This is honestly much better than half of the movies it referenced.
Reviews
24 Reviews
The Rise of Skywalker is very problematic but I still enjoyed some parts of it.
19 December 2019
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) is a film that has so many films in it, which makes it very hard to give a single rating for the whole film.
The first half of the film has serious problems with pacing and plot design. The plot was just a chain of MacGuffins, with one MacGuffin leading to another MacGuffin. And the main characters kept moving from one place to another with no time to breathe, just because the plot dictated them to do so, which made the whole thing feel empty and hollow.
Many of the jokes were only funny on paper and did not make me laugh since the humor was simply too basic and formulaic.
As the plot progressed, the film did get better.
And many of the cinematic spectacles were indeed breathtakingly beautiful, albeit a bit contrived. Many cinematic elements were clearly designed to look good but ultimately they did not serve the plot or the whole film. Also I have to point out, there was one particular set design that was shamelessly copycatted from a not very well-known Sci-Fi short film from about 5 years ago.
The whole film was filled with nostalgia plays and fan services. Some of them truly struck me emotionally, but others felt very cheap and gratuitous.
For me, the best parts in the film are Kylo and Rey and their interactions. But the plot twists and eventual endings about them were very predictable once their true backstories were revealed to the audience. Also, some ideas behind Rey's abilities were clearly stolen from the Nickelodeon animation series, Avatar: The Last Airbender.
All the actors' and the actresses' performances were truly great. And the scenes with Leia were done respectfully but those scenes simply did not work in this film. And there was one particular scene involving Leia and another character that was very badly made.
Despite the many problems of this film, I would say The Rise of Skywalker (2019) captured the true spirits of the original Star Wars. This film respected the mythologies of the Star Wars Universe and at the same time this film managed to fill some of the plot holes that were created by The Last Jedi.
It is obvious that The Rise of Skywalker is a desperate attempt at course-correction after the divisiveness of The Last Jedi, which may or may not be a good thing depending on your perspective.
Overall, this film had many many many many many many many many problems.
But did I enjoy it while watching it in the theater ?
I have to say yes. Yes, I did enjoy it but not wholeheartedly.
After coming out of the theater, I felt empty.
I felt a bit sad.
I felt sad.
It's perhaps because it is the final chapter of the Skywalker Saga, marking the end of an era, that makes me feel sad.
Or perhaps it's because the film was simply not as gratifying as I had hoped.
At the same time, I think we have to acknowledge the difficulty of what the last chapter of the Skywalker Saga has to achieve. This film is supposed to wrap up all the stories in a franchise that has spanned more than 40 years and at the same time it has to bring a very "intense" fandom together after the divisiveness of the Last Jedi.
So I can only imagine how impossible it is to try to satisfy everyone with Episode IX. But Disney brought this onto itself. Instead of a clean slate when the new trilogy was first started, Disney insisted on bringing the old characters on board while at the same time trying to introduce a new generations of characters. What ended up happening is less than ideal.
As I've said in the beginning of this review, it's hard to give a specific rating for this film. But if I have to, I would give The Rise of Skywalker a 7.5 out of 10.
The first half of the film has serious problems with pacing and plot design. The plot was just a chain of MacGuffins, with one MacGuffin leading to another MacGuffin. And the main characters kept moving from one place to another with no time to breathe, just because the plot dictated them to do so, which made the whole thing feel empty and hollow.
Many of the jokes were only funny on paper and did not make me laugh since the humor was simply too basic and formulaic.
As the plot progressed, the film did get better.
And many of the cinematic spectacles were indeed breathtakingly beautiful, albeit a bit contrived. Many cinematic elements were clearly designed to look good but ultimately they did not serve the plot or the whole film. Also I have to point out, there was one particular set design that was shamelessly copycatted from a not very well-known Sci-Fi short film from about 5 years ago.
The whole film was filled with nostalgia plays and fan services. Some of them truly struck me emotionally, but others felt very cheap and gratuitous.
For me, the best parts in the film are Kylo and Rey and their interactions. But the plot twists and eventual endings about them were very predictable once their true backstories were revealed to the audience. Also, some ideas behind Rey's abilities were clearly stolen from the Nickelodeon animation series, Avatar: The Last Airbender.
All the actors' and the actresses' performances were truly great. And the scenes with Leia were done respectfully but those scenes simply did not work in this film. And there was one particular scene involving Leia and another character that was very badly made.
Despite the many problems of this film, I would say The Rise of Skywalker (2019) captured the true spirits of the original Star Wars. This film respected the mythologies of the Star Wars Universe and at the same time this film managed to fill some of the plot holes that were created by The Last Jedi.
It is obvious that The Rise of Skywalker is a desperate attempt at course-correction after the divisiveness of The Last Jedi, which may or may not be a good thing depending on your perspective.
Overall, this film had many many many many many many many many problems.
