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Reviews
Operation Undead (2024)
A zombie movie that is infused with humanity and emotional complexity.
With the backdrop of World War II, the plot explores the historical fiction of Thailand's involvement in the war conflict and how the Japanese-engineered chemical weapon outbreaks, as well as how the Japanese military experiments on Thai soldiers.
The pace is rather uneven at times, where intense actions are suddenly interchanged with slow moments.
Unlike any typical mindless zombies, in this movie, the zombies retain a degree of consciousness and emotional depth, where they can communicate among themselves. This could be unacceptable to some audiences!
In terms of character development, only Mek and Mok (the two brothers) are well-developed, while the other supporting characters lack depth and growth, making it less impactful even though they are killed.
In general, this movie critiques the brutality of war that tears families apart. It also focuses very much on family bonds and the relationship between the two brothers, Mek and Mok. For instance, even in their zombie state, they strive to protect their family and loved ones. In short, the movie's emotional weight mainly comes from the strong family ties.
In summary, the movie offers a new and daring perspective on the zombie genre, infusing with humanity, social commentary, and emotional complexity. Oh ya, there is an end-credit, so remember to stay back for it!
Harimau Malaya: The Untold Journey (2024)
It's an inspiring story of resilience, determination, and teamwork, but it's predictable!
This movie is based on true events. The plot is about the team's journey in striving to qualify for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup Final after 42 years.
The pace is alright, but it goes slow when it comes to Rashdan's personal issues with his girlfriend and mother.
The movie is filled with drama, suspense, and inspiring moments, which are compact and solid.
The character development in the movie is rather uneven. Despite Rashdan, most supporting characters are not well developed and introduced. Without much depth and development, viewers could hardly connect with them emotionally.
Also, the movie's emotional tone may be overly sentimental at times, especially Rashdan's relationship with his mother. When it goes on too many times, it becomes pale and draggy.
The CGI may look a bit off and fake at times, but overall, it's acceptable. One of the biggest weaknesses is the foot matches. I would wish to see more exciting football matches, but they are very touch-n-go, lacking insight into their opponents and the challenges they pose.
I love the insertion of the football die-hard fans, such as Douglas Lim, Kavin Jay and so on, in the movie! It shows how sport unites the 3 races in the country; and in fact, they bring in a lot of joy, fun, and jokes in the movie!! Also, I was surprised by the appearance of the Harimau Malaya superfan - Derrick Gan (who sold a motorcycle to pay for his trip to Qatar)!! HaHaHa..!!
I enjoyed watching the movie very much!! It celebrates the achievements of the Malaysian national football team, fostering a sense of national pride and unity among Malaysians. Go for it, and support local movie production!!!
Taam pun juen ga (2024)
It's good, but not great!
The storyline is about a negotiator (Lau Cheng Wan) becomes the prime suspect in a murder case, and he demands the help of a retired negotiator (Francis Ng) to clear his name! The juice is in the tense negotiations between the two men!
The pace is good, it starts fast with a high-stake hostage situation for charter development, followed by the main hostage situation!
Basically, it is a big gathering of all seniors' actors in Hong Kong! It's nice to see all the familiar faces in a movie, but it's also sad to see where the new actors are? After this, what's more from HK movie industry?
Of the two, Francis Ng appeared to perform so much better, with suspenseful dialogue, psychological manipulation, and veiled threats. Lau Ching Wan's acting, on the other hand, is rather flat and emotionally reserved. Jiang Hao-Wen's aggressive acting is forever the same in all movies! Sigh...
The SWAT actions called by the Chief Police Officer are rather questionable given the condition with so many hostages! In fact, the frequent actions disrupt the flow of the primarily dialogue-based narrative.
It's good, but not great! The core negotiation is not tense and suspenseful enough, and the uneven acting and action sequences somehow prevent the movie from reaching its full potential. It's definitely worth your money to watch it in the cinema! Go for it!!!! DON'T miss it!!
Cinderella's Curse (2024)
It's seriously a TERRIBLE + HORRIBLE movie!
The plot is taken from the fairytale, added with a blender of revenge, violence, and bloody scenes.
The pace is slow in the first half, and it goes fast in the second.
It's another meaningless kind of "Winnie the Pooh" movie, filled with violent scenes, killing like nobody's business!! I wonder why out of nowhere, there came so many script writers who tried so hard to make nice cartoon characters into horrible ones?! Running out of ideas for better horror movies?
Can you imagine how Cinderella kills? Using her "Glass high-heel", which is NOT SHARP at all, yet kill like a sharp knife + stab like a hammer (especially on one's head and chest)! Come on, give me a break!
