Sunday, December 31, 2017

All The Money In The World

Year: 2017
Director: Ridley Scott
Cast: Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer, Mark Wahlberg, Romain Duris, Timothy Hutton, Charlie Plummer


Plot: Based on the true story of J. Paul Getty, the richest man in the world during the 70s, who refused to pay the ransom for his 16 year old grandson's kidnapping, much to the chagrin of his daughter in-law, Gail Harris.


Review: All The Money In The World already made headlines when the studio decided to remove Kevin Spacey's involvement in the film due to his sexual assault allegations and replace him with Christopher Plummer, after the film had wrapped production. As a result, director Ridley Scott had to reshoot the film with Plummer, and he did it in eight days. It is an astounding feat, considering the role is quite substantial.

This fact alone should be enough to draw audiences to watch the film, which is based on the true story of the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III, grandson of J. Paul Getty, the richest man in the world in 1973. The film revolves around the young Getty's experience with the kidnappers, the senior Getty's refusal to pay the ransom and his excuses for not doing so, and his daughter in-law's efforts to save her son, with the help of Getty's negotiator Fletcher Chase. Scott deftly flips back and forth between the three subplots and rarely wastes any time in moving the story forward, and still manages to make the entire film fascinating to watch. 

Mark Wahlberg is pretty much himself in playing Chase, and it's clear he fits the role like a glove. It's predictable but it works as it plays to his strengths. Michelle Williams gets the tougher role as the desperate Gail, who has to find a way to pay the ransom to save her son, but as she accurately puts it in a scene, "I'm fighting an empire." Williams easily nails the part. Plummer scores as the elder Getty, turning in an engaging performance overall. While he may seem cold in his refusal to pay the ransom, Plummer gives Getty a sense of amiability which makes him more human than one would expect. Also deserving praise is Romain Duris as Cinquanta, one of the kinder kidnappers who tries to protect the young Getty whenever possible.

The film however is less engaging in an emotional sense. All The Money In The World feels much closer to American Gangster than Gladiator, which isn't necessarily a bad thing (I loved American Gangster more than some people). Scott may have given us a less dramatic story than I would have liked, but as far as true stories go, this one looks quite good.

All The Money In The World is a solid feature from Ridley Scott. Not one of his best, but very watchable. (7.5/10)

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Bleeding Steel

Year: 2017
Director: Leo Zhang
Cast: Jackie Chan, Callan Mulvey, Show Lo, Erica Xia Hou, Nana Ouyang, Tess Haubrich


Plot: A dangerous man who possesses strength and invulnerability thanks to a top secret bio project, hunts down the scientist in charge and the rest of his research. However, a cop whose daughter is terminally ill, uses the research to save her and tries to keep her out of the man's clutches 13 years later when he resurfaces and tries again.


Review: Jackie Chan in a sci-fi movie? Well, this is rather new territory for him, but certainly better than his attempts to merge his culture with other cultures recently. But honestly, I'm giving semi faint praise here.

Actually, Bleeding Steel isn't half bad. For the most part, Chan is all business and in serious mode. This isn't one of those films where he does his comedic slapstick stuff. Like The Foreigner, he's mostly serious, except for a few moments here and there. He's also the best actor in the film as everyone else either tries too hard (Show Lo) or not enough (Nana Ouyang, Callan Mulvey, Tess Haubrich). Erica Xia Hou, who plays Chan's subordinate and also wrote the screenplay, excels in a few fight sequences but is rather wooden in the acting department.

The action sequences are the highlight of the film for sure. While the opening firefight seems a bit messy in its execution, it looks quite good with multiple explosions and some good stunt work from Chan and his team. There's another sequence where Chan slides down the roof of the Sydney Opera House, which is a nice throwback to some of the crazy stunts he had done in his youth. Chan certainly hasn't lost his edge here. The rest of the action are just so-so as they come with a significant amount of CGI, which really isn't Chan's forte.

The weakness of the film is certainly the plot and dialogue, which involves a lot of corny lines and borrowed ideas from other sci-fi films. Mulvey's villain looks like a blatant ripoff of the Borg from Star Trek, and his goons are dressed like Robocop (the remake, not the original). Show Lo, who plays Chan's sidekick Leeson, is mostly unfunny in his attempts at comedy, save for a scene where he saves Chan's daughter from a group of troublemakers. Haubrich, while not excelling in terms of acting, holds her own in the action department, looking quite good in her scraps against Chan.

Overall, Bleeding Steel is a decent effort from Chan and company, but science fiction really isn't his wheelhouse. He ought to just stick to tried and true action movies he's known for. (6.5/10) 

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Year: 2017
Director: Rian Johnson
Cast: Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Gwendoline Christie, Laura Dern, Benicio Del Toro


Plot: While Rey tries to convince a disillusioned Luke Skywalker to train her in the ways of the Jedi, the Resistance under General Leia's leadership flees from the First Order's attacks.