But did I enjoy it while watching it in the theater ?
I have to say yes. Yes, I did enjoy it but not wholeheartedly.
After coming out of the theater, I felt empty.
I felt a bit sad.
I felt sad.
It's perhaps because it is the final chapter of the Skywalker Saga, marking the end of an era, that makes me feel sad.
Or perhaps it's because the film was simply not as gratifying as I had hoped.
At the same time, I think we have to acknowledge the difficulty of what the last chapter of the Skywalker Saga has to achieve. This film is supposed to wrap up all the stories in a franchise that has spanned more than 40 years and at the same time it has to bring a very "intense" fandom together after the divisiveness of the Last Jedi.
So I can only imagine how impossible it is to try to satisfy everyone with Episode IX. But Disney brought this onto itself. Instead of a clean slate when the new trilogy was first started, Disney insisted on bringing the old characters on board while at the same time trying to introduce a new generations of characters. What ended up happening is less than ideal.
As I've said in the beginning of this review, it's hard to give a specific rating for this film. But if I have to, I would give The Rise of Skywalker a 7.5 out of 10.
The writers on the show need to be fired.
15 December 2019
Knives Out
(2019)
The film is good.
7 December 2019
I went to see this film not knowing anything about it.
And I enjoyed this film in the sense that it is the sort of film the cinema desperately needs these days. There are no flashy visuals, no spectacles, or extraordinary premises. It's purely about the stories and the characters, through which this film shines.
Overall, it's a competently directed film with solid storytelling, great production value, and an amazing cast.
All the twists and turns are not necessarily mind-boggling but certainly interesting enough to warrant a potential second viewing.
This episode was depressingly unfunny.
4 November 2019
The writers of this episode didn't even try to write anything that remotely resembles comedy.
And the audience's robotic laughter on command is only making it worse.
Kristen Stewart is very hot though. Perhaps they should have made a show out of that.
Kristen Stewart is very hot though. Perhaps they should have made a show out of that.
Parasite
(2019)
This is great cinema.
29 October 2019
This movie was not at all what I expected, which is great !
I have to say the actress Jeong-eun Lee's performance was freaking awesome !!!!!!! She's the best part in the whole film. I was thoroughly convinced by her performance.
Overall, this film is great. I can't comment much on other aspects of the film without spoiling it. The final act is slightly weaker compared to other parts of the film, but still they are all great !
It's best you go to see this film without knowing anything about it. That way you can get a much wilder ride out of it.
An OK movie epilogue to one of the Greatest TV shows.
22 October 2019
Ne Zha
(2019)
Finally a Chinese film that I actually enjoyed watching.
9 September 2019
The following is not necessarily a review of the film, but a recount of my own viewing experience of this film.
After months of rolling my eyes at the social media buzz about this supposedly "great Chinese animation", I finally found the one Regal theater in town that actually shows this movie. And I'm glad I did.
Initially, I was turned off by this movie's trailer, since it had all the worst stereotypes of a Chinese-made film, with all the cheesy expositions, cringey dialogues, and awkward voice acting. I was so sure that "Nezha" was just another piece of garbage coming out of the money-grabbing film industry that had become so shamelessly greedy in recent years. But my low expectations were pleasantly subverted.
After some struggling of finding a parking spot, I found myself in a relatively small-sized IMAX theater packed with young Chinese people, and a handful of white Americans, and one nice black lady who very much stood out in this crowd. And I'm almost certain that all of us enjoyed the two hours of fun and entertainment this film offered us, albeit on different levels.
Almost immediately after the movie started playing, I found myself already irritated by the unnecessarily long opening credits of all the production companies associated with "Nezha". This is one of the many shady industry practices in China, where all the entities involved in the film's production process shamelessly tried to promote their brands, regardless of how much actual contribution they've made. But shortly after the actual film began to show on the screen, I was easily won over by the opening scene where the famous Daoist immortal "Taiyi Zhenren" was revealed to be an obese and seemingly incompetent idiot. It was a subversion of the genre trope. When it comes to the genre of Chinese mythology films, Daoist immortals were almost always portrayed as wise old men whose wisdom and authority are not to be questioned. And here in "Nezha", one of the most powerful and respected Daoist deities was portrayed as a buffoon who actually had real human personality.
And at the same time, I was surprised to find myself actually enjoying the jokes and humors of the film, which I think is very rare in Chinese films. Even though I haven't watched any Chinese film for many years, I'm aware of the awfulness and cringiness of the typical attempts at comedy by trying to crack an awkward joke between scenes in Chinese films. But here in "Nezha", I enjoyed most of the comedy in it, even though I can see how goofy it is. Goofiness in film can be a good thing if it is done in the right tone.