The entire movie shows a bunch of CRAZY LADIES shouting, killing, fighting, torturing, screaming, and slaughtering with "satisfaction"... from the beginning to the end!
The killing scenes and visual effects are so off and low-budget..!! None of them look good or impressive! It's very much like a movie production by a newbie director or a Grade C or D movie's director. Gosh.. it's an INSULT to my eyes!!!!
Also, the power of Cinderella is so inconsistent and weird! She can easily 'bomb' a wooden carriage with her "Iron-Man" palm!! My eyes roll to the space!! Please... Stop fooling my brain!!!
It's a very empty movie, just being violent for the sake of violence!
Memoir Seorang Guru (2024)
It is too 'heavy' and depressing for a movie...
The storyline is about a hot-tempered teacher who was transferred to a rural school, from his initial resistance to students' struggles to his eventual dedication to their success.
The pacing is uneven at times, especially when the middle part dips into melodrama, it goes slow and draggy.
I love the kids in the movie - Alias, Mihad, Mat, Sakinah and Halim. They act naturally and lead the movie well! It's also good to see multi-racial kids and teachers play a role in the movie, and how Mr Sunan (Guru) shows concerns and deals with them.
I also like the message by Mr Sunan that reminds the rural kids about the transformative power of education, shapes the young minds, and inspires them for a better future!
However, personally, I do not like movies that are overly emotional and involve too many deaths. It is depressing, and the feeling is too "negatively strong" & upsetting. Killing a monkey with blood splashing on Alias' face is shocking to me!! With the continuous deaths one by one in the movie,.. it's just too depressing! Although it is touching, somehow I found it overly sentimental and manipulative.
I love the relationship development between the teacher and students. BUT again, I found it too 'heavy' and emotionally down.
Abang Adik (2023)
It's a simple & slow movie, BUT it touches one's heart very much..!
The story is about the emotional journey between the two "stateless brothers" - Abang (a deaf-mute man) and adik (a teenager) - and their lives. Through their lives, it reveals a lot of local social justice issues, e.g. Public servants' attitudes, illegal foreign workers hiding from immigration operations, taking on odd jobs for a living... and so on.
The pace is rather slow at times, which appears to be a common style among most new Malaysian directors, who love to bring out the typical Malaysian street scenes, building conditions, and local values, which can be overly deliberate and extra to some extent.
The character development between the two brothers is good. They are very well developed and engaging! However, it's weak on the supporting characters, e.g. The Myanmar girl, her scene is very touch-n-go and left unaddressed! Of all the supporting characters, I love "MONEY SISTER"! Although 'she' plays a small role in the movie, "she" is outstanding, and she seems to have a lot of untold stories that are worth exploring (perhaps in another solo movie??!!)
I love the communication scene in the prison, which carries so much emotional weight and struggle. Abang lives well in life day-by-day, but from the scene, audiences could realise that deep inside his heart, he has a lot of voices of unfairness, despair, anger... that wish to be heard and understood! No doubt, Wu Kang Ren's acting is superb! You feel him all the way, from his eye-contact, tears, emotion, and body language... He deserved the BEST ACTOR AWARD!!!
There are a few pitfalls in the movie, e.g. Some scenes are rather shaky, and the storyline is very much one-dimensional. Besides, the last scene of Abang meeting Adik in the prison is NOT well managed. It can be more touching and much better than that, yet the angles and build-up motions do not achieve the optimum outcomes.
For a local production, I gave 3.25 out of 5.0. It's a nice cameo, but NOT up to an excellent movie, without pitfalls or weaknesses. The storyline is rather simple and thin. What makes it good is the emotional depth of the silent communications of Abang that carry us away! If it is without it, it can be a very pale and plain movie. (Gosh~~ I burst into tears badly in the cinema!!)
La Luna (2023)
A very lovely + beautiful cameo! A must-watch movie if u love a lite + simple + lovely film genre!
The storyline is simple yet engaging! It touches on the clashes between modernity and tradition in a conservative village. It is interesting to see how Hanie challenges the deeply ingrained conservative norms of the community, and how she unfolds the unexpected turns.
The pace is slow and steady, but it's so engaging and well-paced that it keeps viewers hooked and entertained all the way.
I love the background music of the movie so much!! Giving off an 80's feel, it works so nicely in the movie! Good one!!
