henry_yan

Wow, where do I start? Just came back from Transformers : Rise of the Beasts, and I am still feeling buzzing. This is the ultimate summer movie : fantastic action, great soundtrack and CGI that leaves you gasping for more. Ok, ok, this is still a movie about alien space robots trying their utmost to pulverise each other into smithereens. But , this Transformers is certainly much much better than the previous offerings of the franchise. For a start, this is so much of an improvement over the recent mind-numbingly noisy versions from Michael Bay. This latest offering brings a fresh new perspective and better focus, together with beautifully filmed (and breathtaking) visuals which was absent from the past. Us, the audience, can actually see what is happening in the gorgeous action sequences. The car chase scene in New York City which has been shown over and over again everywhere, is just one of the many scenes where the audience feels they are in on the story.

For this new outing, in addition to the ubiquitous Autobots (led by Optimus Prime), are the Maximals (led by Optimus Primal). Together, these two clans join forces to face down and battle the evil Terracons (led by Scourge) who were dispatched by the ultimate intergalactic villain, which is none other than Unicron. As the personification of all thing chaos and destruction, Unicron's mission is to consume world after world across all the galaxies, destroying them until there is absolutely nothing left. Everything and everyone here are all in pursuit of the same device, called the Transwarp Key. This artefact is capable of creating and opening portals through space and time. Hence, the ravenous Unicron needs the Transwarp Key to move his planet-sized body through space, targeting new worlds to devour.

So, with that premise, what is left for viewers now is to sit back and just enjoy the spectacle.

This movie is brutal, let me just say it on the outset. Based on the real life Mumbai terrorist attack which happened on 26 Nov 2008, this is also a very claustrophobic undertaking, because you are trapped in small confined areas when seeing the characters just trying to survive the horror of a terrorist attack, just takes a lot out of you. For almost 2.5 hours, the movie amps the stress level one notch at a time, maintaining a nerve breaking cat-and-mouse type of tension when the movie's myriad of characters attempt escape their situation by hiding in closets, kitchens, club rooms and bathrooms. You will be straining at every scene.

As I write this review, I think about the well spent 90 odd minutes on this funny and entertaining movie. I had a blast! The people behind the Minions knew exactly what their audience want : a good time. And this movie delivered splendidly! The animation was sharp and crisp, supported by hilarious gags one after another. I left the cinema with a big smile. And I'm sure many others will as well.

This short line uttered by Alan Grant presaged that epic alpha v alpha bust up between the Giganotosaurus and the Tyrannosaurus Rex. It came at the climax of this fantastic movie, bookending the Jurassic Park saga that started 30 years ago. What a phenomenal summer blockbuster bonanza this has been for people of my demographic! First, we were brought back to our need for speed, and now, within weeks, we were being brought back to the magic of our love for dinosaurs. Having Sam Neil, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum coming together for this (possible) one last outing was an excellent peach of a decision by the production team. This movie captured exactly the sense of wonder, thrill, excitement and adrenaline rush many of us experienced back in 1993, and it also gave today's audience what they wanted, ie, that big feast of dinosaurs from different historical timelines and geography coming together. It even managed to bring a nod to the original in a crucial scene at the end, where, just like in 1993, the greedy bad guy tried to escape with a container of dinosaur DNA, got stuck, tried to get away, but eventually was confronted and killed by a group of Dilophosaurus. That is the charm of this movie, and I was still trying to catch my breath when the credits were rolling.

This is going to be a movie summer many will remember!

I just came back from the Lido cinema here in Singapore, the same cinema that, in 1986, me and my classmates sat there, wide-eyed and amazed by Top Gun. Now, in 2022, with my family tow, we sat in the Lido again, seeing these these iconic words flash across the screen, that unstoppable rush of nostalgia gushes out with palpable force from the very first frame of Top Gun Maverick, and what a fantastic movie it has been! Gosh I have waited 36 years for this movie, and man, the wait has been worth it. This is one of the few rare sequels where it's better, no, make that way way better than the original. The people behind the movie, Jerry Bruckheimer, Joseph Kosinski, Tom Cruise et al have made this a labour of their love. Every scene, every shot and every interaction is masterfully woven with intricate care and detailed planning. The action sequences are top of their class, surpassing that of the original by a country mile. With the passing of time comes emotional maturity, and dear me, the emotional segments, especially that brief reunion scene between Maverick and Ice Man reaches deep into your memory and pulls out those bygone feelings which has been buried deep in your heart for so many years. For the first time in many years, I feel like 17 again.