There are more turns and twists than I expected throughout the film, and I enjoyed the whole ride. However, I have to point out, there are one or two very brief moments in the film, which I didn't appreciate as much. I know the filmmakers were being serious in those brief moments, trying to evoke a certain emotion from audience. But it didn't work on me because of the voice acting in those scenes which took me right out of the film. Don't get me wrong, the voice acting was great in "Nezha", much better than most films. But in certain brief moments, it just didn't work for me.
Now comes another possible issue of "Nezha", which might be an impediment to the general audience's enjoyment of this film. That is the English subtitles. I have to acknowledge that I myself could not do a better job than they did, at translating the Ancient Chinese mythological concepts into modern-day English while trying to make sense to an audience unfamiliar with Chinese culture at large. But I'd like to argue perhaps transliteration might be a better approach than imprecise translation. Also I have to point out, as with almost all foreign language films, the humors and multi-layered emotions of most dialogues in "Nezha" were inevitably lost in translation.
Overall, "Nezha" was one of the best Chinese entertainment I've experienced in recent years, even though I haven't really watched that many real Chinese films. I'm glad that "Nezha" got a huge box office success in China which it so very much deserves. I'm not so sure "Nezha" would be a hit elsewhere. It might get popular to a certain degree on some streaming platforms. But I doubt it will get mainstream popularity in US, since most American media's portrayal of everything remotely related to China has been so negative lately ever since the Trade War.
Anyway, for me, I thoroughly enjoyed "Nezha". But I don't know the experience would be the same for everyone, since you have to have a certain willingness to put up with imprecise translation while at the same time trying to be culturally open-minded.
P.S. Sorry about my rambling in this long-ass review. But I can't believe I actually enjoyed a Chinese animation film so I have to take the time to write my genuine feelings about it.
(Additional comments: CHINA was the nation that had once gave the world the absolutely worst garbage film series ever produced by mankind. I'm talking about, of course, the infamous "Tiny Times" series by the famed gay novelist Guo Jingming. Ever since my great suffering by Guo Jingming's garbage films, I had never ever given any Chinese-made films any sort of serious interest until the year 2019. At the beginning of this year, there was the surprise box office success, the "Wandering Earth", which I also enjoyed. And now I'm thoroughly won over by "Nezha". I think it's been a good year for the Chinese film-making and we shall see if it will last.)
After months of rolling my eyes at the social media buzz about this supposedly "great Chinese animation", I finally found the one Regal theater in town that actually shows this movie. And I'm glad I did.
Initially, I was turned off by this movie's trailer, since it had all the worst stereotypes of a Chinese-made film, with all the cheesy expositions, cringey dialogues, and awkward voice acting. I was so sure that "Nezha" was just another piece of garbage coming out of the money-grabbing film industry that had become so shamelessly greedy in recent years. But my low expectations were pleasantly subverted.
After some struggling of finding a parking spot, I found myself in a relatively small-sized IMAX theater packed with young Chinese people, and a handful of white Americans, and one nice black lady who very much stood out in this crowd. And I'm almost certain that all of us enjoyed the two hours of fun and entertainment this film offered us, albeit on different levels.
Almost immediately after the movie started playing, I found myself already irritated by the unnecessarily long opening credits of all the production companies associated with "Nezha". This is one of the many shady industry practices in China, where all the entities involved in the film's production process shamelessly tried to promote their brands, regardless of how much actual contribution they've made. But shortly after the actual film began to show on the screen, I was easily won over by the opening scene where the famous Daoist immortal "Taiyi Zhenren" was revealed to be an obese and seemingly incompetent idiot. It was a subversion of the genre trope. When it comes to the genre of Chinese mythology films, Daoist immortals were almost always portrayed as wise old men whose wisdom and authority are not to be questioned. And here in "Nezha", one of the most powerful and respected Daoist deities was portrayed as a buffoon who actually had real human personality.
And at the same time, I was surprised to find myself actually enjoying the jokes and humors of the film, which I think is very rare in Chinese films. Even though I haven't watched any Chinese film for many years, I'm aware of the awfulness and cringiness of the typical attempts at comedy by trying to crack an awkward joke between scenes in Chinese films. But here in "Nezha", I enjoyed most of the comedy in it, even though I can see how goofy it is. Goofiness in film can be a good thing if it is done in the right tone.
There are more turns and twists than I expected throughout the film, and I enjoyed the whole ride. However, I have to point out, there are one or two very brief moments in the film, which I didn't appreciate as much. I know the filmmakers were being serious in those brief moments, trying to evoke a certain emotion from audience. But it didn't work on me because of the voice acting in those scenes which took me right out of the film. Don't get me wrong, the voice acting was great in "Nezha", much better than most films. But in certain brief moments, it just didn't work for me.