All the characters in the movie, from small to big roles, are performing so well! The character development is good too! There is a good contrast between Hanie (an independent woman who pursues her dreams) and the villagers (folks with conservative beliefs). All these have added depth to the movie, allowing viewers to see the complexities of the social commentary.
The movie's strength lies in its ability to use a sensitive topic (lingerie store - sex-related?) to 'challenge' the preserving traditions in a conservative community, with the right amount of humor (not over-done nor under-done), which is just entertaining enough for viewers to see the conflicts.
The movie also skillfully drills into a deeper discussion about some social issues related to tradition and modernity, female empowerment, self-expression, and the importance of embracing change. The message conveyed is strong and vivid.
The only flaw that I picked up is that the conflict between Hanie and Tok Hassan is rather touch-n-go! It could have been explored through more incidents and in more detail.
With the charming characters, interesting storyline, and insightful social commentary, all these have made La Luna a nice movie! It inspires one to think of the transformative nature of change (embracing change), the importance of inclusiveness, and the power of individuality.
A great local production, which I will urge more people to support and watch it in the cinema!!! A must-watch movie in 2023~!
Gemencheh Boys (2023)
A nice story, but not well narrated!
The storyline is based on the true story of a group of 6 primary school boys from the small FELDA town - Gemencheh (Negeri Sembilan) - who were transformed into a great team, and made it to win the first gold medal in a cricket game for Malaysia. Apparently, this plot is very predictable, just like any sports competition-related movies, but there is always a market for this kind of movies!
The pace is alright, slow at times, but overall it is acceptable.
It is always good to let all Malaysians be aware of the unknown hero - Cikgu Azman - behind the hard work & success of our athletes' achievements! I enjoyed watching the movie very much, apart from some pitfalls. The kids acted well on the real characteristics of "Kampung boys", e.g. Skipping classes, swimming in the river, playing slipper games, marbles, kites and so on!
However, it leaves room for improvement on the following parts:
Firstly, cricket is not a well-known game to all Malaysians. It would be wonderful if the director could spend a minute or two explaining the rules of the game! Without having much knowledge about it, I need to guess & learn to know how the game is played and points are scored?!
Secondly, the character development of the boys is lacking in depth. We do see that each boy has a family concern, e.g. With a handicapped mother or from a poor family background.. However, it's not well-developed, or it is rather touch-n-go that audiences could hardly connect with them or feel them deeply. It thus lacks the emotional engagement that touches one's heart or keeps lingering in one's heart after the movie!
Thirdly, the moment of winning the game is NOT well managed or presented! There is no moment of excitement built on the score or game point! At times, I wonder if the boys got a point? Won the game? I m lost!!
Finally, some scenes seem 'choppy' or 'disjointed' and leave doubts. For instance, out of nowhere, a school meeting appeared, blaming Azman for raising funds in the public; the boy with a disabled mother was initially not allowed to go to KL, but it didn't address how he made it to go! Besides, I wonder why Cikgu Azman banned him from playing in the final until the end?!
In comparison, "Ola-Bola" (2016) and "Anak Rimau" (2022) appear to have done a better job in all the above aspects, e.g. Character developments are good, tensions are there, emotional engagement is intact...
It's just an alright and predictable movie, without anything new or special. How I wish the movie could be made more involving and engaging to touch more hearts!
Walid (2023)
Too much focus is on fighting, which leads to "visual tiredness"!!
The storyline is about child-trafficking, where it begins with the relationship between a teacher (Walid) and a child "immigrant" (Aisha); then later how the teacher saves the child from human traffickers. Quite a predictable one!
The pace is uneven. It's slow in the first half, but it turns fast with non-stop action in the second half.
The focus of this movie appears to be mainly on the ACTIONS, and the initial drama is just a setting to trigger the explosion of a series of actions!!! In short, once the action starts, all the character-driven drama is IGNORED and THROWN AWAY, making it a pure action movie.
In fact, it's more like TWO separate movies made by TWO different directors and joined together into a single movie! The rhythm and tempo are not aligned and synced. Thus, it loses the balance of everything, especially the human-touch and sentimental values that were built at the beginning!
In terms of actions, I am impressed by the first fight by Aisha's mother with her laundry! BUT, coming to the fighting scenes in the 2nd half, with the HOUR-LONG fights, I started to get bored! It's like a never-ending fight! When you think that the movie is about to end.. Gosh.. another villain appears! The same scenario repeats again and again! Excuse me! Can anyone put a STOP on that? Ha!
I enjoyed watching the Malay martial art - Silat - in the movie very much! BUT with almost the same repetitive actions, I started to get visually exhausted after a while. Also, the shaky camera causes visual disturbances at times!
