective to consider and that makes the story wider in subtext. He even has the best line of the movie.
Admiral William "This alpha predator of yours, doctor, do you really think he has a chance?"
Dr. Ishiro "The arrogance of men is thinking nature is in their control and not the other way around"
"Let them fight"
Another argument is the lack of action from Godzilla and I appreciate it due to the perspectives that's shown. But to consider the action part of it though, I was freaking excited in the final battle. Final battles in movies are often not engaging as we tend to get ahead of the story. Gareth Edwards somehow created a hype to this battle; teasing us with brief conflicts between Kaijus. And when we finally see it, we get all pump up! I was going crazy when Godzilla actually had fire breath! Oh man, I so wanna buy a Godzilla toy!
Verdict
Ratings are just numbers and the true benefit from watching films is to imagine and learn many things. While I would suggest previous movies which are Captain Philips and Gravity, Godzilla is not the kind I would recommend for everyone. I must admit, it's not universal. That's the fairest thing I can say. To conclude, I give Godzilla a solid 5/5! The last film had this rating was Walter Mitty and Toy Story 3! The simple representation of humanity really shows the dedication in storytelling but it's the mythology of Godzilla and his force of nature that captured my imagination and passion. Now, I'm wondering if I should review Godzilla 1998.
Thanks and Salam readers!
A lot of people--well, to be specific, people in my social circles--said that this is great. I couldn't get away from hearing this film; as if fate is telling me to watch it. I watched an interview of popular directors and Alfonso Cuaron was in it. I was in love with Guillermo Del Toro--especially his recent film-- and what do you know, he was best friends with Alfonso Cuaron. Heck, I even had to watch one of his earlier films in class. Then it won Golden Globe Awards for best director. After months of these hypes, I finally give it a try.
Mankind's beginnings
Let me just start by stating that if you aren't into visual storytelling in films, then you won't enjoy this movie to its fullest. The art form is something you have to learn and I'm confident not all audience are well equip with it. The plot is pretty straight forward; not many dialogues or elaborated character developments. No, it wasn't ignored. It was heavily and beautifully crafted within the cinematography. It was unbelievably engaging as the scenes were shot as if the camera itself was floating in space; highlighting that there's no way up or down. That's freaking scary; acknowledging that such simple law of physic is very important on how we perceive life. The first person perspectives were also incredible; again emphasizing the gravity. It felt like I was playing a video game..haha. It reminded me of Dead Space 3. The visual representation was also amazing and fits the vast and empty space premise beautifully. I chose the poster above because it showcases one of most apparent visual story within. In this scene, she was almost ran out of oxygen and struggles to get into the shuttle. She then strips off from her space suit; panting and in a rush. Then Sandra Bullock curled up; mimicking a fetus. It's really cool how the props were composed to highlight this scene. I felt the seconds of heavenly peace she felt. To further the visual story, the final scene continues it as the protagonists struggles to swim out of the water when she finally landed on earth. It felt good to finally see land, sea and grass. The struggle highlights evolution; of the first fish to swim to shore. I don't believe in Darwinism but I appreciate the substance crafted within the visuals. The birth of mankind theme associated with the infinite possibilities of space really makes you feel tiny.
Another survival plot
This is the third survival movie I've watched in a row. Wow. As I've stated in previous reviews regarding the plot tropes, character developments aren't elaborated as other genres. I believe this genre relies on analogies on the actions and visuals. Thus leading me to emphasize more that you can't enjoy this film to it's max without such notions. Yes, the acting was superb, no doubt, but the writing wasn't elaborated. It's very wonderful that this film really utilizes the visuals; making it a delightful experience.
Verdict
Gravity took me away from this world; travelling to a black hole of beauty, curiosity and fear. After all, people are afraid of things they do not understand. Again, this is a movie I recommend to everyone and I urge you to acquire some understanding of visual storytelling for a better experience. I give Gravity a 4/5.
Frankly speaking, this kind of films can never go wrong for me. I must admit, my constant hunger for outrages fiction left me ill-equip in knowledge of critically commenting these films. Nonetheless, I ridiculously enjoyed Captain Phillips and heck, Tom Hanks is my favorite actor! Though I'm not familiar with Paul Greengrass's films, this one might just pull me in.
The danger is real
I knew that this film was based on a true story but I didn't bothered to research what happened. So, I watched this film with little knowledge of what to expect. Right from the start, I notice the heavy hand held shots; catching me off guard. The close ups of Captain Richard Phillips and his wife bothered me as I didn't have a clearer view of them. The story's perspective then widens as we are shown the lives of the Somalian Pirates. The Captain then continues to check his ship's crew and quarters; leaving everything in check. It can't help but to remind me of Assassin's Creed Black Flag..haha. Some might ask "When are the pirates are going to come?" and that, to me, it's a bad thing. Getting ahead of a film not only almost ruins the movie experience but is also quite annoying. The early hand held shots of both the Pirates and Captain's lives are very essential because when the conflict finally arrives, the dangers felt really real. This is an aspect of the film that I really admire; the dedication of highlighting the danger. I can imagine this film without the handheld shots and it wouldn't be as engaging.