Now comes another possible issue of "Nezha", which might be an impediment to the general audience's enjoyment of this film. That is the English subtitles. I have to acknowledge that I myself could not do a better job than they did, at translating the Ancient Chinese mythological concepts into modern-day English while trying to make sense to an audience unfamiliar with Chinese culture at large. But I'd like to argue perhaps transliteration might be a better approach than imprecise translation. Also I have to point out, as with almost all foreign language films, the humors and multi-layered emotions of most dialogues in "Nezha" were inevitably lost in translation.
Overall, "Nezha" was one of the best Chinese entertainment I've experienced in recent years, even though I haven't really watched that many real Chinese films. I'm glad that "Nezha" got a huge box office success in China which it so very much deserves. I'm not so sure "Nezha" would be a hit elsewhere. It might get popular to a certain degree on some streaming platforms. But I doubt it will get mainstream popularity in US, since most American media's portrayal of everything remotely related to China has been so negative lately ever since the Trade War.
Anyway, for me, I thoroughly enjoyed "Nezha". But I don't know the experience would be the same for everyone, since you have to have a certain willingness to put up with imprecise translation while at the same time trying to be culturally open-minded.
P.S. Sorry about my rambling in this long-ass review. But I can't believe I actually enjoyed a Chinese animation film so I have to take the time to write my genuine feelings about it.
(Additional comments: CHINA was the nation that had once gave the world the absolutely worst garbage film series ever produced by mankind. I'm talking about, of course, the infamous "Tiny Times" series by the famed gay novelist Guo Jingming. Ever since my great suffering by Guo Jingming's garbage films, I had never ever given any Chinese-made films any sort of serious interest until the year 2019. At the beginning of this year, there was the surprise box office success, the "Wandering Earth", which I also enjoyed. And now I'm thoroughly won over by "Nezha". I think it's been a good year for the Chinese film-making and we shall see if it will last.)
X-Men: Dark Phoenix
(2019)
An utter Failure.
7 September 2019
Clearly the actors are trying in this film, but too bad for them everything about this movie sucks.
The dialogues are bad, the stories are boring, the tone of the whole movie is awkward and cringe-worthy.
It's just so sad to see a formerly beloved franchise falling this far.
Spider-Man: Far from Home
(2019)
One of the better Marvel movies.
28 June 2019
Amazing visuals, thrilling action scenes, engaging story-telling, superb casting.....These are the making of a summer blockbuster.
"Spider-Man:Far from Home" is a perfect combination of comedy, action, and romance, with all the right ingredients and none of the genre tropes.
Surprisingly enough, the centerpiece of this film is not the superhero's extraordinary world-saving, but the budding romance between the very ordinary human characters. It might be more accurate to describe this film as a genre fusion of romcom and action-comedy under the disguise of a superhero movie, since the scale of the "world-saving" and the stakes for the final showdown are very much limited compared to what just happened in Endgame.
What impressed me the most is Zendaya's performance as MJ, which finally breaks the stereotype of superhero's love interest. Instead of your typical dumbed-down background eye-candy, Zendaya's MJ is intelligent, quirky, interesting, and absolutely lovable.
Tom Holland is, at this point, Spider-Man's alter ego. I cannot imagine Spider-Man being anyone else other than him. As usual, Marvel simply could not have a more perfect casting than Tom Holland.
The story-telling is engaging enough to keep audiences on the edge of their seats, with one particular dream-like action sequence standing out as the mind-blowing moment in this movie. The plot-twist and the reveal in the third act are typical of what Hollyhood writers have done countless times before and should not be unexpected by an experienced cinema-goer.
The minor flaws of this movie reside within the potential plot holes incurred by the plot twist in the third act. Expositions provided by the film's narrative might not be sufficient enough to warrant the suspension of disbelief for some viewers.
Overall this would be one fantastical popcorn entertainment movie for viewers of all tastes, but do not expect it to be great enough to be comparable to the likes of the LOTR trilogy.
Highly recommend everyone to view this film in IMAX. It's gonna be worth your money. Also, please don't forget there are two post-credit scenes, which definitely make the whole movie much better.
"Spider-Man:Far from Home" is a perfect combination of comedy, action, and romance, with all the right ingredients and none of the genre tropes.
Surprisingly enough, the centerpiece of this film is not the superhero's extraordinary world-saving, but the budding romance between the very ordinary human characters. It might be more accurate to describe this film as a genre fusion of romcom and action-comedy under the disguise of a superhero movie, since the scale of the "world-saving" and the stakes for the final showdown are very much limited compared to what just happened in Endgame.
What impressed me the most is Zendaya's performance as MJ, which finally breaks the stereotype of superhero's love interest. Instead of your typical dumbed-down background eye-candy, Zendaya's MJ is intelligent, quirky, interesting, and absolutely lovable.
Tom Holland is, at this point, Spider-Man's alter ego. I cannot imagine Spider-Man being anyone else other than him. As usual, Marvel simply could not have a more perfect casting than Tom Holland.