The character development is questionable, especially Walid, which can be made more interesting and relatable. However, we do not see much! There is a less than 2-second scene showing that he was once a secret agent? SWAT? NOT sure!! Also, out of nowhere, there appear two secret agents which are not well addressed in the movie.
After the movie, I could only remember my complaint about the hour-long repetitive action sequences, and that's all!
I love the message conveyed through the National Principles (Rukun Negara) in the movie. BUT, it requires more effort to round up everything, making the movie carry more depth + sentimental values, instead of being filled with violence and brutal action sequences.
Adoiii Jiwaku (2023)
A simple and nice movie that all Malaysians should watch!! A Highly recommended movie!!
The storyline is NOTHING new, but it's the content that makes it a good one! The movie brings out so many Malaysian elements, ranging from culture, religion, family values, language, and lifestyle to our typical Malaysian jokes. I love all of them!
The pace is excellent! It is filled with all kinds of jokes, making you laugh from the beginning to the end!
I love the three characters - Maleh (Indian), Ayis (Malay) and Sia (Chinese) in the movie! According to the private message from the director, the 3 names form MALAYSIA (Maleh-ayis-sia)! Interesting! Hahaha...!!
There are a lot of racial statements + arguments that are DARING, SARCASTIC, and could be HURTFUL to another race. But they are all so well managed that they do not damage the friendship among the races!
The chemistry among the 3 friends is good! The jokes are simple, yet funny enough to keep you entertained and laughing, without having to over-act with exaggerated actions! It also touches on the common Malaysian stereotypes towards another race, e.g. Indians are gangsters or love drinking alcohol; Malays cannot touch dogs; Chinese are business-minded and corrupted...!
It's truly a movie that reflects who we are as a Malaysian! I love the message conveyed by the movie: Although we are different (with our own religion, culture, belief, lifestyle), we are same as Malaysians! How I wish the movie never ends, bcoz it's really a great movie! Love it!! A highly recommended movie during this Merdeka month!
NOTE: This is definitely ONE of the TOP 5 BEST Malaysian-made movies I have watched in my life!! DO NOT miss such a GREAT MOVIE!!!!!
Jawan (2023)
A bit flat without big + impressive actions, making it a dull one!
The storyline covers topics on poverty and patriotism that involve issues like corruption, social issues, and money heists. It seems to have been a common topic or plot in most Bollywood movies over these years!
The pace is alright to have actions everywhere. BUT the first half is apparently much better than the 2nd half. In fact, it gets boring in the latter stage.
Shah Rukh Khan is still charming, playing most of the big actions. However, this movie over focuses on Shah Rukh Khan that it doesn't give any screentime to other actors or actresses! After the movie, you could hardly remember anyone, except Shah Rukh Khan!
In terms of action, this movie has NOTHING new, big, interesting, or exciting to offer! The action scenes are like any other Bollywood action movies that we have watched many times! In comparison, I would prefer the actions + setting of PATHAAN (another Shah Rukh Khan's movie) more than this x 100!!!
As usual, there is singing + dancing in all Indian movies. However, the soundtracks + dances are not engaging and involving enough to gel me into the flow, compared to other Indian movies, which I enjoy very much!
The movie is rather long and draggy at times. Also, the storyline is a bit one-dimensional! Although there is a small twist to having a side-story about Shah Rukh Khan's father, it's NOT superficial enough to wow audiences. Also, the villain is not developed enough to carry the movie to the end!
Personally, I found it a forgettable movie! Because there is really NOTHING impressive + big that lingers in my mind, after stepping out of the cinema. The father-and-son relationship is pretty touch-n-go, without much emotional or engaging moment. Overall, it's just another Bollywood action movie, and that's all!
Malbatt: Misi Bakara (2023)
MISI BAKARA: Good effort and production after PASKAL, but it leaves room for improvement.
The storyline is based on a true story of the Malaysian Peacekeeping Battalion (MALBATT) rescuing the American soldiers in Somalia, way back in 1993. So, the plot focuses on the mission of saving the soldiers after the black hawk down.
The pace is good! It starts fast with a thrilling rescue mission, and follows with another more challenging mission, having gun fights from the beginning to the end.
Basically, the action is mainly focused on the gun fights and attacks from the Somali terrorists. About 60% of the time, our MALBATT crews are stranded in the APC (Armoured Personnel Carriers); 10% talk and shout over the communication device; and 30% is fighting on the ground with the Somalia terrorists.
