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The Fall Guy acts as a homage to all the stuntmen and stuntwomen out there. This is a love letter to the stunt team, a film dedicated to showing the grittiness and the roughness of the industry and how the movie industry will fall apart without them. Not only that, this is also a film for anyone who loves films or filmmaking in general.

Just like how Barbie was meta for the toy industry, The Fall Guy is meta for the filmmaking industry. Plenty of subtle and hidden messages that were incorporated in the script. Ex: There was one scene that spontaneously mentioned on how the stunt team didn't get any recognition at the Oscars. There was even distinct mentions or references of Taylor Swift, Dune, Kill Bill and Miami Vice amongst many others. Plenty were about the movie industry that if you spotted those things, you would truly have a good time in the cinemas.

Marketed as an action rom-com, this film didn't fill its promise with the comedy. It's an element that's just lacking from beginning 'til the end. Of course, it wasn't empty, it had its moments but for a comedy film, it didn't achieve the bar it was supposed to. You might be smiling or left out a few chuckles, but they weren't anything that were just worth bursting out loud. Again, comedy is extremely subjective.

The Fall Guy did very well the first 30 minutes of the film. Everything you wanted it to be was conveyed really well. David Leitch opened the film about a film who's working for that film. It fully maximizes everything exciting regarding this subject. The main focus was about filmmaking and the stunt community. It shed light on these unsung heroes, showcasing their dedication and talent in bringing action-packed scenes to life. And damn, it is very good and entertaining.

When the second act came in, we started to lose a bit of interest in this movie. Mainly due to its shift of focus that it somehow turned into a murder mystery genre. First act was very good that it talked a lot on filmmaking, and almost every scene was located in a production set. The dialogues were also heavy on that. But the middle part focused more on the murder mystery and romance. While they still included a lot of the meta elements here but they turned its way into a more generic film when it could have been so much more.

Even most of the dialogues during the romance scenes were just not as good as the rest of the script. They just didn't maximize the stuff they were talking about. Some dialogues felt meaningless. Some were just flat out boring. Some have meanings but if only they could polish them, this movie would have been so much better.

Luckily, Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt sparked a good chemistry on set. Even with a moment of no dialogues, just when they're looking at each other, you'll know well enough their chemistry is just electrifyingly good. There were moments they weren't physically together, but the film showed them on a split screen and etc. But the palpable connection between them remained strong.

The movie redeems itself at the third act. It's a very epic ending and you rarely see this kind of ending in an action rom-com movie. The action and the scope were big and the messages were all very on-point with the whole theme of the film. It's bombastic but it's lovely at the same time. It's less on fighting or punching, but more on the performing of stunts. 2-3 scenes felt and looked like they came straight out from old classic films. There's just a certain way that the ending was shot that it gave a homage to old action movies. It's indeed a sight to behold.

Verdict: A love letter to the unsung heroes, The Fall Guy pays homage to the stunt community, exploring their hardships behind the scenes through the lens of both a director and a stuntman. While it falls short on delivering promised comedy, its first act shines with interesting filmmaking commentary. Despite a weak second act, strong chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt along with an epic finale elevate the film, delivering a visually stunning tribute to classic cinema.

P. S: There's a mid-credit scene! Stay tuned!

• This is a remarkable feat of a movie that sets the bar very high for future sci-fi films, especially targeted towards mature audiences.

• Dune Part Two is an exemplar of a great 'show, don't tell' film. It treats its audience very intelligently. It knows you're wise enough to get the gist of every scene. It gives you just enough exposition and leaves the rest for you to think. It lets you experience the almost 3-hour journey by yourself without shoving down information into your throat or telling audience what everything means like you're reading a description from a book.

• Using a lot of religions and beliefs to support the base of the story, the script (and novels) really takes inspiration from Islam. The terms, the costumes, the designs, a lot of them resemble with the intricacies of Islam. Even the story moves in a way that was inspired heavily by Islam. There was even this one scene in particular, that the idea, strategy and the art of war were borrowed by the true story of the Conquest of Mecca, how Prophet Muhammad gave Mecca the freedom it needed from the influences and practices of the ignorance.

• Tis has got to be the most gigantic film this year. Yes, we know it's only February but damn, the scale of this film is so epic, you would feel the need to have an IMAX screen that is 10 times larger than what we have now. It's super massive and the camera shots really emphasize the scope the way it meant to be. Greig Fraser, the Director of Photographer knows his way in-and-out of the desert. He knows how to capture the perfect angle; the arc shot, the one shot, trucking shot, close-ups, extreme close-ups etc. He's a master at enhancing our experience by using different types of shots. He truly knows what to do with the camera. This is not a generic Hollywood filmmaking. This is art at its finest.

• As this film heavily emphasizes on the 'show, don't tell' approach, we have to admit that a few tiny parts had us confused. There were some things that felt unclear to us. There were things that we felt, 'Well, maybe if they could have explain to us just a bit more, we would have gotten what they were trying to tell us'.

• Similar to Dune Part One, Dennis Villeneuve masters at crafting environments and atmospheres that are just rich with textures, depths and dimensions. When you see it, you can feel it. When they are in the desert, you can somehow feel the warmth of the basking Sun even if you're seating cold at the cinema. When sand touches Paul Atreides' face, you can feel the sensation. When Shai al-Hulud makes an appearance, you can feel how mighty this beast is. Everything feels realistic. There's a certain weight this movie carries that immerses you completely in its world.

• Austin Butler nails it in his role. Out of all, he's the most outstanding. He is a vile creature that kills others for sports. His charisma is top notch. And his character alone is captivating and chilling, leaving a lasting impression on the audience. Butler's portrayal adds a layer of complexity and intensity to the film, making his scenes particularly memorable.

• Let's talk about the climax battle. It's ah-mazing. It's a Godzilla-sized scope that demands the widest shots you can ever possibly get. But here's the thing; it fails to maximize the build-up and scope of the action. Just when you thought things are about to get very very exciting, it ends there and moves forward with a smaller scope. All the scope they have created can be stretched with longer action scenes, specific choreographies, more spectacle visual to get the good pay-off. Tone down your expectations for the climax, if you're expecting Lord of the Rings or Infinity War duration-like action, you're gonna be underwhelmed.

• Timothee Chalamet's performance here is outstanding. But, we have a slight issue with his character's arc; Paul Atreides. His arc graph is well-written, up until the final 30 minutes where we felt that his character gave a bit too much emotions that don't jive with his overall arc. Towards the end, his emotional intensity escalates quite abruptly, detracting from the otherwise seamless development. While this film is already long, we felt that if they could have extended another 15 to 20 minutes to give breadth and depth to his character in the third act, it would be complete and... we would even say, sacred.

• His counterpart; Zendaya feels a bit lost here. She's great but she couldn't really carry her role. She's the lead, playing a prominent character but she seems superficial when she's with Timothee, which is about 80% of her screen time. She doesn't know how to balance her character with Timmy. She's timid. She appears 'less skillful' than what she's supposed to do. She doesn't understand when to give and take the spotlight to and from Timmy. Again, she's great but her acting here is just not on part with Timmy.

• New characters in this don't really do much for us. Well, some of them do like Stilgar who appeared at the end of Part One. But others like Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) and Margot Fenring (Ley Seydoux) are unfortunately underused. First, their initial appearance of these characters are quite bizarre. They just sort of appear. They could have done a better way at hooking the audience with richer contexts. While the existence of the characters are important to drive the story forward, their roles feel rather superficial and lacking in depth. It leaves us much to be desired. Hopefully, they'll have more screen time in Part 3.

Verdict: A cinematic tour de force, Dune Part Two is an immersive and exotic odyssey that epitomizes the enchantment of storytelling on the big screen. An epic oeuvre, it worms its way into complex narratives and Godzilla-sized dunes with a scale and scope so vast, it doesn't fit an IMAX screen. Yes, there are flaws but a novel adaptation of this magnitude is bound to have sand grains in the wind. Nevertheless, Dune Part Two's grandeur and ambition remind us why cinemas exist in the first place. This is a sandstorm of cinematic brilliance.

Packed in a way that is engaging, Argylle offers a story that felt rather simple. But as you went further and further into it, it became something more than that. You will become more intrigued. Your interest in the movie will be better. It will be anything beyond your expectations. They surprise you with the storytelling, it became soooo interesting halfway through the movie. What started as an 'okay' premise turned into something captivating that got really interesting.

There's a certain appeal we like with the way the story was told. They're good at containing and revealing the surprise elements. They knew how to structure the story. It was exciting knowing that the scriptwriters and directors knew what they're doing. We felt that the script was polished from time to time, tightening loose ends and only when it's ready that they started to greenlight the production.

However, the third act felt... a bit too much. The beginning of the story had this blend of normality and ridiculousness. It was a great combination but the second act came in and it got interesting but slightly replicated the world of Kingsman. But came the third act and it was wayyyy too ridiculous, even more ridiculous than Kingsman I would say. The tone just fell apart there. It became too cartoon-ish, we wondered, 'What happened to all the logics they had established in the beginning?'. If only the beginning was a bit more boisterous in its tone, we could have enjoyed more of the third act.

Another thing that Argylle suffers from is that for a movie this ridiculous, it just doesn't have that much energy to supplement the tone and action portrayed. It became increasingly weirder and ridiculous but the thing is, the energy was flat, if not, increased only mildly. If you felt kinda numb watching the action scenes or you felt that they did everything right but you still felt that something was off or missing, then yeap, it's the energy that's lacking. Kingsman had a vibrant energy and that's what made it a very good film, it jived with the tone of the film. This one, not so much.

Its strong lies in the dynamic of almost every character, particularly the main leads played by Bryce Dallas Howard & Sam Rockwell. These two carried the movie with the support of the whole cast. Bryce and Sam really shined through and through, delivering performances that stay true to what their characters are supposed to suggest to the audience. They are the leads but they don't necessarily have to be charming or elegant. They don't need to be on par with the beauty standards set in Hollywood because their characters just are not meant to be. Personality wise, both of them have different qualities that made their presence strong when together. Their characters really felt out of place to be the leads but it's interesting to have them both put in the situations they're in. Ohhh, and the cat is just sooooo purr-fect.

While a lot of characters are interesting, we indeed have a problem with one character. The character played by Samuel Jackson. His character was very flat for someone who seemed very important. It wasn't fleshed out enough. He barely had any screen time that it won't really affect the story if... he's not thereeee? For a great actor to have a minimal role and did him dirty while other characters have more significance in their presence for the story is kinda like an insult.

Even Dua Lipa has more screen time than him! Or so we thought according to our calculation. This movie markets Dua Lipa as the supporting character but rest assured, she's not. If you guess she's here as a cameo, then you're right. Her acting was okay at best, but she's very pleasing to watch. If only we could get more from her, the movie might have been more fun.

There's a certain cartoon-ish and comical element that comes with the visual effects. But knowing how this movie is going to make us feel and how it's going to look like, the imperfect look just became the right fit for this kind of movie, might even be intentional somehow, that they made the CGI looked exactly the way they appeared to be because it jived with the whole Kingsman-like tone since it's directed by the same guy.

We also need to give credits where it's due to the people who came with the idea and the people who made it happen. The first 45 mins, especially the train scene has superb transitions. It plays with this element a lot and we could see they had so much fun shooting the scenes. The transitions were hard to do but it was smooth. It's something that amplified its entertainment value and we love it.

While the story is packaged and told in a fascinating way, we are not eager to head to the theater for a second viewing. In our opinion, this movie doesn't have the rewatchability factor. It doesn't have the elements to hook us in for a repeat. Action is great but not 'wow' enough. Comedy is there but was pretty bland. There just wasn't anything visually memorable that would want us or we're guessing, most audience for a repeated viewing. The only reason to go again if you'd like to spot all the tiny little details that happened and analyze it better in case you overlooked it during your first viewing. Our advice is, focus on all the little hints this movie is giving you because it is important for the story.