This movie is one mish mash of a salad! So many elements all coming together, and the final dish is a mix of flavours and textures. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It leaves the viewer confused, dazed and overwhelmed. It may have worked in the most recent Spiderman, but it falls somewhat flat here with Dr Strange. The inclusion of Wanda as the main antagonist, together with elements such as the Fantastic Four and X-men reminds me of a kitchen where different cooks would throw in a vegetable or a fruit or something into a pot and hope it turns out ok. Well, it didn't. The only saving grace was the chemistry between the two Bens, Benedict Cumberbatch and Benedict Wong that kept the movie sane and balanced. Other than that, this ranks as one of the inconsequential movies of the Marvel universe.

Where and how do I start this review? As someone who lived through the golden age where Hong Kong was seen as the beacon of cultural and social sophistication by South East Asia, this movie offers a viewer of this vintage a beloved walk down memory lane. Compliments to the production team for their.backbreaking work in recreating the Hong Kong of the 70s, 80s and 90s which me and many others of my demographic all remember. If anyone in the production team is reading this : your work is seen, recognised and.applauded.

The movie starts with future Cantopop lengend, Anita Mui, as a singer with more than humble background, earning her spurs as a young 4 year old with her older sister, Ann, first performing first at the Lai Chi Kok Amusement, then at various nightclubs Thereafter, the phenomenon of Anita Mui was born at the New Talent Singing Competition. The movie spends a considerable amount of time dealing with her failed romances, and also her extraordinary friendship with Leslie Cheung. Viewers should best be prepared for heart-wrenching scenes of Leslie's funeral. The producers could have used old news clips, but that scene was recreated to absolute detail. All in, the movie speaks for the era Anita Mui represented, an age of boundless energy and optimism. And "Anita" consummately encapsulates the zest, the spirit and most of all, the opulence of this era.

This movie is made with for the fans. Full stop. This match up was long in the making, similar to the old WWE days where we wait for Hulk Hogan to take on. Randy Savage or Undertaker bashing Ultimate Warrior. The anticipation is fever pitch. The movie does not disappoint. Both leads are given generous screen time, and the human supporting cast rendered nothing more than cursory talking heads. We came for the big fight, and man, did we get that, and more! This was a total contrast to that massive disappointment last X'mas (the one where the two protagonists had a shoving match as the climax), this movie had our lead characters raining major concussion endlessly on each other. It was so so satisfying. At the end of the day, this was money well spent at the cinema, and, I for one, will be getting my hands on the.special edition DVD when it comes out.

The standards of Chinese animation has definitely progressed in leaps and bounds since their initial clumsy clunky attempts at animation storytelling back in the early 2000s. This production could have easily come out from any of the top top Hollywood animation studios such as Pixar, Dreamworks or Blue Sky. You can see that there is a lot of investment in resources to make this work The artwork is excellent, and the movement of the characters crisp and on point. And most important, the creativity! Particularly impressive were the scenes at the Jade Magic Workshop. The transition is seamless. As far as the story goes, it's drawn from the Chinese myth of the "Legend of the White Snake", which would be familiar to most of East Asia.. Nonetheless, for Western audiences, best for them to see this with an open mind, and be transfixed by the wondrous images on screen.

This was the central theme of the movie, and my word, how I'd wished the people in charge would take this into heart! This was a terrible movie, and an even horrendous follow-up to the sparkling original. It provides even more damning evidence to reinforce the notion that DC has ceded even more ground to Marvel in terms of the expertise in transferring comic book heroes to the big screen.