As the entire movie takes place in a very confined location, e.g. Narrow pathways and alleys, with non-stop and repetitive gun shots + RPG attacks, you will start getting visually exhausted. There is NO big attack that enhances your visual excitement throughout the movie, making it flat after a while.
Besides, it maybe better if the movie could explain the political situation in Somalia; otherwise, audiences could hardly understand what had happened in Somalia, and what the Americans had done to them, making them so against the Americans or UN troops.
The CGI is quite poor in a few parts. This is particularly obvious, for instance, explosions on the APC, in the UN camp, and the ending part. They are so uncomfortably faked that it spoils the movie quite a bit.
In terms of the cast, basically most actors are performing well, especially Shaheizy Sam, who is outstanding. To sooth the over-masculine effect, the director appears to intentionally insert a female role in the movie. Somehow, it is rather extra, and it adds no value to the movie at all!
For a local production, with all the great effort and investment in the scenes, APC, tanks, and so on, I gave 7.0/ 10.0. It is more of a movie that pays great respect and salutes to the great Malaysian armed forces for doing an excellent job! Without watching it, I had NO IDEA that Malaysia was involved in the rescue mission after Black Hawk down. Of all the three local armed forces movie productions - PASKAL, AIR FORCE and MABALL, I still love PASKAL the BEST!!!!
Rahsia (2023)
A typical local horror movie with pure jump-scares!
Well, as it's a reboot of a local classic horror movie from 1987, the overall plot is thus very old-school and straight forward. There is a small twist at the end, but no big deal really.
The entire movie is filled with jump-scares from the beginning to the end. It comes in a second, and goes in the next, with loud noise + a scary creature! That's it! It just comes and goes x 10!
There are some creepy moments of eerie moving toys, self-playing-piano, pulling legs' tricks in the mysterious bungalow. BUT all these are no longer something new or impressive for today's audiences. Although it's a remake, I strongly believe that newer scary elements shall be inserted to enhance the haunting experience.
Nabila Huda, the actress, acted well, but she may have over-acted at the beginning. However, as time passes, she shows the depth of her emotions and personality.
For a local production, I gave 5/ 10. Everything is just too old-fashioned, from plot, setting, jump-scares to acting. If you enjoy old-school horror movies, this is your choice! BUT if you expect some thrilling and compelling visual excitement, wish to nail yourself to the chair, this movie will fail you badly!
Geylang (2022)
The ending is hanging! NOT a recommended movie!
The storyline is messy and confusing, with NO CLEAR ENDING!
The pace is ok, but it keeps pushing back from 3 days ago, 1 week ago, 3 months ago... and you need to "re-adjust" it back to current, else you will be confused!
It is an 18-rated movie, mainly because of the vulgar words, by Mark Lee Guo Huang (as expected), and some acceptable violence. I m ok with a certain level of vulgarity, BUT NOT too much like in this movie, which sounded over-done!
The movie goes around the relationships of 'father-and-son' and 'father-and-daughter'. Basically, there are 3 'sets' of the above relationships, and all of them suffer from some kind of sickness. I suppose the story is meant to be emotional and involving, BUT it failed badly, and it is NOT touching at all.
The movie involves a doctor, a lawyer, and a gangster. All of them murdered people, even with all kinds of fights and noises from the street to the clinic, but none of the Singaporeans saw it or reported it to the police. Weird!
The ending is hanging badly! Many things were not well addressed, e.g. What happened to the person who was murdered by Mark Lee and his dad? So what happened to the lawyer? When the movie ended, I asked myself.. "What had I just watched? What's going? So?"
I gave 3 out of 10. I am sorry that I do NOT know how to appreciate such a movie, which has NO HEAD and NO TAIL! I only remember the vulgarities by Mark Lee, and that's it!
Fast X (2023)
Nice actions, BUT empty in contents!
The storyline is super-thin. It's more like deliberately finding a reason to trigger a series of actions!
The pace is good, with continuous action to keep you on the edge of your seat. The fast-moving actions keep the pace real tight!
In terms of actions, as usual, FFX delivers what fans have come to expect! It's filled with high-speed chases, gun-shooting scenes, and daring rescues with massive vehicles. However, perhaps we have seen too many of the same kinds, some actions are no longer 'wow' and impressive anymore. In other words, the actions lack innovation and surprises, and are getting weak in visual excitement.
There are a total of 4 DC + 2 Marvel actors and actresses in this movie! Cool huh? Due to the big number of casts, the director could hardly give each character substantial time and growth, making some roles redundant. The women are extra, appearing for fun, I supposed! Of all the characters, Jason Momoa carries his role well by creating different a vibe! Without his funny personality, the movie could be plain and boring!