Verdict: What Argylle masters is in its art of crafting its storytelling filled with surprising moments alongside its colourful character dynamics. This Kingsman-like world reflects on and subtly criticizes past action movies tropes in an engaging, somewhat meta manner. Where Argylle lacks is the absurd finale, weak energy and the zilch interest of rewatching it again. But then, Matthew Vaughn again created a world so unique we cannot overlook the fact that this is the most original of a film we can get in 2024.

Wrapping up all its 12 episodes, W: Two Worlds offers a refreshing take as its story is altered halfway through, taking a risky move that can make or break the show.

A story that gives itself more autonomy and freedom, parting away from the original source material the deeper it goes into, W: Two Worlds is an entertaining ride from beginning until the end. Mixing romance, action and sci-fi is something not easy to pull off. The story started with a lot of world-building elements essential for the audience to understand. Was it audience-friendly enough? Without a doubt, yes. It wasn't complex.

The first six episodes were good enough, we wanted to know more once the cliffhanger revealed. The setup was amazing, it had a great build-up, revealing one layer to the next, the character developments for some character were well-established though a few fell a but left behind like Hanna. Entertaining value was quite high considering it kept the audience hooked as we'd like to know what's coming next for the characters. The main characters had a high stake of dying. The CGI for a local show, was quite impressive.

The four leads did a great job, they had a great balance between one another. No one had a bigger spotlight, everyone's acting was great and this includes Tony Eusoff, Faizal Hussein and Shahkimin. We could feel that they all understood the art of dancing in acting and everyone passed over the dialogues gracefully. This shows they had a strong bond off cameras. We knew by how they all acted.

A special hats off to Shahkimin who played Rafi in this. Usually a comic relief character is just annoying that doesn't help the story. It's there for the sake of comedy. Full stop. But here, Shahkimin delivered his role well, it's actually quite difficult to create his character the way he did. And the scriptwriters didn't forget him as they put him in as the wingman of the main characters that actually helped to boos the story's values and developments.

Also, kudos to the people who were in charge for Hun and Elizabeth's characters, they both really looked like Koreans! If we were to look only by the still images of the show, we'd believe that they are Koreans.

However, if we had to give an advice, we would give it to Hun Haqeem because this is not the first time we saw him and there was one particular thing that he needed to improve. With all due respect, Hun, you played your roll well as Aliff Hadi. You studied his character. But, everytime when you have to act angry or in rage, your character(s) became one-dimensional. The graph you have built for your character just fell off once you have to act furious. The graph suddenly became non-existent, it became flat that there was little to no logic that the character(s) has to be THAT furious. Being angry doesn't mean that you need to constantly shout or your face needs to look very pissed. Same goes with other emotions encapsulated in a character, it has a graph as well.

Episodes 7 until 10 are episodes where we can say they do not meet our expectations. These episodes are weak compared to the others for a number of reasons. The background actors, especially those who have dialogues, did a very poor job in delivering their lines, to the extent where we just had to pause and laugh (for the wrong reasons) before we press 'Play' again. Pacing issue is another major thing. These 4 episodes felt very tedious, that the problem is they weren't sure which sub-stories or scenes they should give more time and space. Some scenes should be short but remained longer and vice versa. Some stories should have more focus but were overshadowed by other stories that were unnecessary to stretch on.

It also seems that when they started to control the narrative starting Episode 7, keeping away from the Korean version, they had no clue how to make the show interesting. It just felt very bland, nothing was memorable. Nothing felt special and the key tone and identity that the show had for the past 6 episodes were missing. It became like any other drama.

However, it was a huge relief that they managed to make a comeback with the final 2 episodes; 11 & 12. It redeems itself back and proves to the audience that it will have a good pay off. And... it certainly did. We're impressed how they fell off for the past four episodes and decided to just swing back right at the top with the finale. It knows how to make a closure. It understands what it means to have a good ending. The scriptwriters and director are aware on how to leave a profound impact where viewers would feel empty once the show has ended, meaning it has truly succeeded in doing what it's supposed to do.

For Viu's Malaysia Original Series, most of their show have good pay offs, encapsulating an overall good story. However, there was one issue, when it comes to that FINAL MINUTE, that final 60 seconds, their shows don't really know how to give a great scene that ends its story. Examples include Alter-Naratif & Nenek Bongkok Tiga. Their final scenes didn't give you much satisfaction even though their stories are well-rounded. But recently, their final scenes have somewhat improved with From Saga With Love that had an almost-perfect closure and now, W: Two Worlds that gave an impactful final scene a few seconds after the credits roll. It might be predictable for some, but we needed that. And the character needed that as well. It certainly is an important scene that captured the essence of the character's emotion that he/she's been yearning to have which will make viewers happy, ending it on a high note.

Verdict: W: Two Worlds takes bold risks, reinventing itself midway and finishing strong despite some rough patches. While it grapples with pacing and inconsistent episodes that felt rather tedious, its standout performances, alongside commendable CGI and a redemptive final act, ensure a memorable journey. W: Two Worlds is a testament that we have what it takes to create and produce high-quality sci-fi contents, moving away from the typical genres of mere romance and drama we always bow down to. It certainly is one of the most unique and ambitious local shows in 2023.

Went in almost completely blind, avoiding the trailers and only stumbling across a few still images, Saltburn is... weird and disgustingly good movie. There's unlike anything you've seen this year. It's a twisted and remarkably enthralling cinematic experience that defies expectations, delivering a bizarre yet strangely captivating narrative.

Saltburn makes you feel uncomfortable and unnerving, in the best possible way. It is a movie that when you go in, you'll think of drama or romance or dark comedy but it subverts your expectations the further you get into the experience. Exaggerating we are not, it is a journey into the deep unknown and whichever turn that the film will take, you must be able to anticipate and adapt as it will challenge your perceptions and thoughts.

For us who adore Call Me By Your Name, the first act of this movie resembles A LOT with Elio and Oliver's classic love story. We felt that it's somehow inspired by it and considering that Barry Keoghan's character is also named Oliver, it's just evident where this is coming from. The palpable tension, the atmosphere, the tone and the dominant-submissive energy the leads were giving speak volume to the similarities with Call Me By Your Name. Only in the first act, though.

Speaking about the leads, Barry Keoghan as Oliver & Jacob Elordi as Felix were outstanding in their roles. Barry Keoghan is the highlight, if this movie has had received more spotlight from the Awards, he would have gotten that Best Actor award. There's a certain charisma and charm he brought to his character and the transformation that he gave was just brilliant. He didn't break away from the holistic nature of his character but he made him almost unrecognizable compared to the first scene you knew him from. Jacob Elordi also oozes his character's charisma that's different from Barry's. His charisma comes from a rich family with kindness at heart. The chivalry, the positivity and the free will embodiment shined through him so much that you might just fall in love with his character (unless of course, if things took an unexpected turn).

As daring as it is, this film relies on shock value. We don't want to go any deeper as it will spoil the movie, but there are scenes that may make you think 'well, of course they won't do it, but then they did it anyway'! The craft that they are putting is bold and confident, you'll be aware this is a movie where it knows no boundaries and limits, using and exploring the creative freedom they have and put everything into it. Viewer discretion is advised. Don't watch this with your family. Just don't.

We love how the director and writer took their approach on the script and story. This is a film that isn't entirely driven by character study, but it subtly explores intricate human emotions, interwoven within a captivating narrative that transcends mere character analysis. It's a perfect mixture of the main plot narrative and character insights. It has a story to tell while also delving into the nuanced exploration of the characters involved especially Barry Keoghan's Oliver.

While almost everything is brilliant, we cannot overlook the fact that this film's overall message is lacking. We understood the story, we learned so much of the characters but Saltburn was not providing in return that audience could gain something from. Once the credits roll, that's it. Of course, everything you just saw, you will have to process them afterwards because the movie is so weird and uncomfortable but the entire message, the added value for you, isn't really there. If there's a theme and message behind it, it would be about class, wealth and status but it's told very subtly and not explored enough.

We also found that certain storylines weren't fully developed. Some plots were built up since the beginning but halted midway through the movie and never really brought up again. Those plots did establish some grounds for the characters but they weren't fully cooked, just left hanging for audience to individually analyze their significance.

And with every dark comedy film that exists in this world, there's one universal truth and this film is no exception; it is definitely not for everyone.

Verdict: Blown away, Saltburn is an audacious and shockingly unconventional film that subverts expectations and norms. While the entire cast delivers impressive performances, Barry Keoghan stands out the most, delivering an Oscar-worthy portrayal that steals the spotlight. Utilizing shock value as its weapon, Saltburn fearlessly reveals humanity's darkest thoughts and emotions, powerfully translating them into boundless, tangible manifestations that transcend boundaries and limits, making this one of the top 5 films of 2023.

Aquaman and The Lost of Kingdom suffers THE SAME problem with the first installment; it DOES NOT have a distinct identity. We were shocked to see that the major problem they had in Aquaman 1 was again manifested in this sequel. If you watch a film, you know the kind of tone and feel that a movie is giving you. But this movie feels like a jumbled medley of imitations from different kinds of films, almost like a parody. There's a 10-minute scene where you felt like this is from an Indiana Jones world, and then the next thing you know, you're stuck in the realm of Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. We can name a lot of different movies that this film takes its tone and design and pastes it into the movie. War of the Worlds, The Matrix Revolutions, Ridley Scott's Aliens and... okay, we'll stop now. The result is an endless patchwork of downgraded recreations from various movies. It felt like Aquaman had a day at Disneyland going into different kind of movie-themed rides (minus the 'fun').

Adding to that, the first act felt like it was venturing into a documentary style format mixed with Ridley Scott's Alien style of exposition. Alien was a masterpiece but like we said, this is a dumpster reiteration, it was slow, it had little to no suspense, it tried to build momentum but it didn't work. They could have cut 10 minutes but they didn't. It was unnecessarily drawn out as they spent time showing the entirety of their journey into the deep unknown like this is some kind of art house film.

Now, a lot are asking, is Amber Heard in it? Well, yes. Did she have many scenes? Her presence was only about 15% of the whole film. Her character, Mera did play a pivotal role for the story but James Wan, the director knew when to show her on screen. The question, 'Is her presence important on screen?' seems like what James Wan would ask himself before making the decision to put her in. She only had few dialogues but her performance was still flat.

We also have a problem with how much they made use of 'space'. Especially in the first act, we saw they're a lot of wide shots used but the issue here is the space that filled in those shots; the surroundings, locations or/and environments were only there because... they were made to be there. It barely did anything to the story. But when it comes to scenes that were crowded or had various props or extras, the cameras ddin't give audience the time to breathe and process the visuals. A lot of mid to fast cuts, there wasn't much of a sense of appreciation to enjoy the visuals they have built. In the end, we felt discontented.

First Aquaman at least had villains that were enjoyable to watch. This time, the villain or again, villains were just forgettable. The motivations were weak. The main villain didn't really drive the story forward. It had a backstory and conflict that were created merely for the purpose of this movie's existence. We couldn't care less because it's nowhere interesting, let alone enjoyable.

And talking about that final battle... oh man. It was unbearable to the point that it turned laughable. Was it because of the reshoots that they suffered here? The whole movie, led to the final battle, it was a journey between Aquaman and his brother, only for us to find out that the villain was feeble and it gave the benefit of the plot armor for Aquaman and his weapon. It's just bad storytelling on top of bad execution overall.