The story-telling is engaging enough to keep audiences on the edge of their seats, with one particular dream-like action sequence standing out as the mind-blowing moment in this movie. The plot-twist and the reveal in the third act are typical of what Hollyhood writers have done countless times before and should not be unexpected by an experienced cinema-goer.
The minor flaws of this movie reside within the potential plot holes incurred by the plot twist in the third act. Expositions provided by the film's narrative might not be sufficient enough to warrant the suspension of disbelief for some viewers.
Overall this would be one fantastical popcorn entertainment movie for viewers of all tastes, but do not expect it to be great enough to be comparable to the likes of the LOTR trilogy.
Highly recommend everyone to view this film in IMAX. It's gonna be worth your money. Also, please don't forget there are two post-credit scenes, which definitely make the whole movie much better.
The Office
(2005–2013)
A show that entirely depends on its characters to succeed.
19 June 2019
It's really hard to rate the entire sires of The Office as one single entity. Like most shows on TV, "The Office" started out great, peaked somewhere in the middle, and then went downhill since one of its major lead left the show.
To start with, Michael and Dwight are always the best, from start to finish. These two idiots are the soul of this brilliantly heart-warming comedy. All the supporting characters are wonderful, albeit underdeveloped.
Jim and Pam are a mix bag. Their relationship started out sweet and pure and lovable. But like most marriages in real life, it turns into something much more mundane and boring. Pam in particular, had become irritatingly demeaning to others in later seasons.
Overall this show's good and bad all depend on the characters of this show. It's not the plot, nor the comedy, but the brilliant characters that make this show a wonder in American TV history.
To start with, Michael and Dwight are always the best, from start to finish. These two idiots are the soul of this brilliantly heart-warming comedy. All the supporting characters are wonderful, albeit underdeveloped.
Jim and Pam are a mix bag. Their relationship started out sweet and pure and lovable. But like most marriages in real life, it turns into something much more mundane and boring. Pam in particular, had become irritatingly demeaning to others in later seasons.
Overall this show's good and bad all depend on the characters of this show. It's not the plot, nor the comedy, but the brilliant characters that make this show a wonder in American TV history.
Black Panther
(2018)
Another Innocuous Marvel blockbuster.
19 June 2019
Black Panther is a very standard super hero flick from Marvel.
In terms of this movie itself, it's fairly bland. Nothing offensive or inventive. The production value is great, albeit some very poor CGI in the final battle scene. The protagonist once again suffers from what I call "Marvel Syndrome", where the character is rigid and doesn't have a personality. He is just there on the screen, reacting to things happening to him. He has no real agency or persona.
On the other hand, the cultural significance of this film with nearly all black cast and black talents behind the camera is immeasurable to many modern day movie viewers. Not to take credits from the cast and crew of this film, I would not consider this as a cultural milestone for black community or people of color in general. For me personally, it has always been Will Smith in the first "Men In Black" movie, which came out twenty years earlier in 1997.
In terms of this movie itself, it's fairly bland. Nothing offensive or inventive. The production value is great, albeit some very poor CGI in the final battle scene. The protagonist once again suffers from what I call "Marvel Syndrome", where the character is rigid and doesn't have a personality. He is just there on the screen, reacting to things happening to him. He has no real agency or persona.
On the other hand, the cultural significance of this film with nearly all black cast and black talents behind the camera is immeasurable to many modern day movie viewers. Not to take credits from the cast and crew of this film, I would not consider this as a cultural milestone for black community or people of color in general. For me personally, it has always been Will Smith in the first "Men In Black" movie, which came out twenty years earlier in 1997.
The Umbrella Academy
(2019–2024)
Weird, quirky, and simply brilliant
19 June 2019
This show probably has the best soundtrack ever available in history. And the VFX is very good for a TV production. All the characters are well-designed, the storytelling is engaging, and the plot is intriguing. Overall it has all the elements to make it a great show.
However in the later episodes of the first season, some characters have made some irritatingly stupid decisions, which are clearly designed to move the plot forward, but at the same time this might have ruined the characterization established in the first few episodes.
I hope there would be a season two. This show is too good to be discontinued.
However in the later episodes of the first season, some characters have made some irritatingly stupid decisions, which are clearly designed to move the plot forward, but at the same time this might have ruined the characterization established in the first few episodes.
I hope there would be a season two. This show is too good to be discontinued.
Good Omens
(2019– )
A love story between a demon and an angel.
19 June 2019
Warning: Spoilers
The style of this show is absolutely brilliant. But what truly makes this show stand out is the purest love story between an unlikely pair of friends. An angel and a demon, supposedly archenemies of each other, became best friends between heaven and hell. It invokes the classical love story of Romeo and Juliet, except this show is a comedy.