If anything, director Patty Jenkins has been found out. All that hoopla she earned from the first movie has been needlessly squandered with a storyline that is both underwhelming and dragging. The unnecessary revival of the Steve Trevor character, and motivation of a meglomaniac villain adds tedious minutes to an already unexciting plot. And worse of all, that supposedly climatic big end-fight between Wonder Woman and Cheetah, well, its so terribly imagined, you would have thought it was the work of a first year film school student. The closest I could think of was Michael Cimono winning Best Director for "The Deer Hunter" and then went on to make "Heaven's Gate". The only bright spark was the appearance of the former Ms World USA 1972. And that wasn't even part of the movie. Yes, it was that bad

The news that WW84 tanked big in China (where life is pretty much back to normal) serves a ominous foreboding to the movie's fate elsewhere. For the people at DC thinking of sequels for Aquaman, Batman or Superman, you have been warned.

The film opened here in Asia right smack in the middle of the Chinese New Year holiday season, and the cinema we were in was packed to the max. Perhaps the best reaction I got was from my teenage daughter and her friends who had followed the series from its very first installment since they were little kids. To all of them, this concluding tour de force of a wonderful animated film series gave them the feeling it marked an end to their childhood. Wow, didn't expect that. The central theme is about growing up and letting go of the things you love, so that they can grow too. And that is the greatest gift of all.

Seems like DC and WB has got a winner here. This is by far the best comic book movie DC/WB has come out with, even better than Wonder Woman. The story doesn't meander too much, and everything stays on point. All the flashbacks are done with great effectiveness, especially when Aquaman speaks to the big bad ass Kraken guarding the trident of all tridents. And how could you miss with a unbelievable supporting cast comprising Dolph Lundgren , Nicole Kidman and Willem Dafoe. Also, I didn't know the Kraken's voice belonged to, of all people, Mary Poppins herself, Julie Andrews. The visuals were amazing, but did not overload the senses, unlike Batman v Superman or Justice League. I hope the people at DC/WB now realise you can't replace good storytelling (and good acting) with outrageous and overwhelming special effects. It doesn't work that way. It was indeed appropriate that our hero announced his arrival in our superhero consciousness with a commanding tone at the end of the show with "I am....Aquaman".

p/s With all this momentum going for Aquaman, Wonder Woman 1984 has a lot to live up to. Hope it does make it.

One of my former English Literature text back in school was "The Poems of Wilfred Owen" and the one that stuck in my head after all these years was 'Anthem For Doomed Youth'. I wasn't able to fully visualise the horror that Wilfred Owen went through, or appreciate the depth of his and his fellow soldiers' suffering.

Until now.

This film, under the astute production of Peter Jackson, took me back to those scenes from the book, of wanton destruction and loss of life which The Great War brought on every soldier who lived and fought and died for their country. Young men cut down in the prime of their lives, who, through their surviving comrades, we knew had a life ahead of them, but sadly, due to this terrible tragedy, shortened. A truly remarkable film!

The critics got it all wrong with "Bohemian Rhapsody" when the song came out, and this time, the critics got it wrong again with "Bohemian Rhapsody" the movie. Make no mistake, this is a movie made for everyone to enjoy and appreciate, just like how Queen ensured their music touched the nerves of their audience.

The tone was set at the movie's very first frame, when a rock guitar version of the 20th Century Fox fanfare came on, aptly tying the subject to the presentation. The last great movie which tied the movie to the fanfare was "Argo", and look what happened to that movie. A good omen, I hope.

This movie touched my heart more than any other that I've seen. The music was mesmerizing, and was adroitly and intricately woven into each sequence, each act and carried each arc of the movie, right up to its climatic conclusion : the band's epic Live Aid performance. It will give you goosebumps, I assure you. And make you cry, which I did.

Credit must be given to the entire production team for making this movie so believable. The cast were so good that after a while, you forget you were watching actors but rather felt like you were the fly-on-wall seeing these events happen right in front of you. I must also congratulate lead actor Rami Malek for taking in every essence of Freddie Mercury, and replicating it on the big screen with total perfection. He was not Rami, he was Freddie. Thank goodness Sacha Baron Cohen was not cast here, and Freddie Mercury would have turned out very differently, given what we know about Cohen's acting credibility (or lack of).

Finally, it'll be good for viewers to accept some creative licence undertaken by the filmakers. Gosh, if you want to see a factual depiction, go watch a documentary!

This is by far one of the most impressive movies of 2012. There was a lot of attention to detail, right down to the opening frame, where you'll see the Warners Bros logo circa 1970's, befitting the era which the movie was set.