And the movie draggggggsssssss so much, we even questioned, 'What happened to James Wan?' From the beginning up until the climax, we were just waiting for something cool or unique to happen, but it didn't. It drags until the final battle where it should be longer but then that's when they decided to just cut things off and ended it abruptly the moment the exciting thing was about to pop up. We're confused.

Amidst these flaws, one thing that truly stood out is its message on brotherhood. A beautiful message combo with good pairing, Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson have commendable chemistry, we can see it from the way they talk to each other. There's certainly some dedication they put into establishing their relationship. It's nothing that you can remember for years but it's enough to at least carry this movie despite the many bad outcomes this movie turned out to be.

Ultimately, Aquaman 2 seems tailored for a younger audience who just want to enjoy monsters and sea creatures fighting against literally anything or anyone, rather than catering to teenagers or adults seeking a compelling narrative.

Verdict: Similar to its predecessor, this sequel fails to find its identity, drowning in an ocean of borrowed tones and styles from previous movies. With a shallow story, forgettable villains and inconsistent pacing, this film struggles to stay afloat. While it's a tidal wave of disappointing results, the portrayal of brotherhood between the two leads stands out as a beacon, carrying the entire movie. Overall, this final chapter from the DCEU serves as a testament we're in dire need for a total reboot of these superheroes.

Now with all 10 episodes wrapped, we would like to say that it has been such a veryyyy longgggg timeeeeee since we've gotten a rom-com show that is just this good and meaningful. From Saga With Love shows that you the rom-com is not dead and we can do more than just the dead clichèd formula everyone's getting tired of. It goes beyond the boundaries by crafting a story worth telling. It cares about the audience so much that it wants you to cherish this show and hold it dearly to your heart. It is NOT just another money grab story or a story that is lazy, they're doing it because they have to. The team behind From Saga With Love does it because they want to.

We all know that rom-com is relatively the easiest to make (Disclaimer: Filmmaking is not easy); you need a fairly low to moderate budget, a simple story, a bit of jokes and a good chemistry between the leads. Any filmmaker can take this for granted, you don't need an in-depth knowledge to make a rom-com. But to make a very good rom-com, that's an entirely different story. Why? Because you need to think outside of the box, be creative and make sure that it has a right balance between reality and fantasy. From Saga With Love is indeed a masterpiece in the rom-com genre.

What makes this better than most rom-coms is that it treats the audience well. It knows the audience is intelligent. So it brings to the question, 'How can we impress them?'. An instance, those who have seen a lot of rom-coms, looking at the poster, we bet you can tell the ending to the story already, who will fall in love with who. But this show takes it up a notch. 'How about if we trick but still respect the audience?'

We all know the Projek High Council has the best Malaysia ensemble cast this year but hey, From Saga With Love comes as a runner-up with the help of Siti Khadijah, Sophie Koshka, Fimie Don, Ikmal Amry & everyone else. We can see they were given time to develop their chemistry and friendship. And Umi Salwana as the director also helped them a lot. How can we know that? Well, before this, Sophie and Ikmal were okay-ish actors, Siti Khadijah was good in almost everything that she does and Fimie has been talented since he was young. But under Umi, these four leads are all as great as the other equally, with no one trying to outshine the others or holding back in their remarkable performances.

And the thing we love most is that it wasn't trying to portray who's good or who's bad. Each character has their own good deeds and wrongdoings, and their way of showing this is unique enough that it wants us to realize that we're all humans. We can act in kindness while we make mistakes with others. We can be thoughtful and hurt the same person the next minute. Its brilliance lies in the script, where every character learn about the meaning of life in multifaceted aspects and different journeys. At the end, they're all humans just like us, trying to find our Ikigai.

Now, with most rom-coms, it's hard to get away with the corny parts. The 'Yikes' or 'Erghh' you always make if you stumble across scenes that are just plainly corny. Or scenes that would make your little hair on your body just stand straight because of how cheesy they are. But for From Saga With Love, it stays away from this. Of course, there are few moments where they are cheesy but it's forgivable. Appreciating other parts and scenes, the team really spells a lot of magic here. The dialogues, the songs, the acting, the emotions, the context, everything is done with a clear mind to make sure that cheesy and corny are not in the dictionary of this show. Kudos!

We feel that each episode is just impressively made except for 7 & 8. They are good episodes but not as par as the others. 7 was where they moved back to Malaysia and 8 felt like a Part 2 of Episode 7. Just like Ikmal Amry's character, there's a certain culture shock that happened in the script. It was adjusting to the odds of not being in Japan anymore. Other episodes were always packed with sub-stories or laughs, but these two were filled with little gaps that felt a bit lost and stranded. It was a pair of episodes about coming to terms of their current reality which could be as impactful as Episode 9 & 10 but it somehow missed the mark.

Luckily, the final 2 episodes really saved everything. It was a rewarding experience especially during Episode 10. We think this is the first time that a Malay rom-com did its ending true justice, the one that it deserves. No cliffhangers and most of the stories have closures. Adding to that is the none predictability factor, it will make you guess unlike many rom-coms that you will already know the ending miles away.

And why does the ending is so good? This has to do with the script and the previous episodes that they have set up. There's a certain ambiguity that the script creates to keep us guessing. The connections between males and females here are equalized, if two were to spend their time alone together, each pairing would relatively have pretty much the same screen time. Each bonding is just strong that the pay off is served at the final episode.

Verdict: Dethroning Projek High Council, From Saga With Love now claims the title of Malaysia's best series in 2023. This masterpiece breaks free from rom-com clichés, offering a refreshing narrative by highlighting the complexities of human nature and reasonings, emphasizing the universal purpose of life (Ikigai) and ensuring the cheesiness is close to zilch. It treats its audience with respect, boasts strong performances, crafts a well-written storytelling and rewards a gratifying conclusion, making it a must-watch for everyone especially rom-com enthusiasts.

• Based on the incredible true story, the film follows the life of Jann Mardenborough who was an avid gamer before his dream turned into a reality by becoming a car racer. What this film offers is something that can inspire everyone; both adults and children and both fans and non-fans of car racing alike. It is moving enough for you to care about the characters, it is inspiring enough for you to realize that it is never too late to achieve your dreams. It is stimulating to the point that you would want to play the titular game right after watching the movie.

• While the story is far from getting that Oscar nod, this film knows that's not what they're going for. It's not about telling the story in a very detailed way, unfolding each event or emotion scrupulously. It's about serving what the fans want. Fans of Gran Turismo and other-related car racing games like Need For Speed & Forza Horizon. And they did that very well. The film did an excellent job of identifying their audience and giving them exactly what they want; a good mixture of story and racing. What's even better is other audience would also enjoy this one as much as die-hard fans of GT.

• Almost half of the film's runtime is set in the car racing track. That's a lot. Watching the film, we know that Neill Blomkamp, the director of District 9 and Chappie did his research and study on a lot of stuff. There's a certain mood that he brought here. That nervous feeling you had when you wanted to pass your driving license? You would feel it again here. Those dangerous racing stunts you saw at the Le Mans race? You would see it here. That Playstation-trademarked sound and those Gran Turismo-customized symbols you would hear and see when playing the game? They're present here. Neill made sure you'll have the best experience in the racing track.

• And yes, you could feel the intensity of the racing scenes. This film gives you that standard upward graph, the further the film goes, the higher the intensity is, and the more heart pumping you will be as the film comes nearer to the end. Even the racing gets tougher and tougher as it progresses with more dangerous race courses filled with twists, turns & dips. Adding onto that, Neill was able to put the audience at the edge of their seats with the powerful camera works. There are some very excellent drone shots here that might just give you the boost for adrenaline rush.

• But... one problem we had during the racing scenes was that we felt that the pacing could be better. They could have shown longer takes between the cuts. If they did this, the intensity could be even bigger. Why Ford V Ferrari is such a masterpiece was because of its pacing. It knew how to give the anxiety in the racing track. Don't get us wrong, Gran Turismo is still excellent but to up the ante, they could have made the pacing better with lesser cuts. Sometimes, we thought that the film was in a super rush mood, that they cut too frequently that one lap was over before you even know it.

• Archie Madekwe as Jann Mardenborough is great. For an up-and-coming actor having to take the lead role, he did a good job portraying Jann. Orlando Bloom as the marketing guy, Danny Moore also did good but David Harbour was the scene stealer here. He plays as Jack Salter, an engineer who helped to train Jann and his fellow competitors. David made his character lively and he made the story more vibrant and colourful with his personality. This trio did carry the movie and it actually made it more interesting.

• However, some pieces of the characters' story were left untold especially for Danny Moore. Yes, this film is more about GT and Jann, but they could have offered us more on his background story or maybe a bit more screen time to get to know his personality and motivation. We felt this film didn't achieve that. Orlando did good but the script for his character was lacking. Same goes for Jann's mom and dad. Their acting are just superb but they weren't given a chance to flesh out their characters and made the audience understand their behaviours or/and actions. Luckily, the story for Jann was well told.

• We're impressed by the visual effects of this film. WOW! Their CGI is soooo much better than most Hollywood films nowadays. Even recent Marvel movies couldn't top this. It wasn't perfect for one but it's a very eye-pleasing viewing experience when you get to see CGI that is just as good as this. While some CGI looks a bit animated, that actually made it better. Why? Because it's a game adaptation film and the CGI made it as if we're watching a gameplay. It has one of the best CGIs this year. *Chef's kiss*

Verdict: An underdog film about an underdog person, Gran Turismo the Movie features slick car racing drama that serves exactly what fans want. It finds the right balance between telling an inspiring true story and adrenaline-filled racing sequences as the film progresses. While the loose storytelling and pacing can be distracting at times, it still manages to keep the audience engaged all the way until the finish line.

• Only Greta Gerwig can pull this movie off. She is the only one that can helm this movie right. No other directors can do what she did for this movie. Why? Because the others would end up making this movie as generic or as plain as possible aka 'just another commercial blockbuster movie'. Greta Gerwig was able to turn the wheels from the overly used direction, venturing into new territories most directors are afraid to go.

• Barbie the Movie sends out strong messages and contexts about a lot of different things. Some of them include patriarchy, male-dominated world, female-dominated world, perfectionism, teenage-phase life, adulting, gender equality, equity, sexual objectifications amongst many others. Now, you must be shocked to hear all of this are conveyed in this film. A Barbie film that talks about all this stuff? YES. This is Greta's X-Factor, having to bring these sensitive subjects into a movie for everyone catered for all audiences. And children will still be entertained and understood with the story and the messages that Barbie brings to the table.

• It is definitely not an easy job trying to recreate the world of Barbie and make it a reality. Life in plastic, the team has to build Barbie Land from scratch. Everything needs to look right; the environment, the designs and the outfits. And Greta and the team did their research and you can clearly see it from the movie. Everything just comes to life the way they are supposed to be. Everything is plastic and yet, it's gorgeously constructed. The atmosphere, mood and tone really give that Barbie Land vibes.

• You need to acknowledge that this is a very meta movie. While Warner Bros failed at doing this with The Matrix: Resurrections, Barbie the Movie is a whole different story. They did this justice! It is self-aware that this film is about toys, that toys are not living objects, that someone else is controlling the narrative and they use this opportunity to create a story around this meta-themed element and it works! It works so well because the film is carefully constructed and impeccably paced, knowing what to serve the audience, when to be self-aware and how to blend Barbie's storyline with all the meta together, making the film as a stand out compared to other similar themed features.

• Barbie the Movie, which prior to viewing, we thought that it was going all in for women empowerment. But it didn't. Instead, it's full with surprises that started off thinking it was going to be that but as the film progressed, it opened up to so many possibilities of perspectives and viewpoints because the story itself is not definite but subjective and timely. It touches on current issues that are important not only for women, but for men as well. It doesn't want to side with a certain group for people, what it wants is to get the message acroos right; to make sure that everyone gets the story they deserve.

