20 minutes.... Pass...

Robin Hood (2018)

From Kingsman to Robin of Hood?

No one knows if Robin Hood existed.

Was he real? A Myth? One thing is for sure, a lot time, he is described as legendary.

Earliest record of him is during the 13/14th century? (Please bare in mind, The Hood was used to describe, thieves, back then.)

Usually, portrait to have lived during the reign of Richard the Lionheart (12th Century)

Now, here is where the movie is actually good, the beginning, and how Robin of Loxley is "drafted" to fight in a "Holy" Crusade (please don't ask me which, there were so many of them).

There is a modern sensibility to the production of this movie.

Even the "armory" that Robin and his "band of brothers" wore during the crusade, are both medieval and modern (camouflage armour??)

Even the "warfare" seems modern, although fought with bows and arrows.

Now as for the cast, Taron Egerton (Robin of Loxley), Jamie Foxx (Little John), Ben Mendelsohn (Sheriff of Nottingham), Eve Hewson (Marian), Jamie Dornan (Will Scarlet), Tim Minchin (Friar Tuck), Paul Anderson (Guy of Gisbourne) and the delicious, F. Murray Abraham (Cardinal).

They did good. Very engaging and the Cardinal stole every single scene he was in. Another worthy mention, is Paul Anderson, who did his role well too.

The middle part was the return of Loxley back to England, and he is re-introduce back to Nottingham.

My My, how things... had changed.

The third as could have been more well executed, but as a romantic adventure movie, it does it's job.

So, In short, script is good, third act could have been better. Cast good. The production has a "modern-medieval" feel to it (Gosh I have got to stop watching HGTV...)

One other thing I like about this movie is that the trailler DID NOT show all the good bits, so, there was alot to enjoy (the horse carriage chase!!!)

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Nov 20 2018, 11:45 PM

Yes, critics are thrashing it. I enjoyed it. To each their own

Christopher Robin (2018)

What a wonderful wonderful movie!

A GEM!!!

And it did WHAT at the box office (I am guilty too, did not watch it at the cinema...)??!?

An amazing family oriented movie.

Whimsical.

Magical.

And me, a non Winnie The Pooh fan, absolutely, positively falling in love with this work!

I told you it is magical.

The cast brought it.

The people behind the special effect (Pooh and Gang are a mixture of animatronic and CGI) did an amazing job. It is obvious that it is a labour of love.

The reason it did not make a killing at the box office is probably because of the onslaught of Paddington (2014 & 2017) and Peter Rabbit (2018), audiences had become... jaded?

I do have two peeves about this movie


My Two Sen

Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018)

Mind-blown

Script writers Phil Johnston & Pamela Ribon knew how to "expend" a universe in the script.

Directors Phil Johnston & Rich Moore knew what to do with it.

First movie is about how Ralph & Vanellope became best friends.

And this movie answers the question, and than WHAT?

Easter Eggs galore (Y2K, Dial Up Internet Service??)

Product placement much (I have a funny feeling the movie's products placement, probably broke even the cost of the movie already!! )

I am at lost of words how to impress on you, how much I LUV this movie.

And the Disney princesses!!! And the odd one out from "the other" place

Funny, Entertaining & brilliant.

My Two Sen.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

In 2015, Sony did something ballsy....

They leased their movie character, Spider-man, back to Marvel/Disney, so the character, technically, not appears in the Marvel Movie universe.

Don't hate me if I got the above wrong...

Now, in term of technicality, they could still do spider-man "universe" characters, just NOT spider-man himself, hence the Venom (2018) movie.

Sony can also do Spider-man, but not live action spider-man movie,, which brings us to this movie.

So now, Sony can profit from everything.

Now, this animated movie is... out of this world.

Let me stay with the animation. Sony manage to creat a VERY distinct looking animation (reminds me of roto-scoping, Scan Darkly and Cell Shady-ing)

It is very distinct and it is VERY effective.

The makers of this movie seems very much in love with Sam Raimi/Tobey Maguire's trilogy of Spidey.

Is Prowler supposed to be Marvel's answer to Todd McFarlane's Spawn (I have been out of the comic universe for a very looooooooooong time)

Great script. Great directing and amazing voice actors (no one particularly famous, but they did a great job)

Lots of surprises for me

I watch two very good movies today...

My Two Sen.

Aquaman (2018)

What a... spectacle!

I don't know how much money was spent making this movie, it must have been a obscene amount (according to imdb it is USD 160,000,000, and have to add, it looks to me much much more than that)!!