The dual protagonists of this show do not display an ostensibly "romantic" element in their relationship, but the bond between the two can be described by no other words except "love". On the other hand, one cannot consider this as "Queer-baiting", since there is nothing queer about it. There is zero sexual undertone. It's just two living entities caring for each other for millennia.
All the supporting characters in the show are also fantastically hilarious, making this show one of the best comedies out there. The child acting in the show is mostly OK. The Antichrist kid's acting is a bit bland, but perfectly acceptable.
The only tiny issue this show has is the poor VFX. Probably because of a limited budget, the show's visual effects are not so good. In fact, many of the VFX shots are cartoonish and seem to resemble the wildly ridiculous visual effects in the early 90s . But again this minor issue does impede the overall enjoyment of this otherwise flawless show.
The dual protagonists of this show do not display an ostensibly "romantic" element in their relationship, but the bond between the two can be described by no other words except "love". On the other hand, one cannot consider this as "Queer-baiting", since there is nothing queer about it. There is zero sexual undertone. It's just two living entities caring for each other for millennia.
All the supporting characters in the show are also fantastically hilarious, making this show one of the best comedies out there. The child acting in the show is mostly OK. The Antichrist kid's acting is a bit bland, but perfectly acceptable.
The only tiny issue this show has is the poor VFX. Probably because of a limited budget, the show's visual effects are not so good. In fact, many of the VFX shots are cartoonish and seem to resemble the wildly ridiculous visual effects in the early 90s . But again this minor issue does impede the overall enjoyment of this otherwise flawless show.
Blade Runner 2049
(2017)
Amazing Visual art and Mediocre storytelling.
19 June 2019
Blade Runner 2049 is a nearly 3-hour-long visual art-piece.
The digital re-creation of Rachel is simply the best VFX in the whole industry.
However the film's plot drags on for too long without meaningful climax. The entire story-line is essentially a one-note stretch that centers around a single mystery box. And the plot twist at the third act is both predicable and insignificant. Casual viewers would be bored before they can appreciate the fantastical world building in this film.
Overall the production value is top notch, but the stories are simply weak and filled with Sci-Fi tropes.
However the film's plot drags on for too long without meaningful climax. The entire story-line is essentially a one-note stretch that centers around a single mystery box. And the plot twist at the third act is both predicable and insignificant. Casual viewers would be bored before they can appreciate the fantastical world building in this film.
Overall the production value is top notch, but the stories are simply weak and filled with Sci-Fi tropes.
Captain Marvel
(2019)
A very typical Marvel movie.
15 June 2019
Yet it's another Marvel movie.
This is just your average Hollywood production with good visuals and engaging stories. Most people would enjoy this movie as solid POPCORN entertainment.
Brie Larson's acting in this movie is not the best. Certainly, Brie is a wonderful actress and has done many great performances in many other films. But her portrayal of Captain Marvel is rigid and awkward in this movie. Clearly, they have NOT figured out the exact tone, manner, and persona they want Captain Marvel to have. The character design of Captain Marvel is a failure in this movie. But I'm sure these will get better in future installments just as they did with Thor.
Overall it's a solid Marvel production with some typical Marvel flaws.
This is just your average Hollywood production with good visuals and engaging stories. Most people would enjoy this movie as solid POPCORN entertainment.
Brie Larson's acting in this movie is not the best. Certainly, Brie is a wonderful actress and has done many great performances in many other films. But her portrayal of Captain Marvel is rigid and awkward in this movie. Clearly, they have NOT figured out the exact tone, manner, and persona they want Captain Marvel to have. The character design of Captain Marvel is a failure in this movie. But I'm sure these will get better in future installments just as they did with Thor.
Overall it's a solid Marvel production with some typical Marvel flaws.
The Mummy
(2017)
It's an inoffensive Hollywood production.
15 June 2019
Despite its many flaws, the Mummy (2017) is not as bad as professional critics have claimed.
At its core, this movie is an inoffensive light-hearted entertainment. There are some ridiculous scenes that simply should not have been made onto the big screen, but overall the movie stand on its own.
I actually would love to see a sequel where Tom Cruise can continue his saga with his new found powers. But given the poor box office performance of this one, I doubt the studio would greenlight a sequel.
At its core, this movie is an inoffensive light-hearted entertainment. There are some ridiculous scenes that simply should not have been made onto the big screen, but overall the movie stand on its own.
I actually would love to see a sequel where Tom Cruise can continue his saga with his new found powers. But given the poor box office performance of this one, I doubt the studio would greenlight a sequel.
The Flowers of War
(2011)
Good movie, but could be better.
9 June 2019
I watch movies mostly to be entertained. Obviously this is not one of those popcorn entertainment.
I still remember I left the theater traumatized by what I saw in this film, but I guess that is the point.
After re-watching this film, I would have rated this much higher if Christian Bale's character were not in it. Christian Bale seemed out of place throughout the whole movie. I would appreciate this film a lot more if the focus and POV is moved away from Christian Bale to the female protagonist.