• While the story unwraps, there are golden comedy moments of pop-culture references and sarcastic remarks that, if you knew what they're about, you'll be laughing because of how relatable it is with today's world or personal experiences OR because of you didn't expect that a film like this would have jokes so sarcastic. If you've ever played with any dolls or toys, if you always keep up with the news and if you truly understand what meta is, you'll get all the references.

• We had hoped when Ryan Gosling was casted as the main Ken. Well, we knew he was the perfect choice, to put it fair and square. His performance was good but because Margot Robbie was so freaking excellent and top-notch as the main Barbie, Gosling couldn't put his character on par with her, he overacted at times and the makeup department tried making him look young but the powder they put him on actually made him look the total opposite. If you'd asked, Glen Powell would have been a better choice as the stereotypical Ken. He suits as a blondie, originated from Texas, his six-pack is crunched as seen in Top Gun Maverick and he has great comedic timing, evidently from Scream Queens.

• Did at any time the message comes across as preachy? Holistically, no. But they did slip a bit somewhere at the end of 2nd act (middle) up until the beginning of 3rd act (finale) where it went a bit overboard. It became a bit 'on your face' and these scenes may be the reason that social media will explode with controversial discussions and arguments because of some viewers who feel threatened by the way the subjects are brought to the spotlight. We're all okay with this film but this bump they have makes it uneven from the remaining duration, in which everything is told very, very well.

• Almost everything with Barbie the Movie is great, even the tiniest elements. The colour palette plays a huge part in this movie, the dialogues know how to be impactful, the music is ear-soothing and the extras are just as important as the supporting, everyone actually plays a part in maintaining the mood of the film.

Verdict: Filled with contexts and messages as rich as Oscar-nominated films, Barbie the Movie is a whole different game as it is full with surprises and hard-hitting truths about the world we live in today. It is self-aware of what it is and Greta Gerwig daringly takes charge of crafting a masterpiece storytelling that capitalizes on the heavy subjects without downgrading anything or anyone, maintaining both its quality and substance the entire film. You'll appreciate this 'life in plastic' film more than you can ever imagine. 💗

• Christopher Nolan, whose previous works use time and space as his playground, did it once again with this based on a true story film, something that we didn't expect. His way of storytelling proves that he's the greatest directors to ever live on the planet, mastering in building up the story all the while keeping the audience engaged by elevating its suspense, scope, atmosphere and music tempos, creating a masterpiece ouevre.

• Oppenheimer is a visceral experience. It is able to create and provoke tension and anxiety in their audience. Rarely do we ever get this type of films offering this kind of experience but Nolan did it, just like Interstellar or Inception. It is haunting. It is moving. It is evocative. It knows what it tries to deliver and it does so well in eliciting these emotions as you sit and witness through it all.

• Out of the 2 dozens of famous actors in this film, we have to give special shout outs to 4 of them namely Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr. & Jason Clarke. Cillian Murphy is able to tell Oppenheimer's story largely from the looks and expressions of his face, a true work of art. His face just tells everything, like a grandeur painting that moves accordingly to the beat of the story and emotions. Emily Blunt as Mrs Oppenheimer is just impeccable. Her performance is so good, there was once scene that made us cried a bit. That 'it' scene that will appear on the screen as her name is called as one of the nominees for Best Supporting Actress and hell yes, we have high hope she will win next year's Academy Awards for this! Downey and Clarke are both impressive as well, 2 characters that are very good at spoken dialogues and they really did their homework to study the characters very well.

• We are truly in love with the dialogues. It is rich with contexts and it feels very densed. We just love the fact that the speed and pacing of the dialogues are almost similar to Aaron Sorkin's materials who directed The Social Network and Molly's Game. Dialogues are spoken incessantly, word after word, without putting a full stop for audience to breathe. And these dialogues really enrich and enhance the film's build-up, settings and mood that elevate the whole immersive experience.

• These dialogues, most of them, are necessary for the story and character developments. What are or have been said are the building blocks of both these elements, that by the end, they blossom themselves into something poetically but shatteringly beautiful; acknowledging of the broken humans living in a broken world, that these non-fiction characters are far from perfect, just like the rest of us.

• However, the dialogues may not be easily digestible for general audiences. If you're into science and history, you are at an advantage. If not, then these jargons and sometimes, poetic style dialogues would make your head spin. They are not friendly. Even when they did explain on quantum physics, it wasn't something that can be understood by everyone. We love the dialogues but to be safe, prepare a cup of coffee prior because this is one brain exercise film, the good kind, of course.

• If you're a Nolan fan, you'd know that plot twists are something he has in store for us. But did this biopic has one? Did Nolan take that risk? The risk that might jeopardize the authenticity of the story? Without revealing, we can say that the third act is very, very good. Something that most directors attempted but failed. However, Nolan did it naturally, the story unfolds excellently even with all the complexity that surrounds it. He did it smooth. Strong emotions were evoked, he left us something to ponder about. The experience was quite traumatic and he brought us along the journey to experience what it's like to be Oppenheimer. It is that good.

• This film is morally complex. It questions whether it's right or wrong. It questions whose side we are on. It delves deep and studies Mr. Oppenheimer and brings it along with us for the ride. Nolan was able to let us feel what he's feeling as if we're stepping in his shoes. Thought-provoking. Mind-wandering. Psychologists will have a great time in cinemas.

• A brilliant choice, Oppenheimer used both black-and-white and colour as it conveys different meanings with the former staying true to the real event that had happened in history with (mostly) exact dialogues, body language and circumstances powerfully acted mostly by Robert Downey and Alden Ehrenreich. The latter is used, to maximize its entertainment value while still maintains the actual events recorded in history. Not once we felt annoyed by the transition, it went well.

• Targeted for mass market, we felt this could have cut about 20-30 minutes short so that all audiences can enjoy. Although there was very little to none unnecessary scenes, we still strongly believe that Nolan could take out a few scenes. If this happened, the momentum and pacing would better for everyone. Also, the Trinity Test was purely excellent. The practical effects and sound designs were really executed well. The music score, composed by Ludwig Goransson, though not as masterpiece as Hans Zimmer, is breathtaking. It felt right with all the scenes, it elevates out immersive experience, it left us at the edge of our seats.

Verdict: Hauntingly beautiful, Oppenheimer feels like a ticking time bomb as it evokes a strong visceral and immersive experience. Almost everything is done right, Christopher Nolan makes sure this film blows us away with a rich story, stark character studies, strong dialogues, powerful music score, impeccable acting amongst many others. While it is not Christopher Nolan's magnum opus, this is still one of his best ouevre in history.

Tom Cruise did it again! The last action movie star that just keeps getting better and better at what he does. His performance is golden as he makes sure that everything that appears on the big screen follows exactly like he wanted to. He provides constant thrills to the audience, serving us with death-defying acts that no other actor is as par as him, not even Hemsworth for Extraction or Keanu Reeves for John Wick. He is the man, the legend. ✨

Were all the practical stunts top-notched? Yes. Holistically, could the stunts top the previous installments? No. We believe that MI4: Ghost Protocol & MI6: Fallout are the benchmarks and these two still have the best amongst the best stunts we've seen in the age of filmmaking. Now, don't get us wrong, Dead Reckoning Part 1 still has those breathtaking, edge-of-your-seat stunts, putting it at number 3 of the MI list, with our favourite being the train-wrecking scene. These stunts are still gorgeously made and meticulously planned that will keep your heart beating fast.

The film does its job for having the narrative as realistic and grounded as possible including the practical stunts. But the rawness and grittiness are watered down by the overuse of music every single time action scenes pop up for us to experience. If we could recall, there wasn't ANY action scene without the background music. We were looking forward to this. Imagine a fighting scene, hearing only the banging, crashing, creaking, breaking, thudding and thumping, it could have been wicked. That's what made Fallout so good; an instance, the bathroom scene with Tom Cruise and Henry Cavill, ❌ music, just man-to-man fighting in all its rawness.

Bringing AI as the focal point, the storyline here is something that the franchise has never done before. It might have been for other movies, but the story here is well told as elements of past, present and future are the essentials for it to progress forward. Not only that but the higher stakes and the ubiquitous villain will get you to think, 'how can they defeat this?', making it unpredictable.

With 2 hours 40 minutes, Dead Reckoning Part 1 feels overly long as the FIRST HOUR is pretty much a slow-burner for a commercially made film. It takes its time to hit the engine running. While it's important for them to set up the world-threatening stakes and establish a grounded plot which they did, we feel that the way it could have been told can be more engaging and attracting every target audience like what Ghost Protocol and Fallout did. It's a slow burn, with minimal jaw-dropping stunts and incessant expository dialogues. Those expecting they're gonna get the same with 4 & 6, they're gonna be disappointed. Nevetheless, don't worry, the final 30 minutes is worth the ticket price, it's everything you're hoping for in a Tom Cruise action film.

There is one major problem that we're truly let down by. With the first act maximizing on expository dialogues, it has potential for this film to be rich with contexts and little details that can make the film much more interesting throughout. But the whole story is driven by Grace, played by Hayley Atwell. Her character, led by her actions and decisions is the steering wheel that pretty much sums up the reason why the film is soooo long. Her character feels unwelcomed and incongruous, like she doesn't belong here for the movie. She takes everything lightly and repeatedly messes things up, putting everyone and everything at risks. If only she could get herself together, the film wouldn't have been a drag.

However, we can't say that we didn't like her chemistry with Tom Cruise. There's a certain affection and admiration on the existence of their relationship that we felt we wanted more. We're fond of seeing them together, it sparks a good chemistry, establishing their character arcs and maturity, as if their get-together scenes are like the cherry on top to an already great action movie.

Normally when 'Part 1' is attached with any title of any movie, they would have an abrupt cliffhanger; this year alone, we have 5 movies, with a 'Part 1 or 2' title; Fast X, Across the Spider-Verse, The 3 Musketeers D'Artagnan, Buya Hamka and this film. But what made Dead Reckoning different from the others is its cliffhanger that is well-made and polished. It ends fittingly where it's supposed to be instead of just leaving the audience hanging while the ongoing narrative is left unfinished. This film should be the exemplar for any 'Part 1' movies, ending it at the right place, slowing down the film's momentum while also keeps the audience eager for the next one.

Verdict: A thrilling cinematic experience, Dead Reckoning Part One reminds us why we go to the cinema. It is a rip-roaring adventure filled with breathtaking action set pieces, pulled off by the last action movie star, Tom Cruise. Nevertheless, it misses the opportunity to reach the helicopter-level heights set by Ghost Protocol and Fallout due to its incessant expository dialogue, one important but incongruous character and overused background music. But should you still choose to accept this mission? YES.

Yes, our first thought when we saw this film was that this is a twin of Inside Out. We just got the vibe looking at the poster. And watching this film really reminded us with it. They were some similarities but we're not saying this is a rip-off, it's far from that. If Inside Out lives inside the brain of a person, the characters here actually live in their own-built world, civilized and cultured just like we live on planet Earth.

It puts a smile on our face knowing that we still have some originalities left in the creative team department. As far as we're concerned, Elemental is much likely an original made film, with a brilliant concept that helps viewers to understand what it means to coexist with others who have different ideologies, interests, skin colours, races, and ethnicities.

It follows Ember, a fiery young woman who lives in a city where fire, water, land and air residents live together. After an incident, she meets a go-with-the-flow guy and together, they embark on a journey of life, friendship and possibly, love. Reading the synopsis, you would think it's a run-of-the-mill movie. Well, the plot is nothing special, you may even compare it to Romeo & Juliet but the concept itself is what made the movie different from the archive. An animated movie with four different living elements? Count us in!