Review: The Force Awakens was a huge success for the Star Wars franchise, even though some fans called it a repeat of A New Hope. Thus director of The Last Jedi, Rian Johnson had a huge task ahead of him to top that feat.

In some ways, The Last Jedi almost feels like The Empire Strikes Back, and I mean that as a compliment. But more importantly, Johnson expands on the Star Wars universe a little by introducing a few new things while making time to bring back a couple of iconic elements from the past. He deftly balances the fun factor of the franchise and the seriousness of the ongoing war, thereby making the entire experience truly entertaining. 

The film is basically divided into two stories; the first featuring Rey and her training with Luke Skywalker, who isn't quite the same farm boy turned hero everyone knows from the past, and the second about the Resistance running from the First Order. This passive move from Leia's substitute Holdo doesn't go well with Poe Dameron, who enlists Finn and mechanic Rose to find a way to save the Resistance. And in between all this, Kylo Ren's conflicted emotions come to a head as he and Rey share a connection of some kind.

Everyone in the cast hits all the right notes, with veterans Mark Hamill and the late Carrie Fisher leading the way. Fisher puts in a subtle but memorable final performance as Leia, while Hamill is superb as the disillusioned Luke who has to find a way to redeem himself over failing his student. Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac and John Boyega continue to impress as Rey, Poe and Finn respectively, with newcomer Kelly Marie Tran providing solid support as Rose. Tran scores in a scene where she explains her motivations to Finn. Adam Driver fares better here than the last time as Kylo Ren, having much more to do and thus more opportunity to show his acting chops. Finally, Benicio Del Toro gives an eccentric performance as DJ, a criminal who helps Finn and Rose during their mission.

If there's one thing that I can complain about The Last Jedi, it's the length. Johnson gets carried away a little with an extended third act that features two battles between the Resistance and the First Order, though he makes up for it by making both of them look extremely good on screen. 

All in all, The Last Jedi is truly one of the best Star Wars entries yet. Don't let the small group of haters sway you. If you're a fan, or a casual movie fan who has followed this saga from the beginning, you have to see it. (9/10)  

Sunday, December 10, 2017

Wonder

Year: 2017
Director: Stephen Chbosky
Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Owen Wilson, Julia Roberts, Izabela Vidovic, Noah Jupe, Mandy Patinkin, Daveed Diggs, Millie Davis


Plot: August "Auggie" Pullman is a young boy who's had 27 surgeries on his face since birth due to Treacher Collins Syndrome, and has been home schooled by his mother all his life. His parents finally decide to enter him into elementary school in fifth grade, where he will interact with other kids his age for the first time.


Review: Wonder is based on the best selling novel of the same name by RJ Palacio. The movie addresses the issue of looking past one's physical appearance and recognizing the human traits underneath. While this isn't exactly an unexplored subject as far as movies are concerned, Wonder is more than just a story about a deformed child trying to fit in the world, it's also about the people around him.

Auggie Pullman, facial handicap aside, is just your regular kid who loves his family, his dog, playing video games and Star Wars. But he has never been to school with other kids, until now. Naturally, the first day is tough as the other kids just can't help but stare at him. But over time, Auggie successfully makes friends with a couple of nice kids, though not without its own hurdles. It also helps that Auggie is very smart academically. 

As mentioned, this film isn't just about Auggie. There are a few separate chapters that focus on the people around him, such as his older sister Via, who has lived in her brother's shadow for years; his best friend Jack Will, who isn't as forthcoming as he should be, but eventually learns to genuinely respect Auggie; and Miranda, Via's best friend who loves Auggie like her own sibling, but has drifted apart from Via because of a lie she told.

Director and co-writer Stephen Chbosky efficiently tells Auggie's story without a dull moment in sight. Every character has a reason for being there, and nearly every interaction and conversation has a purpose. More importantly, Chbosky makes it all feel genuine and engaging, and he never makes Auggie feel pitiful, even in moments when he breaks down because some kids were mean to him. There are also a few funny moments when Chbosky attempts to highlight Auggie's love for Star Wars by having a couple of characters randomly popping up in his imagination (a certain Wookie comes to mind).

The entire cast put in solid performances. Jacob Tremblay, the wonder kid from Room (no pun intended), once again scores as Auggie. While the makeup limits his facial expressions a bit, Tremblay still turns in an engaging performance. Owen Wilson and Julia Roberts do a great job as Auggie's parents, though they are less believable as a married couple. Izabela Vidovic is superb as Via, who loves her brother dearly but trying to make her own way in the world, and finding love in the process. Noah Jupe is excellent as Jack Will, who gives a mature performance for a kid his age. Also worth mentioning is Daveed Diggs as helpful English teacher Mr Browne and Mandy Patinkin as school principal Mr Tushman.