The chemistry among the members is somehow lacking. It is more of a solo movie by Vin Diesel, as the gang splits up too fast with fewer actions. Also, the movie emphasizes too much on actions, leaving no time for the storyline and emotional depth.
I gave 2.5/ 5.0 mainly for the actions! The series is getting exhausted and weak, without anything new and impressive! For action-goers, it's worth your money to watch all the big actions! BUT if you are demanding for contents and emotional values, it will be a disappointment! Bcoz it is an action movie with hollow content!
Anwar: The Untold Story (2023)
A movie with disorganized contents + poor scene transitions
The storyline is about Anwar's turbulent political career from 1993, when he was appointed to be the finance minister, to his termination in 1998.
The pace is slow, with poor and disorganized sequential sub-plots.
I found that the director is NOT GOOD at storytelling! A political movie could be made in a more impactful manner with more emotional moments. However, you don't see any of these! It remains flat all the way from the beginning to the end.
Besides, the transition from one scene to another is very WEAK! It goes on too abruptly without properly addressing one scene to another. Initially, I thought that some scenes might be censored by the Film Censorship Board of Malaysia. However, as time passes, I see almost every scene-transition happen in this manner. This is rather unacceptable!
As such, audiences may find the sub-plots scattered everywhere and look messy, in fact.
Also, the sub-plots lack depth. Everything is touch-n-go, as a result, audiences could hardly see the seriousness of the corruption and how it may threaten the country and people, why there is a need to take it seriously!?
It's more like an essay written by a student who has a lot of points but does not know how to structure them nicely in the right sequence with proper depth. One could hardly connect one point to another to get a good overview of the overall problems and outcomes, although one knows there is a problem somewhere.
I gave 3.0 out of 10. It's flat and boring, without much impactful emotion! As said, the director doesn't know how to use the right movie-language to connect and engage with audiences, leaving us with nothing after the movie.
Manjianghong (2023)
A very interesting movie! I like it somehow!
The storyline is simple, focusing on a murder mystery! There are plenty of twist and turns, which are interesting, making you guess "who will get the letter first?" "who is betraying who?" "whose side does s/he stand?"
The pace is alright, with jokes running through to the end, even though it maybe lengthy.
It is NOT an action movie, BUT more of a comedy + minor action genre! It fills with a lot of dark humors, which distract one from the serious suspense thriller, keep the movie fun!
I found the movie entertaining! Because you have NO CLUE what it is all about! You just need to follow the flow, and it will lead to a BIGGER PICTURE of the movie at the end!! Voilà!!!
The character design is great! Everyone plays a role of aiming for a letter, and each has a card to hide! When a card is revealed, it will lead to another clue!!
Besides, the character development is good too! All of them have a unique personality, and Shen Teng leads the tempo of the entire movie! His sense of humor and jokes are great, and you need to understand them to have a good laugh, in order to enjoy the movie!
It's a nice movie! And I enjoyed watching it very much, especially the ending did impress me quite a bit!! It's a movie that must be watched in the cinema! If I were to watch it via laptop or at home, I would NEVER enjoy it at all! So, pls buy your ticket and watch it in the big theatre!
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
A lack of novelty and anything significant!
The storyline is fairly straightforward. It is just to introduce a new villain + teenaged ant-girl (Cassie), setting up the direction for the next Avengers movie!
In terms of action, Antman has nothing NEW to show in this film, other than shrinking to be a tiny superhero and, at times, transforming into a giant, that's all! What's new?
Also, I expected to see some bombastic heavy action scenes at the end, but I didn't get to see any! I thought Kang would show his super-power, but not much was shown!
The character development is weak too, especially the tribes and Cassie. Cassie lacks personality! In fact, her acting is weak in the movie, like a newbie actress!
I supposed the movie plans to show some kind of 'FAMILY' concept, BUT somehow the family thingy doesn't work well and it scatters around. For instance, the relationship between Scott (father) and Cassie (daughter) is supposed to be the emotional core of the movie, BUT it looks so 'artificial', without much 'chemistry'! Also, we could hardly see Scott and Hope working as a lovely couple against the enemies! The same goes to Janet and Dr. Hank! This family seriously has something wrong in between! HaHa!
The CGI is fine, but after seeing so much of it, we've become numbed and don't find it to be a wow thingy!