Aside from the original concept, we like that there's something for all of us. Something that each of us can get from the movie; both children and adults. It's more relevant now than ever. As a viewer, you get a lot from this; you'll learn how to coexist with others and of different races, navigate interracial relationships, immigration, and cultural appreciation amongst others. For children, they will learn how an element reacts to another element in the context of chemistry.

Bringing the subject of chemistry, they are a lot of chemical processes, formulas and reactions that are brought in very creative ways. They constantly show us how chemistry works visually and verbally like how fire and water reacts and if oxygen is important for Ember to live. This will be so much fun for viewers. Even if you hate chemistry (like we do), we promise you that you will enjoy all the 'fun facts' bits here.

Not only that, the characters associated with their elements fit nicely into who they are supposed to be. An example, Wade is a soft-hearted guy who loves to cry because he is naturally water which sums up the logic that goes with water. His whole family also loves to shed tears. Ember easily gets angry because she is fire. It's entertaining when you get to see they think, feel and do based on who they are.

But here's the thing, because the main characters here are Ember (fire) and Wade (water), they kinda ignore earth and air. We felt like they didn't have much screen time and they're just extras here. Should they be more scenes with them, this movie could have been better. They spent so much time on fire and water that they forgot the existence of the other two. Supposedly, they could have them be neighbours or friends, showing what it would be like if 4 of them interact with one another. It would have been so much fun.

It also didn't take its time to craft its world-building, the details of the surroundings and how all these elements come to be civilized. Of course they did at times but there was just something that left us unfulfilled. Somehow, we felt like we saw only a part of the world, like it was not explored down to the ground. There wasn't really exposition of the history of the world and how it came to be.

But Elemental has an overall good storyline and comedy as it follows the story of Ember and Wade and the journey that they go through together. Yes, the scope could have been better and the script could have been polished but the film itself is quite engaging as their personalities are what kept the story alive. Oh and also, we could see that they use two types of animation here. While everything is clearly 3D animated, the fire community including Ember has a 2D-like animation style that is just gorgeous to look at.

Verdict: While it is far from the standards of the best Pixar movies, Elemental champions itself with a well-made concept, an interesting cast of characters beautifully hybrid animation and 101 lessons catered for both adults and children. World-building and the almost-forgotten existence of Earth and Air communities may be the problems, but what really saves this movie is its intelligence in bringing the concept to life; showing the unique elements you wouldn't usually get from other worlds.

• We absolutely love the opening scene. What a way to start the movie! It is exhilarating, thrilling and superbly done. It felt like it wanted to give the audience a boost, like sipping a full can of energy drink to ensure we're awake for the whole movie. That was the impact we got from it. Heart-pumping!

• Ezra Miller. With all the controversy, he's getting more dislikes from us. Despite that, we have to admit that his acting here is sooooooo damn goooood. He has to play two versions of The Flash, one we're familiar with and one that acts as a quirky, witty lad who doesn't know how to get himself together. And he played both characters very well. Very, very well. There wasn't a single moment that we were confused by who is who. He played it very distinctly, it's crystal clear that his acting skill is better than most superhero actors.

• And we need to thank the scriptwriters for coming with such a brilliant setting. We know that this is The Flash's first standalone film in the DCEU. And a lot of people, including us was not impressed that he did not get his own film before Justice League. And here, when it's time to tell his origin story, the film finds itself in a unique direction. His origin was told in a way that put our main character in a non-linear setting, a world where he met his doppelganger. Audience was brought to understand his backstory through this doppelganger. They definitely have more creative freedom to write and we could see it in the final product.

• Not only that, but the first act was executed really well. A lot of elements; story, setting, characters and motivation were promising enough that we actually believed this was going to be one hell of a rollercoaster ride. It is able to hold our interest as it doesn't waste any time to develop the story.

• However, when middle part came in, it went downhill from there. The tempo started to slow, there was a bit too much interaction between the doppelganger-superhero and the action bit wasn't as strong as the first act. There wasn't anything remembering except for the character(s) that show up.

• We think the main problem is because there wasn't any conflict or fight between them. His doppelganger seemed like a puppet most of the time, following Barry's (Flash) orders without mostly asking 'why?' or 'what?'. At times, we questioned if their bonding was authentic or merely a fake friendship, was the bonding only created to exploit the other to get what they want??? The thing is, the build up to possible conflicts was there but the conflict itself was non-existent.

• It then started to get messy as the final 30 minutes began. It became more convoluted in the final 15 minutes that we had a feeling someone behind the scene was jeopardizing this movie. Questions weren't explain in details, all sub-plots were jumbled up, the stake was so high yet we couldn't really feel it. Everything felt so abrupt and rushed. All of a sudden there was this and that & here and there. What was that all about? First act was strong but third act was weak. Due to this, they had an ending that felt like this was a Part 1 movie. What's next? We didn't really see how this ending could help them set up James Gunn's DC Universe. Let's hope Aquaman 2 will.

• Throughout the whole story, we like the idea that they brought up three main themes; family, fate and consequences where each element is tied up to one another to establish its story. It manages to send a strong message to appreciate your family, accept your fate as it makes up who you are and always be ready to face for consequences, even if it's coming from you yourself.

• Overall, we're impressed by the CGI. It's far from perfect but if you watch the film, you'll know there are wayyyy too many frames to create its visual effect and it's not easy. IT'S NOT EASY. Yes, there were moments where the CGI felt way too cartoonish; all the babies in the baby shower scene. And the tracking movements of Batman and Supergirl in the final battle (felt unnatural). But man, they did the lightning and running really good. It's so satisfying to see Barry ran with all the slo-mo and flashing lights appearing from his suit. We also appreciate that they were cool moments coming from it.

• Was it just us or was the villain so dull? We didn't feel it at all. It was just there because he needed to be there. We understood they had told his/her backstory earlier in one of the previous DCEU movies, but c'mon, there was too little screen time for him/her. We felt no threat even though he/she's strong. Limited screen time for Supergirl also greatly affect her character, we couldn't really connect with her. Sasha did her job good but something just doesn't click. Luckily, Batman was great except that sometimes, his facial expression or reactions indicate ignorance as he doesn't really care about Barry or what's happening.

Verdict: Vibrantly beautiful, this doppelganger-superhero showcases a compelling first act, enjoyable action sequences, a terrific performance by the fastest man alive and a powerful message about family, fate and consequences. However, The Flash gets progressively worse halfway through, becoming a muddled mess at the end.

• Rise of the Beasts opens with Noah who struggles to find a decent job to support his family and Elena who works in a museum and is interested in researching artifacts. But oh my, we couldn't care less about them. They really spent almost 30 minutes on their stories which as you can guess, are very bland and dull. Noah's story might seem relatable for some people as we're in a tough economy now but audience doesn't want you talking about finding a job. This ain't for the Oscar. And Elena barely has any story. We don't even know who she is. No really. Who is she? 😅😭

• They could cut to the chase and skip some of the parts in the first act. It becomes worse when there's no comedy, everything is just so serious. A total opposite of Sam Witwicky (Shia Labeouf) and Mikaela's (Megan Fox) where comedy was top-notch and the plot was simple and fun. Even Sam's parents were comical. We're not exactly sure why they chose the serious road this time around, but we prefer Sam Witwicky's world.

• On the other hand, the robots have better chemistry and a better story to tell. Mirage, voiced by Pete Davidson is goofy af. For the first time ever, we can tolerate with Pete Davidson. And we might even like him now. Bumblebee is Bumblebee, we all know we love him. Arcee is very acrobatic, she's the eye candy and yes, she can also fight. But the common thing that stands out is they actually have a soul. We feel close to them, we can relate to them, they are not JUST robots. They are living beings. And somehow, we care about them more than what Transformers 4 & 5 can offer to us.

• Without a doubt, there are plenty of actions from beginning until the end. You don't have to worry about that. But the question is, 'Are there good?' We could say you'll be entertained. But goshhhh, we miss Michael Bay so much so that this movie tries to do what Bay did but it doesn't work. Bay's skills and talents put him as the master of action scenes and we know that. His directorial left a big mark and we're dying to see something that is at least, on par with what Bay did. But what we saw something in the middle. They couldn't achieve the bar that Bay had set but it wasn't disappointing either. It is still entertaining.

• Entertaining being that this movie is action-packed especially when the middle part starts to kick in. Fun fact that it has more action than Fast X or Guardians of the Galaxy. You know when Bay did his Transformers films, there were plenty of WOW/WOAH moments (we are referring to the first three) because Bay included slow-mos that looked very cool, upbeat music that synced with the choreography, customized sound-design explosions that only he could pull off amongst many other elements. Rise of the Beasts has its WOW/WOAH moments as well (not as many) but it felt short compared to Bay's. Slow-mos were almost non-existent, music was okay at best but doesn't help with the action and explosions are explosions, nothing unique or refreshing.

• However, thanks to its choreography, they are able to create some truly WOW moments that will literally WOW you. Some of the stunts have been done many times before but we're pleased to see they are able to create a few action stunts that are purely amazing.

• Let's talk about tracking shots. This film does use this technique a few times where the cameras follow the characters from behind and it creates this sense of POV that we love coming from a sci-fi robot film. This may be a nitpicky thing and it deals with our preference, but this film could be so much better if they have more tracking shots especially with the two leads, Noah and Elena running for survival or on Arcee, the superbiker. But we really applause the use of tracking shots, just beautiful.

• There was a subplot/twist in Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen that apparently this film borrows and uses it almost quite the same way. Now this depends entirely on your opinion, being that it is rehashed, on whether you like it or not. If you're asking us, we have a mixed feeling because it seems super duper predictable, like we KNOW where it's headed.

• You know in every Transformers movie, Optimus Prime would give his closing speech and the credits roll as it ends? Well, this film offers a surprise. It is quite different than all the previous films. And what even surprise us is that the ending got us good. Real good. You won't know what's coming. And if there's a sequel, we don't know how they're gonna make it happen. The ending is worth watching this in cinemas.

Verdict: Incredibly better than Transformers 4 & 5, Rise of the Beasts offers itself to be quite entertaining with above-average action sequences and some genuinely WOW moments, thanks to its choreography and tracking shots. However, the uninteresting human drama and lack of comedy make this a subpar entry compared to the first three Transformers films.

• With a duration of 1 hour 53 minutes, it doesn't feel like 1 hour 53 minutes. It felt shorter, much shorter. You will be intrigued with the story. Yes, the gist of the overall plot has been done before countless of times with buddy cop-themed movies but what impressed us is that there's an actual weight to the story. There's a strong substance along the way that just works with the story. It's apparent that Syafiq Yusof (director) made this film with heart. So many times we get to see sincere and heartfelt moments that Syafiq would include in the story and they all work. Something that viewers would get out of it. The film isn't pretentious and it doesn't try hard to do what it does. 👏🏻

• Was it action-packed enough? Well, not really. I felt that the first two had more action sequences compared to this one. This one is more story-centric than action-centric. It does feature some but if we can count, this has the least number of action scenes. Even the climax scene taking place at Bukit Bintang, KL where we thought would have a big action scene is minimized with heavy dialogues and substituted with an attempt of an intense scene (that is actually moderate). So don't go in thinking this is a non-stop melee combat and gun-fighting film. It's not. It's a balanced of both.

• What we do appreciate with this film is that the skills, the tactical movements and the choreographies are all done based on the official police training programme. We salute the efforts of them mirroring our national police force combats and skills.

