anhthudinh-02169

IMDb member since April 2022
    Lifetime Total
    5+
    IMDb Member
    2 years, 1 month

Reviews

Dune: Part Two
(2024)

THE Sci-Fi Epic of modern times
The ideas behind Dune that drive the narrative are very complex. Denis Villeneuve has captured the essence of the Dune series in a way that presents it cohesively to a wider audience. This movie builds on the first in such magnitude and grandeur. The CGI is beautiful, you really feel the barrenness of the planet Arrakis, the bleak and sombre Giedi Prime caused by the black sun, it's all genius really.

The casting is superb, everyone brings their A-game, the standout for me was Austin Butler. Everytime he was on screen, I was outwardly cringing because I had no idea what his actions would be. The soundtrack is also epic, the music soars in the scenes of triumph, but also masterfully adds suspense.

This is indeed a masterful movie that the books deserve, crafted with care by artists who truly care about the source material.

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
(2012)

Really enjoyable watch with fun characters
I happened upon this as I am a huge murder mystery fan and I have no idea how this flew under my radar, especially being from Australia. The show has beautiful historical sets, well written characters with great chemistry and dynamics. Can there even possibly be anymore tension between Phryne and Jack??

Season 1 builds with an overarching story leading to a satisfying finale, and while Season 2 lacks this urgent, overarching story that ties the season together, the individual episodes and plot points are very well written to make Season 2 my favourite season. Especially that Christmas finale!!

Season 3 begins to wane a bit with the individual stories, they felt to me not as creative or compelling and some were a bit contrived (hence my 9 star rating), but the series ultimately ended on a strong note.

I think this was a very enjoyable watch and having it be based and produced in Australia just makes me prouder to be an Australian!

Past Lives
(2023)

A very poignant piece of storytelling
You often hear the phrase 'Right person, wrong time' and I think this movie encapsulates this aspect wholly.

The leads have beautiful chemistry with a great script headed by director Celine Song in her debut, and she knocked it out of the park. Every piece of dialogue feels nuanced and deliberate.

The film does a wonderful job of portraying human connections with such realism. From the fluttery optimism of a new connection that grows and grows, to the apprehension that arises in an weathered but steady connection. This film hits on a lot of emotional levels and leaves you feeling melancholy but not sad. You ultimately come to an understanding with the characters on why things are as they are.

Suzume no Tojimari
(2022)

Beautifully animated but ultimately feels a little too familiar and a little contrived
Upon finishing this movie, I was left feeling a bit flat. The animation is on par with Makoto Shinkai's previous works, beautiful scenery evocative of the endless night sky, food animated to perfection that you could almost taste it through the screen. This for me was the highlight of the film. I was fully immersed visually.

Storywise, it's a little too similar to Shinkai's previous works; the theme of survival during natural disasters and the 'twist' at the end being time travel related. The story also felt a little flat, the lore not being very well explained and we were forced to kind of accept a lot of plot points as is.

It's an enjoyable watch for sure, but don't expect it to be lingering in your mind the day after watching.

Everything Everywhere All at Once
(2022)

Resonated with me very deeply
Being an Asian who grew up with immigrant parents who came to a Western country to seek a better life, I could put myself wholly into Joy's shoes and my mother into Evelyn's shoes. The story captures all the dissonance I have with my mother.

I went into this movie completely oblivious and was completely blown away by the concept and the themes explored. The main cast do such a wonderful job and they work so well together and all elevate each others' performances. Quan brought his A game to this movie, after having not been in the spotlight for a while and I think his performance knocked it out of the park. There is a really heavy and emotional scene which he delivers so beautifully, I was quietly sobbing away in the cinema.

Sweet Magnolias
(2020)

Enjoyable enough
I got a little invested, in that I watched both the seasons back to back. So there is some merit to be had. I find I like the stories of the younger generation a bit more than that of the parents. I feel the characters can get a little preachy which annoyed me a bit but the show was good enough for me to overlook this.

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