I gave 4/ 10. It's another no big deal movie, that relies heavily on MCU to draw audiences to the theatres. Marvel's movies get exhausting and weaker as time passes. With such a "Marvel phase," I think more audiences will lose interest in the sequels eventually.
NOTE: There are TWO (2) end-credits! Stay back for it ya!
The First Slam Dunk (2022)
I wouldn't say that it is a great movie, BUT I kind of love it..!
Knowing that most of the audiences are fans who have read the manga + some new viewers, the director employs a different approach to bring the film to life, rather than introducing all characters from A to Z (that could be boring). It is definitely a very smart way of using a basketball match, supported by the backstory of Ryota Miyaki, to make the movie more solid and compact. On one hand, the fans get to find some classic moments and new elements in the movie, while on the other, new viewers get to know Ryota better.
Although we basically know what will happen at the end of the basketball match, the visual excitement and intense moments are all well presented and intact for your enjoyment!
I also like how the movie describes the relationship between Ryota and other characters. It's not too much or too less, but just enough to remind fans about the connections.
The movie has a few flaws as follows:
Firstly, there are no behind stories about the characters and talents of Akagi, Sakuragi, Mitsui (a 3-pointer) and Rukawa (ace of the team), as a result new viewers may not connect well with them or enjoy the movie to maximum.
Secondly, Ryota's side stories are acceptable in the first half, but it becomes cheesy + too much in the second half, especially while the basketball match is on the line!
Finally, the emotional attachment is there, but the intensity is weak. We know what it means and we feel it, BUT it just doesn't touch one's heart at all!
I gave 7.0/ 10.0. Watching it without high expectations will allow you to enjoy it better! Of coz, with knowledge about the manga and characters is definitely an advantage!
Pulau (2023)
A typical Malaysian horror movie with NO big ideal, but mainly jump-scares.
The storyline is quite straight forward and simple, as in any other local horror movies, where someone trespasses on an island, breaks an old spell, and then all bad things start from there. It sounds pretty familiar, right? Ya, it's the same old story as many others out there!
The pace is alright, BUT you just cant expect much.
The character development is weak. Dauz is supposed to be the 'naughty one' or 'problem creator', but the character was NOT well built at the beginning! Mark's (Indian) cowardly personality is NOT well presented either! As such, none of them is outstanding, and audiences could hardly be bothered if any of them died! Besides, Khai is after KAT, but he is NOT with KAT most of the time, leaving her with Ben or alone, while he kept getting jealous of Ben throughout the movie. This is so unreal!
The entire movie relies heavily on jump-scares! The evil creature is NOT really scary, but annoying to some extent. The cross-cultural love story is rather extra + touch-n-go, adding very little value to the overall movie.
About the sexy scenes, well.. for a local movie, it may perhaps bring some attention, but as a frequent movie-goer, it's really NO BIG DEAL!
For a local production, I gave 6 / 10. It's an ok typical local horror movie, without anything big or impressive element! I think local horror movies appear to be 'stagnant' without much breakthrough. It's definitely NOT a must-watch movie, BUT if you wish to support local production, go ahead!!
Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
It's much better than the first episode! I enjoyed watching it very much!
The storyline is pretty thin, it continues from a mistake made in the first episode. Without watching the first one, you are still doing fine with it, as there is a cut-out scene to remind you about it!
The pace is alright to have some lame and cold jokes + actions to keep things going.
In terms of actions, there are NO BIG or IMPRESSIVE ones! The fights are quite repetitive and hardcore, banging here and there, and smashing things around! Also, the villains are NOT really bad and threatening. The bad creatures come and go, posing no significant threats.
BUT, no doubt, the CGI of DC is great this time!! It looks much more real than any other DC movie.
I love the human values in this movie! The family-tie is well presented, with emotionally engaging moments. Although it's not much, and very touch-n-go, it touches one's heart very much!
There is an unexpected role appearing at the end of the movie, which is a great surprise!! Ha!!
I gave 3.0/ 5.0. It's a nice movie, although it's NOT a must-watch movie! I would still suggest giving it a try, even if you are NOT a fan of SHAZAM, because it's pretty entertaining! BUT, as Shazam is meant to be a "kid + fun movie", DO NOT take it as a serious superhero movie!
NOTE: There are two end-credits.
Fa cai lian meng (2023)
Too greedy to have too many elements, making it a lousy one!
The storyline is simple and easy to understand. It looks more like a combination of many movie' plots into one.
The pace is ok, with some funny stuff here and there to keep you entertained.
There are jokes here and there, but many are rather predictable and, in fact they do not work well.