• Shaheizy Sam & Zizan Razak's chemistry is off the charts! You know they're comfortable with each other. You know that they're having so much fun on the set. You know toxic relationship is non-existent. It feels they're really brothers even in real life. In PE3, we get to see that their friendship is tested to the limit which is a great element to wrap up a trilogy. All the bonding from the previous two are brought again here and continued with an opening that will surely make you laugh. If you enjoy brotherhood films, then go have a watch. You will appreciate it.

• We're surprised to see that Reza's character, played by Sharnaaz Ahmad was fleshed out and told very well. He has an interesting backstory which is linked to the main character and has a strong motive that deals with morality and justice. His motive is well-established to the point that we understand his characters & emotions. It makes you think that if you're in his shoes, would you have done the same thing? Because we're telling you, most of you would say 'yes' to it discreetly without admitting it. And Sharnaaz did a great job at portraying Reza. His portrayal might not land him an award, but Sharnaaz is great.

• There's this one particular scene involving a car chase that we thought could have been done a lot better. Syafiq Yusof (and Syamsul Yusof) has always cleared the roads/streets for the stunts of every of their movie, showing only cars and actors mainly involved in the car chase scene. But it's time to change the scenery. Make it more realistic. Have a bunch of extras driving regular cars as regular citizens, having to stop the car or go through everything, maybe even casualties as icing on the cake. Clearing the roads like there are no regular drivers takes us out of the experience. Like a gimmick that feels unrealistic.

• Syafiq Kyle, Farali Khan, Douglas Lim & Fauzi Nawawi all play as supporting characters helping the two leads fight over the the bad guy. We're okay with that. But it's difficult to root for these characters when we barely know about them nor they add any colors to the story. Yes, they had opportunities to shine as they were given time to breathe but there was nothing really interesting about them that we could say it warrants a spin-off.

• We have a problem with the tone. Opening scene was filled with jokes and humours followed by the whole of first act, like Polis Evo 1. Halfway through, it was a mixture of comedy, action and drama. And then the third act came along and it had a very serious tone, even dark maybe. We understood if they were trying to elevate the atmosphere that Reza brought with him as a demented, psychotic guy but... the tone left a bad taste in our mouth, we felt confused and dazed. It shifted drastically without a proper graph.

Verdict: Carefully structured, Polis Evo 3 showcases a compelling plot carried by two powerful leads with chemistry as strong as a covalent bond. While not as action-packed as the previous installments, the character-driven element adds an emotional weight to the story that makes the film worth watching. Overall, Polis Evo 3 is speeding miles better than Fast X.

• Fast X just doesn't have the heart anymore. All they have is family, family and family. But everything they do now is very bland. The story is no longer interesting, the stake is no longer high. Nooo, there is basically no stake! The actions are numb. It seems that the producers, writers, directors and actors are all in for two things; family & money. No longer they even try to make the franchise redeemable. Only a couple of things that keep viewers come back to pay for the tickets; comedy & action.

• Admit it, the reason we keep up with this franchise is because of its action. Now, were they good? We could say it's better than 9, which was the weakest entry to date but still, the action is mere action without any substance. It's numb. It's hard to be entertained anymore. Yes, we were entertained a bit but there's zero chance that we would ever be riveted when we saw Fast Five, or Fast 7. Because 7 put the bar very high for mind-blowing scenes which still reigns to this day, most of the action in 10 feel like a 'been there, done that' cycle. Yes there were a few that was different but nothing could top 7 yet. NONE PERIOD.

• Some reviewers are saying this is the Infinity War for this franchise. We couldn't deny this. Why? Because it's true. The formula is almost the same; the team had to split into smaller groups to work on their mission; either they like it or not to save the world from the big boss. And they had that ending, the ending that would always associate with the 'Part 1' chapter. So you would be in a mix bag of emotions.

• Remember back in early 2000s when it was all just about racing? Here, at the 10the entry, they bring that classic element back. If you've seen the trailer, you know there's gonna be a racing scene. But man, they couldn't even give a chance for us to enjoy a proper racing scene. It was a super short racing scene followed by a huge gimmick. A gimmick that could have been pulled off much better if they let the racing went on for another 2 minutes. They failed big time.

• This is more of our preferences but two of our favs, Mia, played by Jordana Brewster & Deckard, played by Jason Statham are barely in this. They had such limited screen time compared to the other supporting. Heck, even Brie Larson had more screen time than them. They could have done so much more but they were cut off just like that even though they had something going on off screen.

• Jakob Toretto, played by John Cena, is too goofy here. He's on the good side now but his mission felt like it belonged to Mia more than him. Jakob could have gone somewhere else and played a more bigger role with a world threat mission. But it's watered down to... that. Not a good way to reintroduce a character.

• Okay, we really need to give Jason Momoa a huge shoutout here. He steals every scene he's in. He's a likeable antagonist; boisterous, charismatic, violent and wildly optimist person (for the wrong reasons, of course). We could see Momoa is really having fun here. He has the best acting of ALL the actors. He & Jason Statham are two of the best villains in the F&F franchise. Momoa is more dynamic, Jason is more collected and lethal. Both are 👍🏻.

• We applaud the mid-credits scene. Now that, we are intrigued. That's a cliffhanger that is excellent. It gives us a hint and a reminder why the next one is gonna have something up their sleeves. It gives us that 'this means war' vibe that is just chef's kiss.

• As mentioned, you'd be watching for the comedy but what a letdown this time was. Most of the jokes didn't land. Roman, played by Tyrese always had something funny. But not this time. They weren't that many jokes and even if they were, nothing really giggles. Chuckle, maybe. But it's disappointing.

• What's Fast series without a good soundtrack, right? Did this have a good list of songs? Well, it's okay but mostly forgettable. Let's Ride & Chemical Mentalist were the only two songs that stuck in our head. The rest, we already forget. But we thought the whole list was much better than Fast 9, but again, they couldn't top songs from Tokyo Drift, 5, 6 or 7.

Verdict: Like amateurs trying to rip-off the Mission Impossible franchise, Fast X is milking every action scene writers can think of in their head. While it is quite entertaining, you may experience numbness as there is little to no stakes anymore. But of course, Fast X does wonders. No matter how convincing our review is, it has its way of drifting you to spend 2 hours of your time for this over-the-top entry. Just pure magic.

• Evil Dead Rise keeps itself apart from the original, sequel and remake by putting itself as a requel (remake + sequel) that follows on the story of a broken family rather than friends, and instead of the evil happening in the cabin like all the previous entries, this one focuses in an LA apartment. So what we have here are already different, its premise is promising enough that there's something unique for us to see.

• Was the gory good? Yes, it was. However, from our personal opinion and probably because of our high expectations, we felt like it can be much bloodier and more violence. Don't get us wrong. It is super gory with galloons of blood splashing here and there but compared to the 2013 remake version, the gore here is lacking.

• With about 10 characters, they did waste half of them. There was a scene that killed off these characters in just 3 minutes without them ever putting much efforts onto it. The killings weren't 'evil dead' enough. The level of details and gory wasn't there. If only they could have fleshed out and everyone of the characters could have gotten more screen time alone with the devil, it would be much much more awesome.

• We have to say that we hate the opening scene so much so that it spoiled the entire movie. How? Because the opening actually took away the surprise of the ending. It hinted at something that they shouldn't have given so in the first place. A close example is Don't Breathe 1. Look at that movie's opening scene and you know that it already spoiled what's gonna happen during the movie. Just like the movie, Evil Dead Rise risked itself for the opening scene and we just didn't like it.

• We've never seen any of these characters previously but their chemistry was there as a family. Pretty solid we would say. And their acting was above average for a horror film which we can safely say that 70% of all horror movies in this world have the product of bad acting. But special shoutout to Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie who really brought her best to make the evil 'alive'.

• We wish there was more conflict and storytelling here. Yes, the chemistry and acting were there but we couldn't really care less about the characters. If they die, we just don't care. There wasn't anything that made us wanted to root for them. They were there to exist only as expendables to the evil beings.

Verdict: Evil Dead Rise is an above average requel that fills itself with creative killings and does not hold back its gore and blood. We prefer the 2013 remake as it proves itself to be gorier and bloodier but this entry is still a good entertaining ride.

• Structured like a story mode from an adventure/fantasy game, we get to follow the characters embark on an epic quest searching for teammates of different skill sets, retrieving lost objects, encountering unknown creatures and fighting their nemesis. Is it adventurous enough? Quite so. They could have done a lot more throwing more exciting stuff along the way but what we have here is still pretty awesome.

• What's very great about D&D is the visual that we get every time the action scenes appear to play on screen. The choreography combined with its camera works make us feel like we're controlling the movements and actions of the characters. Like there are buttons that we need to press when certain characters move or fight against someone. If you have ever played games like Tomb Raider, Uncharted or God of War, you have a clear idea how this works. It's so addicting!

• We salute Michelle Rodriguez here. Her character fits her perfectly. This is the kind of roles she needs to play more. Regé-Jean Page is great, he has this charismatic energy we like and his character is not the sort of typical knight you always know. He has a soft-mannered tone when he speaks and walks and we thought he did an excellent job. Sophia Lillis is also good. We're reminded of Jenna Ortega when she speaks, we're not sure why. Justice Smith is okay but could have done better. Chris Pine... hmmm. We're having a hard time understanding his character. We're fully wrapped on his story but his character lacks the charm. There's nothing that sort of stands out. Hmm.

• And for all you fans of Regé including us, it is with heavy heart to inform you that he will only be in this movie for a short while. He's there for 1/4 of the film which leads to a big disappointment. Marketed him to be one of the main supporting leads, we're shocked to see that he only plays a part in one of the small but important segments of the story.

• We're quite confused with Doric's superpower who is played by Sophia Lillis. She can shape shift into different animals but her superpower is a bit two-dimensional. We apologize if we may have missed out any important points given along the movie, but it seems that she does whatever the story sees fits. What animals and how many animals can she shape shift? Can she turn into one whenever and wherever she wants? Is there any limitations? What about weaknesses? Her superpower is awesome but with all the questions, it's a little hard for us to appreciate her character.

• We like the first act. We also like the third act. The second act... not so much. D&D apparently suffers from this. It suffers from not really knowing what to do in the middle and when they have something, it seems like they don't know how to juggle with it. It's bland. They should have added more surprising elements. They should have let the adventure cruises the ship and anything related to the characters; development, back stories should only pop up when need be. Instead, it's more of the characters getting to know one another and about the history rather than the adventure taking place and have fun.

• We're not a fan of... NO. We have never ever played D&D before. Okayyy so throughout, you'll see plenty of things that D&D fans may relate. And most of them are through humour. So the big question is... would a non-D&D fan understand and appreciate all the D&D-related stuff? Well, it's a 50/50 gesture. We get some of the jokes but didn't for a few others. We also get some of the jokes but may not know for a fact that those jokes may actually be tied to how you play D&D or some sort. We understand some of the things as we've played games before. But certain things are thrown specially for the fans. Inside jokes and humours are there for you. But no worries, even if you don't know the existence of the game, you'll understand the story just fine.

Verdict: With a great ensemble team, Dungeons & Dragons embarks on an exciting epic quest that is significantly improved with its game-like visual, supported by fluid cinematography and precise choreography you would enjoy in an adventure game. However, the below average middle act, the existence of two-dimensional characters and the inconsistent pacing left the movie on a shaky ground. Nevertheless, D&D is still a good movie overall.

• There are just so many highlights this series have as each episode has its good moments that audience are looking for. Some examples include the smug entrance by Kahar followed by his dominant-king attitude in Episode 1, the heart-to-heart scene between Fakhri and Amirr in Episode 6, the breakout fight happening in Episode 8, the intense brotherhood battle in Episode 9. Each episode has its anxiety-inducing scenes that are worth remembering and noting for.