The production, the directing and the acting, are all top notch. I have no major issues with the film itself except for Christian Bale's character.
Again, I have to remind everyone that this is NOT a film for entertainment. You would not be entertained unless you are some kind of sadist. So viewers be prepared.
I still remember I left the theater traumatized by what I saw in this film, but I guess that is the point.
After re-watching this film, I would have rated this much higher if Christian Bale's character were not in it. Christian Bale seemed out of place throughout the whole movie. I would appreciate this film a lot more if the focus and POV is moved away from Christian Bale to the female protagonist.
The production, the directing and the acting, are all top notch. I have no major issues with the film itself except for Christian Bale's character.
Again, I have to remind everyone that this is NOT a film for entertainment. You would not be entertained unless you are some kind of sadist. So viewers be prepared.
Game of Thrones
(2011–2019)
Re-judgement of GOT.
9 June 2019
GOT used to be so good in its early seasons, but now that the final season is over, we should rejudge the whole show in a different light.
Undisputedly, the first four seasons of GOT are simply the best. They successfully changed and redefined the whole fantasy genre since Tolkien's inception of Middle Earth. Their legacy would be enshrined in pop culture for decades to come.
But the final few seasons have gone downhill since the show run out of the original source materials, and eventually turned in to a pile of irredeemable garbage. All the character arcs ruined, all the plot developments abandoned, and all the world settings ignored. The ignorance and arrogance of David Benioff and D. B. Weiss are directly responsible for the downfall of GOT and these two incompetent buffoons must be stopped before they get their dirty hands on the Star Wars franchise. Fandoms of the world, Unite ! before it's too late.
Undisputedly, the first four seasons of GOT are simply the best. They successfully changed and redefined the whole fantasy genre since Tolkien's inception of Middle Earth. Their legacy would be enshrined in pop culture for decades to come.
But the final few seasons have gone downhill since the show run out of the original source materials, and eventually turned in to a pile of irredeemable garbage. All the character arcs ruined, all the plot developments abandoned, and all the world settings ignored. The ignorance and arrogance of David Benioff and D. B. Weiss are directly responsible for the downfall of GOT and these two incompetent buffoons must be stopped before they get their dirty hands on the Star Wars franchise. Fandoms of the world, Unite ! before it's too late.
Ready Player One
(2018)
Disappointed by its mediocrity.
9 June 2019
This is NOT a bad movie. Not by any means.
But I'm thoroughly disappointed by the final product that they put into theater , considering the film's potential and how much more it could have been.
This could have been Spielberg's "Avatar" in the 21 century. Unfortunately the end result turned out to be your average popcorn movie, with an under-performing box office, only to be saved by China.
But I'm thoroughly disappointed by the final product that they put into theater , considering the film's potential and how much more it could have been.
This could have been Spielberg's "Avatar" in the 21 century. Unfortunately the end result turned out to be your average popcorn movie, with an under-performing box office, only to be saved by China.
Us
(II) (2019)
Solid film-making, quirky stories, and explicit social commentaries.
9 June 2019
The film is well-made, and well-directed. All the actors delivered great performances. Even the child actors did great, which is not very common these days.
The premise, the story narrative, and the plot lines are all very intriguing by mainstream Hollywood standards, although some major plot holes can be found if one gets nit-picky. And some aspects of the explanation provided in the final act of the film would not make sense if one thinks it through.
The director has cleverly embedded many clues and Easter eggs into the film, but his message was eventually stated explicit by the characters in the film. Unlike Nolan's Inception (2010) which has an iconic ending for its ambiguity, the ending of this film is unequivocal, leaving no room to different interpretations, which might make the whole film less appealing to some critics.
Overall, I consider this film another great work by the great mind of Jordan Peele. And I look forward to see his third film.
The premise, the story narrative, and the plot lines are all very intriguing by mainstream Hollywood standards, although some major plot holes can be found if one gets nit-picky. And some aspects of the explanation provided in the final act of the film would not make sense if one thinks it through.
The director has cleverly embedded many clues and Easter eggs into the film, but his message was eventually stated explicit by the characters in the film. Unlike Nolan's Inception (2010) which has an iconic ending for its ambiguity, the ending of this film is unequivocal, leaving no room to different interpretations, which might make the whole film less appealing to some critics.
Overall, I consider this film another great work by the great mind of Jordan Peele. And I look forward to see his third film.
The Founder of Diabolism
(2018–2021)
Best in 2018 - I was amazed to my "Golden Core" !
19 December 2018
(I've already posted my review in myanimelist.net, and now I figure I might as well post a review here to share my love for this anime.)
This is undoubtedly the most beautiful anime I've ever seen in my life! It's much better than any other anime in the year of 2018, I would dare to claim. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves anime as I do.