If Wonder has any flaw, it's in the final fifteen minutes or so when the filmmakers go out of their way to tie up every loose end before the uplifting final scene, which is somewhat inevitable, but I suppose the book did the same thing. I also would have preferred Miranda's strained friendship with Via receive its proper moment of resolution, but Chbosky inexplicably left it out and asks us to assume it instead.

All in all, Wonder is a well made and engaging feel good movie that the whole family can enjoy, and even learn from. (7.5/10) 

Monday, December 04, 2017

Beyond Skyline

Year: 2017
Director: Liam O'Donnell
Cast: Frank Grillo, Bojana Novakovic, Iko Uwais, Pamelyn Chee, Yayan Ruhian, Callan Mulvey, Antonio Fargas, Jonny Weston


Plot: A policeman and his son try to survive an alien invasion, and eventually team up with a motley crew of survivors to fight back.


Review: Does anyone remember Skyline, the alien invasion movie made by the Strause brothers that seemed promising until that ridiculous ending? Well, the brothers now serve as producers to this sequel directed by Liam O'Donnell, and not only have they made a much better film this time around, they even made better use of that stupid ending.

Just like the first film, this sequel's main strength is the visual effects. I recall being very impressed with the way the filmmakers depicted humans being sucked into the aliens' spaceship, and it's just as awesome to watch again here. Overall the CGI is pretty good, except for one of the final battle sequences where two huge aliens engage in a fight. This sequence looked quite bad on screen, but other than that, the visual effects are great.

As for the story, it's more engaging for sure. This time, we're not confined to one small apartment and the survivors are much smarter. They know when to run, and they're not afraid to fight back. I'll admit, a few of the deaths felt senseless, but I was able to ignore it and just go with the flow. The first half features Frank Grillo's cop character Mark trying to rescue his son after he gets abducted, and teams up with train driver Audrey and blind war veteran Sarge to do so.

Then the film changes scenery as our heroes wind up in Laos and runs into a couple of underground rebels led by The Raid star Iko Uwais. This part of the story slows down a bit as the audience learns more about the aliens, but picks up at the climax when Grillo, Uwais and his fellow The Raid star Yayan Ruhian team up to take on the aliens. All this adds up to a genuinely entertaining sci-fi action movie.

Most of the acting here is just average, though Grillo is surely the best one here, followed by Antonio Fargas, who steals the show as Sarge. Bojana Novakovic and Singaporean actress Pamelyn Chee provide some female kick ass action as Audrey and Uwais' sister respectively. Uwais gets to speak English for the first time on screen as Sua, though it's just passable. But who cares? He kicks alien ass, which is what matters here. Watch out for Callan Mulvey, known for playing physical bad guys take on a nerdy scientist role here, he's nearly unrecognisable.

Now, I won't lie, Beyond Skyline is still essentially a B movie overall. The acting is so-so and the camerawork during the fight sequences were quite shaky. But don't let it keep you from checking this out. Soemtimes we just go to the movies because we want to watch something silly and have fun, and this is it. If you ever wanted to know what it would be like if The Raid stars fought aliens from outer space, go check this out. (7/10)

Sunday, December 03, 2017

Murder On The Orient Express

Year: 2017
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, Josh Gad, Penelope Cruz, Johnny Depp, Derek Jacobi, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Leslie Odom Jr.


Plot: When a murder takes place aboard the Orient Express, famed detective Hercule Poirot, who happened to be on the train, is recruited to investigate.


Review: Not being a fan of Agatha Christie's novels, I hadn't watched the original adaptation in 1974 nor read the book, so I shall review this with fresh eyes. I'll begin by saying it is a thoroughly enjoyable film.

Kenneth Branagh, who not only directs, but stars as Hercule Poirot, presents a classic whodunit story the best way possible; with intrigue, suspense and a touch of humour, with a quick pace to match. There is rarely a dull moment here as Branagh and his esteemed cast drive the plot together, and they work extremely well with each other on screen.

From a technical standpoint, the film is beautiful to watch. While some of the exterior shots were probably green screens, there were many real locations used here as well to showcase the gorgeous snowy mountains surrounding the train. Cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos not only excelled in capturing the exterior shots, but also the tight spaces of the train corridors and ingeniously shooting from the ceiling at times. Praise must also be given to set design, costume design and music, whose crew all perform to high expectations.

The cast are all up to the task in bringing their roles to life. While Branagh obviously gets the lion's share of the scenes, and owns each one too, the others such as Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley and even Josh Gad have their moment to shine. I must admit, I do feel Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench and Johnny Depp are quite underused here, but even so, they make their appearances count.

Not being familiar with the story, I was quite surprised by the final revelation, and Branagh executed it well. In reality it would seem rather far fetched, but this is a work of fiction, so I don't really have an issue with it.

Overall Murder On The Orient Express is a very entertaining piece of work. The purists have already criticised it, but I say just go see it for yourself and enjoy it. (8/10) 

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