• Projek High Council brings a lot of topics and issues to the table; ragging, bully, sexual harassment, grooming, divorce, brotherhood, friendship, family troubles, morality, ethics, hierarchy, ego, unfair treatment, corruption, discrimination and it is able to tackle most of these subjects within its 10 episodes run. PHC introduces each issue with a fueling rage and ends most of them with a proper pay off with one thing in mind; increasing awareness to the audience watching about the problems faced in high school, particularly boarding school.

• Mierul Aiman, Amir Ahnaf & Nadhir Nasar are the top tier in PHC. They are the epitome of brilliant acting and talent over looks. These 3 really study their characters and give the best of what they have when the cameras roll. Other actors including Hazeeq Dean, Fadhli Masoot, Naim Daniel Ucop & Daiyan Trisha also complement one another. Everyone gives their best. Kudos!

• The fact that the script is rich with theories shows how dedicated the writers are. The mouse theories, the literature context of Lord of the Flies and the theory of moral judgment strengthen the understanding of human actions and behaviours of these students. Rarely have I seen Malaysian series come out with theories to support its basis of the overall arc development but PHC shows us otherwise and the outcome is outstanding!

• Based on true stories, PHC shows the ugly side of boarding school that most people tend to overlook at. From all the research we have gathered, we can safely say that the portrayal of ragging, bullying and raping cases in this series are very close to reality. The message here is loud and clear. And here's the good thing; PHC doesn't feel political nor does it feel force-fed. It's not forcing us to swallow everything they present to us. Audience get the message, we are aware and we talk about it. Good job.

• PHC is filled with many intense scenes that will intrigue audience. And these intense scenes aren't just coming from the same box; you may feel your heart beating fast every time you see Ariz in episode 6 or that you feel like you wanna cry at the end of episode 9. Not to forget the heartbreaking scene in episode 3. Various matters are brought upon and the intensity doesn't stop, it lingers and continues until the end of every episode.

• We could see some jarring editing issues in PHC, particularly one scene in episode 8. That one scene that is deemed as the most shocking is also found to have a major editing issue, robbing us from the good experience we could have had. It is jarring, it's difficult for us to ignore the flaw in it. There are also cutting issues we found especially in episode 2 to 4. Yes, the script is brilliant but some scenes should have gone longer as they could have made bigger impacts but they didn't. They cut off way earlier and it's such a waste knowing that if the scenes have gine for much longer, the story would have been so much better.

• We feel like we need more of Kahar's backstory. We understand what he's going through but we also think that his story should have more breadth and depth as the series progresses. He receives a lot of screen time in the first half but is undershadowed in the second half especially episodes 9 & 10. His character arc is left unfulfilled by the end. Mind that it's not a cliffhanger but the payoff isn't really there either, his character deserves so much more by his fellow mates, enemies and friends.

• Before we say anything, don't get us wrong episode 10 is a great finale. It mostly centres on Fakhri & Naim's family but that also lies the problem. The problem that it gives their story too much to breathe, forgetting of the bigger aspect; the boarding school and everyone who dwells in it. Too much time is spent on the family and too little time is spent on the students, resulting in a finale that feels more like an epilogue rather than a proper closing for KUDRAT. Each character deserves a major screen time of their own, and yet, little to none is given to most of them. The final scene and its sudden closure makes episode 10 feels rushed.

Verdict: Albeit the editing issues and the unfulfilled closure, Projek High Council is brilliantly made as it uncovers the dark truth behind boarding schools using important themes, interesting storytelling, top tier acting and anxiety-inducing moments that will give you the edge-of-the-seat experience. This series has set an extremely high standard for Malaysia's entertainment landscape and if only other series start to break its record, only then we will know that the industry is getting better. Until then... good luck.

• John Wick 4 gives it all with its never-before-seen action stunts that will take your breathe... literally. There are some stunts that are fresh from the oven, it's the first time it's been done in the history of filmmaking. The pacing is frenetic and the action sequences are jaw-droppingly awesome, you'll never get enough of them.

• A special shoutout to the cinematography team. Every time Mr Wick is punching, kicking, smashing and every other verb you can think of, the cameras have their ways of putting us on a ride; like a curious kid standing close only feet apart watching everything happening before his eyes. It is breathtaking, it is vibrant and it really feels like we're there with John Wick.

• Some may ask if the franchise is getting ridiculous since it has now come to the 4th entry. Well, it may have come a long way as the start of the franchise was a revenge made because of a dog and a car but we will deny anyone saying it's starting to become like the F&F saga. John Wick 4 still very much relevant and it stays true to what the franchise is about, but only this time it is bigger, bolder and more brutal.

• Chapter 4 does not only offer violent fighting pieces, but somewhere in-between, you will find a meaningful and fascinating story of humanity. The thematic elements of friends, family and honor are the central aspects, proving that even with its bloodbath, pornfest of violence, the movie still cares about pouring its heart and love from these human values that we cherish.

• Focusing only on a few characters, their motives and agendas are what made the story moves forward. Each character has something they want or need to do to survive and the stakes are high because everyone here is formidable.

However, because there isn't many long-running characters left, it may be a drag for some audience. John Wick 4 isn't the same like the other 3, it is heavier, bloodier, and its neo-noir looks are refined and richer, it'll make you feel you're watching Blade Runner 2049 instead. Some will appreciate its tonal shift but others won't accept the new look, feel and heavy-themed stories.

• We cannot overlook at the fact that some action scenes are heavily choreographed to the extent that it may take away some of the good experiences as you may be aware of the idea that it looks staged. Yes, all John Wick films have great stunt choreography and there are times where it felt like they overdid some scenes, putting them in a way that felt like it's not realistic. However, this entry has the most unnaturally stage-like scenes especially the first major battle scene that takes place in a building.

• A lot might disagree with our opinion here but man, do we feel that the action here isn't enough. 2 hours 49 mins but there are only 3 major fighting scenes. We love all of them but honestly, we're expecting so much more. We went in thinking that the fighting part will take about 70% of the movie, with a lot of early reviews saying that it is a non-stop action film. But we're let down by the amount of action scenes. So folks, don't go in with a high expectation that there's gonna be a lot of fights. There are plenty but it's just isn't enough for us. We want more.

Verdict: Defining the action genre, John Wick Chapter 4 offers an orgy of violence, nail-biting kinetic action sequences that will set the bar for the rest of the one man army movies in decades to come. It may not be THE best John Wick film but WOW, this is first class entertainment at its finest.

3 hours 12 minutes filled with visual spectacles, Avatar 2 will WOW the eye out of you with its magical approach on what appears on screen. This is a film that is made for theatrical experience! This is a film that will age well like a fine wine, even in the next 20 years.

Remember when you went to an electronic store and you head to the TV section, there are some screens that look profoundly realistic when it moves that it might just pop out of the screen? Yes, imagine watching that for 192 minutes with that frame rate. Everything looks almost real and with the 3D effect, it only adds up insofar it feels practically shot.

However, since this might just win the throne for the best visual effects of all time, it comes at a cost, though it is entirely avoidable. The film has plenty of scenes that scream 'flaunting' & 'flexing'. You'll witness scenes that have little to no strong contexts and the only thing those scenes were made are to show how this film has a standard no other films have ever achieved before. It's a bit pathetic but damn, it was enjoyable to watch!

Avatar: The Way of Water has a plot that is as par as the standard brought by Avatar 1. It isn't anything special or uniquely different but it is not boring either. However, the message both films want to send out is very transparent. But we can all agree on one thing. The story is not the franchise's strongest asset. The phrase style or I would say, visual over substance is the best way to put it. For instance, during the 45th minute mark or so, there's this 15-minute gap where the story basically turns plateau. It never moves for the sake of feeding the audience with eye-catching visuals. This sacrificial act is uncalled for as this follow up has so much potential to develop the story in a better way. But again, people put way too high expectations for James Cameron.

You know that's a James Cameron film when you see one. Other than his trademark of making out-of-the-world blockbuster films, he has his unique ways of tapping into your heart and make you feel a whole spectrum of emotions in his movie; be it sad, happy, angst, anxious, doubts, guilty and the list goes on and on. Similar to Avatar 1, the sequel proves once again that Cameron is talented at telling his story while putting up front the emotional weight as the film goes along.

His love towards nature and living things is beyond most humans. Cameron doesn't preach on what he cares but instead, it lets the story moves at its pace and includes the thematic elements on environment, aquatic life and greediness entirely and plays around with them. One thing's for sure though, Leonardo DiCaprio will love this movie for sure. 😉

For those of you who want more of Pandora, I'm sorry to tell you that you may be disappointed. Avatar 2 is not a direct sequel and it doesn't want it to be. It sets almost a decade after the event of what happens in the 2009's blockbuster hit. This lies the problem; audience want more of Pandora but Cameron has his ideas on further expanding the world without looking behind at what makes Avatar 1 an outstanding feature. Yes, you get to see Pandora but have little expectations.

As told earlier, some scenes are meant to brag about its sheer spectacular that will please the eyes. And bringing up another point, there are also lots of scenes that have jumpy narratives and messy cuts that I found them to be truly annoying. Don't go far, the first 10 minutes will show you how jumpy it is and throughout, they are cuts and splits that can be reorganized and made better. What's the rush, Cameron? You can spend more than 30 minutes flexing on the visuals and yet, the narrative that leads to the answers we've all been dying to know based on the trailer is unclear and lackadaisical.

Verdict: Avatar The Way of Water is filled with mesmerizing and never-before-seen visuals accompanied with strong themes that will reflect how greedy and cruel we may (have) become. Yes, James Cameron is the Leonardo da Vinci of our generation and even if the story is nothing exceptional, this film will definitely age like a fine wine.

I first saw the original Top Gun only back a few days ago, knowing that this film is a great blockbuster, I couldn't agree more. Better yet, I couldn't believe with what I saw with my own pair of eyes. A 1986 film succeeded in doing spectacular stunts and you couldn't tell if whether they had used CGI or not.

36 years later, Top Gun Maverick comes land into cinemas and oh my God, I literally had an orgasm witnessing the entire repertoire of Tom Cruise and his wingmen. They have done it again, and this time it's better and badder!

The engine kicks in with a similar reading card with 1986's Top Gun, only now they add the word 'men & women' which I feel is like a tribute for all fighter pilots in our current world. What comes next is similar to what came in the original, mirroring scenes but now with a touch of modern trends and technological advancements. From then onwards, my mind goes that this film will be a homage to the original, copying scene after scene but... I was wrong. They did mirror certain scenes but that's about it, suffice to bring back memories of the original which was exactly what I wanted.

What I like about this sequel is that it's not a film made for cash grab sake. It has a story to tell, a continuation to follow and a heart to making this an excellent film. It doesn't fall into the trap of most commercial films nowadays. The story flows like water, jumping from one plot point to another without feeling forced or doing it just for the sake of doing it. Yes, the major plot might be a bit gimmicky but the things that surround the plot that make the film feels authentic and rich with contexts.

Is it an action-packed film? Absolutely. It's not only full of actions but you'll be at the edge of your seat, full-on adrenaline rush, pumping all your juicy hormones as you witness all the practical effects done by Tom Cruise and the team. This film is much more intense than watching a horror film. You will not be comfortable seating at your seat, and that's a compliment for this movie. Remember when you saw Mission Impossible 6: Fallout? That final mission where Tom Cruise and Henry Cavill were in a helicopter showdown? Yes, if you like that & if you still remember how high the level of cortisol you experienced, Top Gun will be similar especially during the final 30 minutes. Yes, that final act that will suck your air out, making you gasp and grip your seat as hard as possible. That breathtaking moment that will make you shake your head and hands, trying to dissociate yourself with the scene but couldn't as you can't take your eyes off the screen.