I have mostly great things to say about this anime with a couple of complaints.
First of all, the arts, style, music and character design in this series absolutely amazed me to my "Golden Core" ! (You would know what golden core is if you watch this anime.)
The artistic portrayal of ancient China is breathtakingly beautiful. Every frame seems like a picturesque poem. In fact I would call the animation style in this series as "Visual Poetry".
The music and all the ancient instruments appeared in the series are out of this world. The opening theme instantly brought me into this fantasy world where cultivators can fly so effortlessly on their swords and perform stunning arts of cultivation as one does.
The voice acting is great and gave each character a distinguishable persona and made the characters more relatable. Their struggles and the dynamics of their relationships makes me feel like I'm part of it. On the other hand, I did notice that some of the background characters' faces look more generic, bland and indistinguishable.
The plot of all the 15 episodes in season 1 did not quench my thirst for more content in this fantastic world. I want more stories in this beautifully animated world. I can't wait for season 2. I hope season 2 would be more epic and more ambitious than the first one.
Additionally, some people have classify this anime into the Shounen Ai category, which I beg to differ. For my viewing experience, I didn't even realized this anime is adapted from a Shounen Ai novel until I looked it up on the internet. Since this anime is produced in China, I seriously doubt there would be an overarching theme about Shounen Ai. The Shounen Ai element would be very subtle, if there's any to begin with. I seriously pity those who decided to not enjoy this anime simply because it's labeled as "Shounen Ai".
My only complaints lie with the sub translation. There's a heavy load of info dumped on me when I started the first few episodes. All the names are in Chinese which felt like a heavy task to me, although I did catch on with what is going on shortly after I dived in to the series. When it comes to the mythologies and concepts in this anime, I very much prefer interpretation over direct translation. I would understand many concepts much better and quicker if it were not badly translated into weird English, which also slightly takes me out of this anime's artistic world. With all that said, I still appreciate all the hard work by the fan sub community, without whom I wouldn't have the privileged to enjoy this anime.
Overall I would give this anime a 10 out 10.
This is my first non Japanese anime. And I really hope it can get a second season produced smoothly. I'm very worried about the fate of this anime production since this anime did not go viral around the world as it should be. I honestly don't know what to do if season 2 production doesn't go as planned. I called for more support to this anime. And to all the fans in China, please tell Tencent to give whatever cash is needed for this anime production.
This is undoubtedly the most beautiful anime I've ever seen in my life! It's much better than any other anime in the year of 2018, I would dare to claim. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves anime as I do.
I have mostly great things to say about this anime with a couple of complaints.
First of all, the arts, style, music and character design in this series absolutely amazed me to my "Golden Core" ! (You would know what golden core is if you watch this anime.)
The artistic portrayal of ancient China is breathtakingly beautiful. Every frame seems like a picturesque poem. In fact I would call the animation style in this series as "Visual Poetry".
The music and all the ancient instruments appeared in the series are out of this world. The opening theme instantly brought me into this fantasy world where cultivators can fly so effortlessly on their swords and perform stunning arts of cultivation as one does.
The voice acting is great and gave each character a distinguishable persona and made the characters more relatable. Their struggles and the dynamics of their relationships makes me feel like I'm part of it. On the other hand, I did notice that some of the background characters' faces look more generic, bland and indistinguishable.
The plot of all the 15 episodes in season 1 did not quench my thirst for more content in this fantastic world. I want more stories in this beautifully animated world. I can't wait for season 2. I hope season 2 would be more epic and more ambitious than the first one.
Additionally, some people have classify this anime into the Shounen Ai category, which I beg to differ. For my viewing experience, I didn't even realized this anime is adapted from a Shounen Ai novel until I looked it up on the internet. Since this anime is produced in China, I seriously doubt there would be an overarching theme about Shounen Ai. The Shounen Ai element would be very subtle, if there's any to begin with. I seriously pity those who decided to not enjoy this anime simply because it's labeled as "Shounen Ai".
My only complaints lie with the sub translation. There's a heavy load of info dumped on me when I started the first few episodes. All the names are in Chinese which felt like a heavy task to me, although I did catch on with what is going on shortly after I dived in to the series. When it comes to the mythologies and concepts in this anime, I very much prefer interpretation over direct translation. I would understand many concepts much better and quicker if it were not badly translated into weird English, which also slightly takes me out of this anime's artistic world. With all that said, I still appreciate all the hard work by the fan sub community, without whom I wouldn't have the privileged to enjoy this anime.
Overall I would give this anime a 10 out 10.
This is my first non Japanese anime. And I really hope it can get a second season produced smoothly. I'm very worried about the fate of this anime production since this anime did not go viral around the world as it should be. I honestly don't know what to do if season 2 production doesn't go as planned. I called for more support to this anime. And to all the fans in China, please tell Tencent to give whatever cash is needed for this anime production.
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