Let's start with the basics. Argo is set in Iran during the tumultuous year 1979, a time when the US embassy in Tehran was stormed and seized by a mob of lunatic Iranian yobs. By sheer fate (of being in a separate part of the embassy), 6 American staff members managed to sneak out and became refugees in the home of the Canadian ambassador. Enter Tony Mendez (played brilliantly by Ben Affleck) of the CIA, whose job description includes 'extracting' Americans out of hazardous environment.

The first half of the film devotes to building the premise of this ridiculously far-fetched idea of using a science fiction movie as the narrative of the entire escape plan. With dwindling options available and a rapidly deteriorating situation, the US government had no choice but to go along with this, thus proving once again that sometimes, the bad ideas do really work.

The second half quickens the pace when Mendez meets the 6 Americans for the first time and has to do a quick job of trying to convince them of the plan, and getting them to act and play their role as part of a film crew. Although Mendez's plan was stopped by the authorities, he proceeds anyway. The tension really hits the roof at the airport when this desperate group are but steps away from freedom. The editing work was very well done, and you'll feel your stomach going to knots. It's only when the plane announced they were safely on their way to Zurich that you can finally let go. I would imagine that was how the 6 Americans felt at that time.

Overall, this was an extremely satisfying movie. The look and feel of the movie felt authentic, right down to the deliberate decision to make the entire movie grainy and 70s. I would be extremely disappointed if Argo did not get a mention in the Academy Awards.

The latest installment of the "Ice Age" story is probably one of the best in the series from a visual experience point of view. Even when watching the 2D version, you'll find yourself voluntarily pulled along by the great action sequence. The main story arc is, of course, family. Manny the Mammoth has to deal with issues with his teenage daughter, Deigo, the Sabre Tooth, has to deal with settling down with someone, and Sid the Sloth, has to deal with his cantankerous grandmother, who incidentally, isn't that really cuckoo or loopy as we think! The villains here are an absolute hilarious bunch of societal misfits. The funniest of them all must be the elephant seal. In the final scene where the animals find a new home, look out for a Statue of Liberty at the entrance of the harbour. This conjures up similarities of how the new immigrants must have felt when they sailed to America in the beginning of the last century as their respective homelands were torn apart. It's quite powerful stuff. And of course, if you were wondering how America got its deserts despite having one of most fertile places in the world, its all because of an acorn :)

I went into the cinema hall with great expectations with the latest Spiderman. Not really a huge comic book fan, but from time to time, I have been keeping up to date with the various teaser trailers, and know enough to keep me wanting to see it.

I did, and, to be honest, I was slightly disappointed by the lack of action. Don't get me wrong. By itself, this movie is great, visually, as well as story-wise. However, with the last Spiderman done just 5 years ago, one can't help but make comparisons between this movie and its predecessors. And this is where the movie falls short. I expected really more bone crunching action from this Spiderman. After all, the villain is another wall crawler with amazing powers of recovery, ie, he can't be hurt! Rather than having an intense action sequence, the director chose to have action interspersed throughout the movie in bits.

But, despite my little gripe, this is a spectacular movie. The star of the show is Rhys Ifans, who gave a 101% performance, balancing between the rational and the maniacal. This is great acting, and you can't learn it.

There is a dearth of films about the First World War, and as a recreational history freak, I could never quite understand why the stories of that brutal period of human history were not brought to the big screen more often. Perhaps the box office does not take kindly to an era that seems so long ago.

This is one of the most moving film I have seen in a long long time. Acclaimed director Steven Spielberg has painstakingly assembled an ensemble cast who delivered the most compelling performance of the year. Jeremy Irvine plays Albert, the farmboy who forms an immediate and instinctive relationship with the lead character of the story, a gorgeous thoroughbred whom he named "Joey". As his family fell on hard times, Albert's father was forced to sell Joey to a British Army officer, Captain Nicholls in preparation for frontline action in World War I. As the film progresses, Joey's ownership is passed from one person to another until it comes full circle back to Albert again.