To pile on the good notes, they also brought back some of the previous characters, mainly our favourites, not as a mere fan service but to also help drive the story forward, showing where they are now and what they had gone through all these times.

Tom Cruise as Maverick is both attractive and captivating. It's hard to imagine anyone playing Maverick, so kudos to the Casting Director of the original for predicting that Cruise is the only one that is able to perform all these stunts... practically. I still couldn't wrap my head around his bravery and courage especially after seeing all the stunts, even professionals might not be able to do what he does. It's beyond your expectation and understanding. Just mindblowing!

Let's not forget the amazing new members joining Maverick. They all did an awesome job and salute to all of them, bringing their respective characters to life. My favourite is definitely Hangman, played by the charismatic and charming Glen Powell. He's like a hybrid between Maverick & Iceman. I also love Phoenix who puts on a nice touch to women empowerment. Rooster, held by Miles Teller is engaging, he's the centre of the story that is important for Maverick.

Talk about Rooster, I appreciate all the relationships they put in into the script. They're a lot of chemistry sparks produced between characters; Maverick & Penny, Rooster & Maverick, Hangman & Rooster, Phoenix & Bob etc. And these sparks are strong enough insofar that we care about all these characters. It will set you on a journey of what it means to have a family and a group of friends that love you dearly.

The element of brotherhood in this is so strong, it's also the highlight of the film. I applause that because the sparks work, the brotherhood between characters in this also works wonderfully well. You might dislike some characters at the beginning, but you'll grow to love them by the end. I did hold back my tears at the end when I see all the things we want from a brotherhood, but my Gosh, I would have cried if I were watching it alone.

Top Gun Maverick respects its audience as they craft a story that gives a hint of what's to come/ending, only to realize later that you have been tricked as the story goes along. They know you're an intelligent audience and they respect you for that hence, they know you'll be able to predict its ending. So don't get shocked if your prediction took a wrong turn later on. Why? Because the script is already two steps ahead of you.

If I would highlight on what they could improve, I feel that they could have paced their story a bit better during the first 30 minutes. It takes a bit of a time for audience to fully immerse in the story, probably because of the urgent introduction they need to serve for the new characters.

The other thing is that yes, the cinematography in this is off the roof! It's extremely riveting everytime they're in the sky however, seldom they are times when the camera crop is off putting, like that one scene where they're playing volleyball, everything is perfecto from the thirst trap element 😂, One Republic's chill-vibe song to the perfect sunbathing but the scene falls short when we can't really see the ball throwing and catching up in the air as the camera crops the part where they need to be showing that, taking out the fun factor a bit.

All in all, we need to have more Hollywood summer films like this. The one that is wholesome, knows no boundaries, respect the audience's intelligence and gives out a highly entertainment value for all.

Verdict: 3 years worth the wait, Top Gun Maverick is a giant-sized blockbuster film that aims for the sky and successfully reaches to an altitude only a few could do so. Better than the original, this sequel is the real definition of high-octane, adrenaline rush & edge-of-your-seat viewing that pays tribute to the original while also respecting all the esteemed crews.

Multiverse of Madness packs a punch by giving the audience exhilarating action scenes that would surely entertain everyone watching. They've got plenty of creative juice deploying every trick of the mystical arts and witchcrafts in such a quirky way. Adding to this is the horror theme that amplify the mystic elements surrounding the world of Dr Strange. Sam Raimi directed Evil Dead and for those who are familiar with his work, you could really sense a vibe of his renowned horror film. And talking about horror, if you're a big fan of Evil Dead or IT: Chapter 1 & 2, you'll love this. They make use of bizarre visuals to mess with your brain and elevate the experience by utilizing jumpscares that may shock younger viewers.

Sam Raimi really did capture the art of modern cinematography and I love that there's a sway or wave of movements with how he or the ASC holds the camera to produce such enigmatic motions.

No one could have played Scarlet Witch as awesome as Olsen. Her transformation from a lovely mother figure to someone who's evil and depressed is really convincing, I even symphatize with her. Her nuances of emotions when she speaks really brings her character to life. Dr Strange, like his name, is well... Strange-r. His character has become more complete and wholesome compared to where he was when he first came to the MCU. But his character is somehow used in a way as a device to further tell the story of the multiverse instead of making him a real superhero character. I didn't feel much excitement seeing him this time.

Making her debut appearance in Marvel, America Chavez has an interesting backstory with a huge potential of being likeable by the audience but... they made a mistake by not introducing her earlier in the franchise, putting her character at stake as she's responsible for carrying the whole movie with Dr Strange & Scarlet Witch. The problem here lies on her story where it's too rushed and not appropriately established, resulting in a disengagement of the audience with her. Marvel should have prolonged this film to a 3-hour focusing on her or made a mini-series about her on Disney Plus or at least, an episode of Marvel's What If...?.

The biggest problem with Dr Strange 2 is it doesn't maximize its potential to utilize the 'multiverse' concept properly. This is supposed to be bigger than No Way Home. Heck, should have been the biggest of all, putting Infinity War and Endgame behind. But the result was moderately disappointing. They didn't fully put their heart and soul to making this film and understanding the demands. Yes, the film is good but by the end, you'll think, 'that's it?'

Here's the thing, the first Dr Strange caught me off guard because of how gigantic the visual scope was presented on the screen. It's a visual-gasm movie. However, with the success of the first film and with the gripping 'multiverse' concept as the focal point, audience's expectation is off the roof. Dr Strange In the Multiverse of Madness suffers from the extravagant title that fails to live up with its hype.

Is it Multiverse enough? Barely. You'd expect the film will jump into so many different universes. Well, expect less... very less 😂. The low-budget Everything Everywhere All at Once shows us even more universes than this. And when they did stuck in a universe, that universe wasn't interesting enough.

Is it Madness enough? Quite. There's a certain level of madness to it but deciding 'Multiverse of Madness' as its title is mind-boggling. It's just not and that's a fact. The title would be better off 'The Madness of the Witch'.

The film is messy enough with a lot of terms and subplots that are not clearly explained or provided a justification for existing. Particularly in the third act, everything happened quickly as they try to explain major things that led to what have happened throughout or navigate the things that are happening without putting much effort into its weightage of storytelling.

A lack of cameos was what killed me. It's THE multiverse? Why not use this opportunity to have dozens of cameos appear? It only takes 1 sec for a beloved character to appear and audience would have been happy. But they didn't make this happen. They felt it's better to show every cameo in TV Spots and trailers and put a stop at surprising fans with more.

For a multiverse film, I was underwhelmed with how the VFX looked like. I'm not sure the reason being the budget or the scope or the lack of experience or understanding of the direction given by the head VFX to the team, but it's mediocre for a mega film that is previously known for its success of its VFX. Truly, Everything Everywhere All at Once has better VFX with only a team of 5-7 people.

Even the transition mostly is downright awful, felt like it could've been better and more polished.

There's a certain tone of cheesiness that I felt this movie could have thrown it out and replaced it with something more solid or ominous as it brings in the horror genre for the first in MCU. There were times the tone reminded me of Garner's Elektra and Affleck's Daredevil that turned me off once in a while.

Verdict: Somewhere in other universe, Dr Strange In the Multiverse of Madness might be the best MCU film ever made but in ours, it is a letdown for such a colossal film. Luckily, the witch casts a spell resulting in a film that is entertaining to watch.

2020's Sonic The Hedgehog came out about a month before Covid-19 lockdown. Paramount was lucky enough to collect over $300 million worldwide, promising a sequel in the future. And that future is here... two years later and Sonic The Hedgehog 2 comes out in cinemas!

Surprisingly, this is one of those rare sequels where it is much much better than its predecessor. I never thought that it's gonna be as entertaining as this. It features more actions, more explosions and more epic battles that would amuse audience of all ages; regardless you're a toddler or an 80-year-old grandfather bringing his grandson to watch this film for his sake.

Yes, I had doubts about this film, it's over 2 hours but the the director, Jeff Fowler is able to get audience to sit tight from beginning 'till end with its adrenaline-pumping action sequence and hilarious jokes, making it as one of the best video game movie adaptations made, taking into consideration how usually this genre comes as a disappointment for general audiences and critics.

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 stays true to its source material by putting the audience into a race of finding the mystical emerald. While the movie lacks subplots, the chemistry between Sonic, Tails and Knuckles is what made this movie worth watching. The chemistry is stronger than any of the human characters we've got to see here. The humans are good as well, their story is also entertaining and not purposeless like most films that only use humans to prolong its running time.

A big kudos to Natasha Rothwell as Rachel, she's funny as hell. She's a natural at bringing her funny character to life and she's stealing every moment her camera moves along with her. Just like Tiffany Haddish shines bright in Girls Trip, that's how Rothwell does it but of course, with its PG-13 guidance.

However, as fun as it is, I cannot ignore that there are two characters that are completely unnecessary and wouldn't change a thing even if there weren't there. You would roll your eyes when scenes involving Dr Robotnik's assistant and Wade, the policeman appear on screen. Unfunny and pretentious, they should have just done us a favor by cutting them in the editing floor.

Idris Elba's voice representing Knuckles is something I was excited to hear until I heard it and the only thing I have is regret. I thought Elba's voice doesn't really fit with Knuckles, he appears a bit too manly and masculine for Knuckles. If only the voice could be slightly toned down a bit, it would have been better.

Verdict: Sonic The Hedgehog 2 stays true to its source material as it is filled with non-stop action and chase sequences that will make audience nod their head if asked if this is a better movie than the first.

Since Ocean's 8, I have adored Sandra Bullock. She's one damn gorgeous woman with a wide range of acting abilities and I found her to be charming as ever. Channing Tatum looks so young, he makes me feel old. He's 41-year-old for the love of God. When The Lost City poster and trailer were released, it only took these two world renowned actors to catch my attention and I was immediately sold.

The Lost City is marketed as an action rom-com with a bit of spoofy elements so it's inevitable for audience to go in expecting it to be a comedy film. Did the comedy work? Yes and no. Some of them were effectively done, it received lots of gags from everyone but others were okay at best, mostly because of 2 reasons; either the trailer has spoilt what could have exploded the hall with laughter or it's just not funny enough to warrant a giggling response from the audience.

Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum have a great chemistry and they are just adorable together. Albeit Bullock is 16 years older than Tatum, she knew how to act younger despite her character who leads a simple, boring and uninspired life. Tatum portrays a capable-looking bloke only to realize that he's not as strong as how people see him. Throughout, it felt like their characters are almost caricature-like, which was what elevated the chemistry for me.

Daniel Radcliffe is mehhh, he played the exact similar to his previous blockbuster role, Now You See Me 2 but I guess that's what made it funny, the fact that this movie just straight out let him played a similar role again which was kinda spoofy. Brad Pitt is charismatic as always although I knew his character only serves a few purposes for the movie.

Is it filled with action-packed? No, not really. Here's the thing about The Lost City, it spends most of their running time talking and elaborating its comedic scenes which are a hit-or-miss, that they sometimes forget to include 'action' in it. And even when there's one, it's mostly consisted of chasing sequences that are okay at best, and there's barely any action going on expect when Brad Pitt's in it.

Ironically, The Lost City is... lost within its own world. It fails to set a tone that enriches the world, resulting in a blockbuster movie that feels cheap and half-cooked. It doesn't look appealing to the point that it takes away what could have potentially be an enjoyable experience like Jumanji or Indiana Jones. Even for a semi-spoof film, it's bad considering it took about $70 million budget to make this.

Verdict: The Lost City sends a pair of attractive leads capable enough of surviving to the jungle. However, the deeper the journey, the more they realize it has lost its charm, resulting in a mundane expedition.