Okay, admittedly, I was a little skeptical, when Jason Momoa was cast as Aquaman, it sounded like a miscast for me (have you seen Aquaman in the comic?? He is BLOND for Pete's sake!!?!)

When Justice League came out, I was like okay, he did not suck.

How is he, in Aquaman's first solo outing?

He is... good!

His Polynesian/Hawaiian roots seems to give his portrayal of Aquaman, some... weight.

Let's talk about the source material for a minute.

Aquaman in the comic book is.... "very vanilla".

Even in Lego Aquaman, it makes fun of Aquaman "usefulness" in the League.

As mention, the Justice League (2017) movie, has all of DC's big three, namely Superman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman (yes, he is the third strongest character in the DC universe).

So, how do you make the character, relevant?

You make him an outcast.

The millennial will love that, and Jason Momoa "stands out" just by well, standing there.

This movie is NOT perfect, and have to add, it does make DC comics feel more adaptable to the movies.

They should not try to emulate the Marvel Cinema Universe.

They are their own material and have their own feel.

Wonder Woman (2016) and Aquaman (2018) have proven that.

Highlight of this movie is

1) Jason Momoa

2) Nicole Kidman (very little scene time, and have to add, she sold what little scene time she has to the max).

3) James Wan has a Patrick Wilson fetish? He seems to use him in everything he does!?! Aquaman list of villains are.... not household names, and have to add, Patrick Wilson sold his character Orm, like his life depended on it.

The not so good things about the movie

1) There are some plot holes between this movie and Justice League (2017) (this movie happens after Justice League)


So, don't like any negative I have mention above to impede you from watching this movie.

It is a good and entertaining movie.

And I hope, will encourage DC to make more.

Go watch it, you know you want to.

My Two Sen.

Yes, DC deserves a break.

Wonder Woman was "unique" enough to do it (first major lady super hero big screen movie).

Let's hope Aquaman has enough lightning in a bottle to do it as well (first water based super hero)

Alita: Battle Angel (2019)

Hello kiddies, how is everyone?

Have not had a chance to watch anything at the cinema until today.

And I chose to watch this.

This was supposed to be at the cinema in Nov 2018, and for some odd reason, it got pushed to Feb 2019.

After watching the trailer for the first time sometime last year, I was hooked.

I looked towards the release in Nov 2018, and was disappointed and socked that it got pushed back.

Shock because being pushed back had....multiple implications and that could mean bad things for the movie...

So, how is it?

I.... actually like it.

I am a fan of Robert Rodriguez. And James Cameron had proven himself a good writer (I do think he had additional involvement of this movie production, apart from writing it)

The characters progression can be surprising.

The visuals are great

The story.... I would describe as... Juliet meets Romeo, throw in Elysium + Ghost in the Shell (anime version) +in some strange reason Wachowskis' Speed Racer (2008) and some visuals from Ready Player One, that should give to an idea of what to expect?

Who would have thunk that Christoph Waltz can play a good guy!!

One more think, watching this movie, I thought to myself, hm.... I wonder, would Jame and Robert consider making a horror movie together... They have the qualification....

Well, cannot think of anything else to add

So...

My Two Sen

I think the world wide box office would beat the box office in the States...

The "thing" about States is that they always lament about how generic cinema has become, but when something different is offered to them, it is seem as "Unamerica" therefore, they don't like it...

Paradoxical....

Captain Marvel (2019)

2019 has so far been a terrible year for me.

And there are indications that it would get worst.

Which is why I had not been posting alot around here.

I just have not had time to go to the movies.

A small slot of time opened up today, and I was reminded that Captain Marvel is in the cinemas today.

So, I bought and ticket and watched this.

So, how is it?

This movie has it tough.

Following the meteoric Avengers: Infinity Wars, expectation for this is... high?

Since their first movie, Iron Man (2008), the production quality of Marvel Marvels are never in doubt.

Being their 21st MCU movie, I have to say, this movie has alot of baggage.

As mention, the last Avenger movie, this movie suffers from having to conform to so many "criteria", I for one, thinks that this "limit" the storyline a little.

It does not have the freedom like Guardians of the Galaxy, where audience does not know what to expect.

This is the third time I am bringing this up, following Avengers: Infinity Wars, audience wants to be wowed... and I for am... am not.

The only super heroine movie one can reference is Wonder Woman, in which Wonder Woman is a goddess, literally and figuratively speaking, Captain Mar-vell (it was never really resolved, how one should pronounce it), Captain Marvel is... blue blooded?!?

Not very familiar with Brie Larson's work, and have to add, her Captain Marvel, does not really connect with the audience, and I do think this will hurt the movie.