This film contains many heart wrenching scenes. To mention all would be unfair to the reader. However, the one scene which left me with a lump of my throat was the part when Joey was trapped in barbed wire in the middle of no-man's land. A British soldier, Collins, his compassion stirred by the sight of an animal in pain, goes against orders and goes over his trench (it's suicide to even lift your head up) to free Joey. What makes this scene outstanding was that a German soldier was equally moved by his compassion to move out of his line to free the horse. Throughout the rescue, the two supposed adversaries conversed like chums in a pub, united by their inner humanity to free a trapped animal. At the end of the rescue when ownership went to Collins at the coin toss, Collins called the German soldier "Fritz", who then replied "my name is not Fritz, it's Peter". It shows that amidst the brutality of war, at the ground, there is humanity on both sides. It was a very moving scene indeed.

Hence, I would strongly urge you to see this film. It is a perfect tonic for the holiday, and a inspiration to what may be a troubled year ahead.

If ever there was a film for an actor to resurrect his flagging career, this would be IT. This film has action written all over, and the tension never lets up from the first moment. The viewer will first be transported from cold Eastern Europe, to the magnificent Middle East, and then exotic South Asia, all within the space of just over 2 hours. I would compare this film to be like a roller coaster ride, where you are slowly ascending up the ramp (building the plot) which is then followed by a dramatic breath-taking drop (the supremely spine chilling climb scene outside Dubai's Burj Khalifa...mind blowing), then a couple of twists and turns (the policy wonk who knows more than writing papers), all of which climaxes in a double overhead loop (the end scene at a high tech car park) and finally, the relief at the end of everything. The wonderful thing about rollercoasters is that after the ride, you'll want another round to feel the adrenaline again. This is how it feels like when you finish watching it. You want to see it again. After a summer of fighting robots, talking cars, it is great that 2011 ends the film going year with what I consider a classic thriller.

First off, I must say what a pleasure it must been for me personally to see this fantastic film ahead of the United States. Usually the traffic is one way from that direction to the rest of the world.

But enough of that.

What an adventure! As someone who grew up reading the world of Tintin, I must admit I had serious concerns how anyone can pull this off without alienating the fan-base. How wrong I was! In the capable hands of Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson, this dynamic duo has managed, against all odds, to bring the spirit, character and that "X" factor of Tintin from print to screen so seamlessly.

And the 3D, my word, the technology is brilliant. Forget the fear of leaving the cinema with a headache because the visuals were crisp and out of this world. At times, you'll really believe you are watching a real person rather than an imaginary one. The script was well written so it does not matter if you do not follow the series or know the characters because as the film progresses, you will slowly learn of them.

Finally, the success or failure of any animation depends on the voices behind the various characters. Amongst this talent pool of voices, the absolute standout performance for me must be Daniel Craig. He delivered the correct level of charm and menace in his vocal delivery as the chief villain. It was as if he studied all the villains from the Bond archive and reproduced it here. An excellent performance indeed.

So I am awarding this film full marks.

There were a more than a few sighs in the cinema audience when the final scene ended with the fade out of the 3 protagonists (who IMO didn't age 19 years at all) as their children departed for Hogwarts. Most of these sighs came from the slightly younger people in the audience, the Gen Y and Gen Z. I know how it feels. I grew up with Star Wars and I got that same feeling when the saga concluded with "Revenge of the Sith". It's that feeling of emptiness that there is nothing else to look forward to now.

The final installment of the Harry Potter story is everything the viewer wants, and more. The performances of all actors, even those in supporting roles, were excellent. While it was natural that the younger stars got most of the attention, to me, the outstanding performances came from the older ones, like Alan Rickman, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, David Thewlis and Jason Isacs.

I was completely fascinated by Alan Rickman's Severus Snape. His back story, done in a flashback, was the fulcrum to which the entire series rests upon. Alan Rickman played the part of a misunderstood hero to absolute perfection. From the flashback, you can see his complete devotion to his childhood friend, Lily, and how he loved her so much that he was willing to sacrifice his good name and reputation to protect her legacy, ie, Harry Potter. Watch out for the scene when he uttered "you have your mother's eyes" before dying. It would make your viewing of Snape's memories that much more poignant. Unfortunately, that flashback was hastily done, and it does not give justice to Snape's dislike of James Potter. But I suppose for that to happen, the running time would have to be extended by another 30 mins. Alan Rickman owned Snape, and Snape owned Harry Potter.