At the edge of my seat
This is a survival genre; focusing on one unfortunate event. So, the character developments aren't as apparent as the superhero genre that I'm used to. I know this though I didn't thought of it as I was watching. The character Captain Phillips wasn't exactly unique and I guess that's not the point of the story. Tom Hanks acting, playing a responsible and quick witted Captain, was all so awesome. Somehow, I feel the weight that the character had to carry. Every risky games that the Captain and crew played kept me excited. Man, I don't feel like this often when I'm watching films. Barkhad Abdi, who played the leader of the four pirates, was not dangerous. No, I didn't felt like his character was dangerous. This is not a bad thing, though. The Pirates whom captured the captain weren't professionals and you can see that throughout. I just felt angry and annoyed not at the acting but at the characters. I hated them...in a good way. Automatically that should prove the effectiveness of their acting.
Based on a true story
In the final scene where the doctors was checking on the Captain. Oh my god, it was just so emotional. He was focused, smart and sometimes tired. But at the end of the film, we see that he's just a normal person; breaking down emotionally from the horrors of the pirates. Man, Tom Hanks is such a good actor.
Verdict
Although I did enjoyed the film immensely, my lack of notion in this genre does effect the overall rating. It is just a number after all and I would recommend anybody to watch this. I give Captain Phillips a 4/5 for the awe inspiring acting of Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi and the rest of the cast. Plus, an admirable effort in highlighting the realism.
As of late, I realized that the movie reviews I've been watching are mostly one dimensional; stating what they saw literally and giving none critical comments. This realization started after I watched The Amazing Spider-man 2. It annoyed me like crazy. It bothered me as they didn't consider the auteur theory, writing style, chemistry in acting and so many more. It pisses me off. So, I could complain all day long but it's generally not productive. Thus I decided to find other sources of reviews and at the same time, I try to review more intellectually; considering the art, commercial value and perspective of the audience. I really do hope that this review is constructive as possible. Salam and thanks for reading!
Oh yes, I've ignored this blog yet again! And I can't even remember when and why I forgot. It's semester break again (The only time when I really remember this blog) and so, yet again, I've decided to update it. This time I'm a little bit ambitious; setting a goal of when and what to write for weeks to come. Since my new year's movie reviews kept me disciplined enough; I'll follow the basic guidelines of what I did then. I'll write one to three movie reviews then ending with an article label under 'Inspiration'. I'm in my movie frenzy zone; abandoning video games for the moment just to make room for my brain to critically process the films I've watched. I'm such in a good mood that it causes me to think more actively on films. It's been a long time since I felt this way.
Moving on to the actual review, After Earth caught my attention as I was watching a harsh review of it. I didn't finish watching it though as the review hyped me enough to watch this Syfy flick for myself. Despite the overwhelming negative comments, I do have some amount of sympathy towards it. Heck, that's why I chose the poster above because the line "Danger is real, fear is a choice" was the best aspect of the film.
Fatherhood
This theme always get to me. It's very relatable thus leading me to forget my critical comments. It's safe to say that this is one of the strength of the story; complimenting the above tag line just enough. I've recently been personally attracted to the concept of chemistry in storytelling--more on the writing aspect--and Will Smith and his son's relationship did interest me. However, Will Smith carried all the burden of the relationship and even the story itself; giving a strong performance that made it all bearable. Unfortunately, he wasn't the hero.
Bad acting
Jaden Smith played the son of a legendary general within the story's universe. It's funny because that's what he, sort of, actually is; receiving big expectations from audiences as he is grows older. Jaden's emotional performances with his father was superb as it is a familiar theme. But it is the massive science fiction background that weigh him down...hard. He's suppose to have this accent that's unique to the story but it was inconsistent; especially in those strong emotional scenes. The story, to my surprise, is actually a survival genre; focusing on one event of a character's life. This leaves not much room for character development in terms of dialogues, events and other character interactions. All of that is executed in forms of action which can act as metaphors. Jaden Smith was definitely unfamiliar with the premise and sadly, it affected the overall movie. Perhaps, if his father was the main actor, things could get better?
Undeveloped Universe
This time, I did some background research of the production and I've seen a few aspects that affected the outcome. Well, at least to me. Will Smith was the producer and he pitched the story in the first place. From the beginning, the movie was meant to push Jaden to stardom or, at least, to help his own son. So, there's this fairly good premise of mankind moving on to another planet, an interpretation of fear as a ruthless alien together with a grounded story of fatherhood; sounds promising, doesn't it? I couldn't agree more that even a huge spectacle needs a grounded theme. The problem is that the premise wasn't carefully thought off; leaving so many undeveloped concepts. There was also this oddly put jump scare...what the heck?
Verdict
In summary, the movie wasn't that bad. Maybe, I'm being generous but this is just what I think. However, I wouldn't be watching or even thinking about it in the next few months. It's incredibly slow for a one hour and forty minute movie. So, I give After Earth a 2.5/5 for an awesome tag line that's fairy highlighted through fatherhood. But the bad acting and directing just weigh it down too much.