So, making my review easy to read, I found this movie so so.

I am sure this will not be a popular view, and have to add

This is My Two Se.

Happy Death Day 2U (2019)

The first movie was a surprise "hit".

So the powers that be, decided on a sequel.

As you guys know, sequels usually don't work.

Alot bigger better movies had tried and failed and it is with great pleasure that I report to you, this little movie did a sequel and it is... great!

The nagging voice that ask, why did she time loop, is thoroughly explained here and it becomes the premised for the movie.

So, this time round it is a science fiction!

Again, all is well and the movie works.

The gang is back and with delightful additions like Suraj Sharma (Life of Pi anyone?) and Sarah Yarkin.

It is really a good sequel and if you were entertained by the first movie, you are sure to be entertained by this one.

Do watch the first one before you watch this, otherwise you will be confused.

Enjoy

My Two Sen.

Us (2019)

Wow

Jordan Peele is turning into a goto director for thrills and suspense.

First Get Out (2017) and now Us (2019).

Will he be the next Alfred Hitchcock or (and I don't want to jinx him) M. Night Shyamalan....

In homage to Alfred Hitchcock he even did a The Birds (1963) scene!!

To fully appreciate this movie, you would have to have lived through 1986.

And I have...

Hands Across America, Michael Jackson's (is this a dirty word now??) Thriller Album...

Lupita Nyong'o is amazing here.

And Winston Duke (M'Baku) plays.... the comedic relief??

This movie, draws you in, getting you more and more involved and than when you least expects it, hits you with the revelation at the end!!!

If you like thriller and suspense, this is THE movie for you.

Enjoy.

My Two Sen.

Shazam! (2019)

As Alpha 5 from Power Rangers would say, Aiya ya ya ya....

This movie is SO..... CHEESY!!!!

Wait wait wait...

First thing first, this is directed by David F. Sandberg (Lights Out (2016), anyone).

Probably one of my favorite horror movie in recent years.

The main lead in this movie is Shazam (duh), played by Zachary Levi (whom I liked alot in (Chuck 2007)).

Mark Strong plays the villain, Thaddeus Sivana... and was he not also the main villain in Green Lantern? Oh wait, not DCEU canon....

Shazam is actually the acronym for Solomon (wisdom), Hercules (strength), Atlas (stamina), Zeus (power), Achilles (courage), and Mercury (speed).

Billy Batson/Asher Angel is magically transported to the Rock of Eternity and was bestow with the power of Shazam by the wizard.

The reason he was bestowed the said power if to fight again the Seven Deadly Sins: Pride, Greed, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath, and Sloth that had taken over Thaddeus Sivana.

As Michael Buffer would say, "Let's Get Ready To Rumble!!".

Here is my experience with this movie.... I am more interested in Billy Batson back story, compared with his growth into the superhero Shazam.... Weird right.

What I am trying to say is I am more sold by Asher Angel as Billy Batson than I am by Zachary Levi as Shazzam...

Am I making sense?

Jack Dylan Grazer is proving to be a really good actor.

The Marvel Family/The Shazam Family is also introduce.

Am disappointed that with all the characters introduces, Mister Tawky Tawny, wasn't...

My Two Sen.

For me, I think Zachary Levi hammed it up a little too much

Just an opinion

Hellboy (2019)

This movie is a disaster...

I mean, this is right up there with The Spirit (2008)....

And no, I am not exaggerating...

Bad direction, bad editing, bad script and bad casting...

Nimue / The Blood Queen (Milla Jovovich)
Professor Broom (Ian McShane)
Hellboy (David Harbour)
Major Ben Daimio (Daniel Dae Kim) (I honestly rate his English accent as bad as Dick Van Dyke in the original Mary Poppins....)

How the heck is Mike Mignola involve with this piece of Kaka....

I have nothing redeeming to say about this movie.

My Two Sen....

The Curse of the Weeping Woman (2019)

So, how is this?

It is well cast, script is decent and direction is competent.

I am not sure if "the legend" of La Llorona is based on any true legend, and have to add, it is very Medea (greek myth, See Jason and Argonauts)

James Wan seem to be affiliated to the 1970s, and this movie does a good job of visit the said period.

The main leads Linda Cardellini as Anna Tate-Garcia, Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen as Samantha Garcia and Roman Christou as Chris Garcia are really good at their respective roles.

As scares go, I am not sure if there are any new ways of scaring people, and have to add first time director, Michael Chaves does a decent job.

So, if you like horror, and is crave a continuation (do note the connection is not immediately obvious) of The Conjuring Universe, this movie is a good watch.

My Two Sen