The other standout performance was none other than Ralph Fiennes' Voldermort. He reminded me of that sadistic Nazi camp commander in "Schinder's List", a role which he excelled. You'll feel a chill in your spine even when all he needs to do is stare at you from the screen. A little girl about 6 who was sitting in the row in front of me grabbed her mother for dear life when he did this. Yes, he was that good.

Finally, you will understand the reason for the inter-twining of the destinies of Harry and Voldermort, which happened on the night James and Lily were killed.

All in, this is a fitting and well deserved conclusion to a saga which needed a full 10 years to unfold.

Just came back from the cinema watching the latest Transformers, and I will say this : This installment of the series is entertainment at its best! Note that I use the word "entertainment" and not story telling because this film is what it is and makes no apologies about it. Critics and others who savage this film are obviously stuck in their ivory tower and unable to differentiate just what summer film audience wants. You do not go to a cinema in the middle of summer expecting a dose of Chauncer, Shakespeare or Hemingway! Yes, there are holes in the story the size of elephants, but so what? You want to be entertained. End of.

So here's my review.

As a lay follower of the Transformers story, I am somewhat familiar with the lead characters, and I have to say that although the movie takes creative license to the max, the end result is a satisfying 2 hrs of solid entertainment. You have it all : a revisionist view of the lunar mission, treachery by a senior ranking Autobot in Sentinel Prime, moments of comedy, a gorgeous woman, and eye popping special effects that will leave you breathless to the very last minute. The final hour is a fantastic convergence of the story where Chicago is pulverised to smithereens, and yes, this time unlike the previous two installments, innocent civilians can be seen vapourised on screen. The producers have also obviously realised that the audience wants to see a more detailed, ie, slower, transformation of Autobots and Decepticons from their robot mode to their alternate mode, and the special effects team have done that splendidly! You will be amazed.

However, despite this, I could not give this a full score because I am left with a certain level of disappointment. The relatively cheap and undignified deaths of Starscream, Megatron and Shockwave was totally unexpected. You would think that a major character like Starscream deserve a more glorified death than being hit in the eye by Sam's weapon. I could not believe these high tech villains could be undermined by really low tech solutions.

That said, this is a fantastic piece of entertainment which will make your summer that much more memorable.

This is creative movie making at its most extreme. By transplanting the X-men mythology into an actual historical event, ie, the Cuban Missile Crisis, you have to suspend disbelief entirely for the duration of the movie.

That being said, on its own, this movie does sufficient justice as a background piece to the X-men series for non-followers. We now realise just how deep and how broad the affection is between the Professor and Magneto. We also we understand the extremist behaviour of Magneto, the misunderstood villain. I mean, it's not easy to forgive when someone pumps hundreds of missiles at you to ensure your demise! Overall, it's an OK movie to spend your money on.

This is one of Jim Carrey's better films. Gone are the zany antics, off-the-wall humour and other annoying gestures. What you get is a wholesome family entertainment, coupled with a bunch of adorable penguins.

When a busy father neglects his family for the sake of his career, it takes a gift from his own father to realise just what a terrible mistake he is making. That gift comes in the a brood of penguins who, for some reason, takes a liking to silent movies :) Finally, the father understands what family is all about.

An excellent time for everyone. The children will be delighted, I guarantee.

Just saw this movie for the first time on local television, and it ranks on par with the original "Rocky" of 1976. I was only 6 when the original came out, and saw it too on local television, but didn't understand the movie's underdog theme until years later. This movie had that same resonance. Not only that, watching the movie as it unfolds, it also adds (personally for myself) another layer of angst, particularly of older Gen-Xers like myself, who are increasingly being marginalised at the workplace by the rash, brash and trash Gen-Yers represented by Dixon "The Line" Mason in the movie. Seeing an older guy like Rocky giving the younger man as good as he can give, and more, gave me enormous satisfaction, albeit, only for two hours. Still, it feels good to know that some us oldies still have "it" when the need arises. This is an emotional and fitting send-off for an icon from a bygone era, an era where respect actually means something.