Some roles are rather extra, e.g. Big Boss, with or without him, it makes no difference. Jasper is still playing the same role as he always has. Even though he managed to bring some amusing vibes, NOTHING is NEW or IMPRESSIVE!
The director may have been too greedy to insert too many elements, e.g. Parts of Infernal Affairs , Ip Man , and In The Mood For Love. All these do not add value and gel well with the overall movie. In fact, they appear excessive and perplexing.
For a local production, I gave 4.5 out of 10. The plot is ok, but it's not solid because of the greed of having too much on the plate, which causes things to scatter around and lose focus.
King of Musang King (2023)
Of all the CNY local + Singapore production, this is the BEST!
The storyline is simple, BUT solid! It sticks firmly to the plot, elaborates and exerts steadily with neither more nor less, everything is just nice!
With a runtime of 2 and a half hours, the jokes are there to keep your boredom away, and the pace is just nice and viewer-friendly.
The character development is good. All actors and actresses play their roles well and competently. The side role played by "Ah Hui" is fantastic; despite playing the same role all the time, he adds a lot of values to the film! The jokes are simple and natural, without overacting or unnecessary cold jokes.
No doubt, Jack Neo is good at storytelling! He educates audiences about Musang King durians; brings the right amount of emotion into his movie; plays on family relationships (between mother and son); and touches on our familiar memories about Covid-19 and live-streaming. All these engage effectively with the Malaysian audiences very much!
The chemistry between Jack Neo and Yan Yann in the movie is not well depicted, but somehow you feel them, and you wan them to be together. Due to this emotional engagement, at times, you may be worried that they are not together. Also, many parts are touching enough to make you sob, but it soothes the sobbing moment well with jokes in the next scene.
I gave 7 out of 10. Everything is intact, not too much, not too less. As said, it's the BEST movie among all the local + Singapore CNY movie productions. It's worth your money and time for this 2023 CNY! Go, Go, Go!!!
Tin lung baat bou (2023)
The actions are GREAT!! BUT it's a little long and rushed at times!
It is an adaptation of the "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils," from Jin Yong's Wuxia novel. Well, the storyline is pretty simple and straightforward, very much like KungFu Cult Master, whereby the main character is accused of many incidents, and all sects attempt to kill him, and that's where the fight starts and ends.
The pace is alright, packed with action, BUT it could be slow at certain parts! I thought it had ended several times, but it keeps going with a runtime of 130 minutes!
In terms of actions, I like it very much! You could feel the strengths and forces of every hit, and the CGI has enhanced the visual excitement to another level! They really did a great job of combining the "wirework + CGI" and martial arts into a more effective action movie.
A few drawbacks as follows:
Firstly, the movie slows down due to the relationship between Qiao Feng and A Zhu. Yet, it's NOT well managed in such a way that it disrupts the flow and momentum of the movie!
Secondly, Donnie Yen appears to be only good in action, BUT not in romance! There is no spark of chemistry between Qiao Feng and A Zhu! Donnie's acting is rather stiff when it comes to intimate moments with A Zhu. Somehow it's more like a father-daughter relationship than a lover's.
Thirdly, the sub-plot in the 2nd half is rather odd, especially on the introduction of new characters of A Zu's parents and her rebellious sister. It could be due to time constraints, things are rushing off, so it does not gel well to the overall movie and looks disconnected!
Finally, with the ending, we could predict that there may be Part 2 in future. Since it will be a sequel, why NOT break this movie into 2 decent movies, instead of rushing everything out, causing an uneven focus on some details. Also I believe that audiences could enjoy it better, rather than having watched a lengthy movie without proper addresses of some plots.
I gave 6/ 10. Despite the weaknesses above, it's an ok movie for casual entertainment. As said, I love the action and fighting scenes, with the right speed, strength, and force! A watch-able one for this Chinese New Year! Go, Go, Go!!
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
It's a beautiful movie, but lacking in novelty or nothing new to touch one's heart!
Basically, the storyline or 'format' is almost the same as the first one, just that it's moving from the land to the sea. It is a duplicate of the 1st one in many instances, e.g. Instead of deforestation and strip mining, it is slaughtering the whales! Instead of riding on the "flying creatures," they are riding on the marine creatures... However, the scale of this sequence is much smaller, focusing on a man's duty to protect his family.
The pace is good!! It is filled with amazing CGI and actions to keep your interest going, and your boredom away, even though it is a 192-minute movie!
The movie could be split into 3 parts: The 1st part is about the introduction of characters. As such, anyone who does not watch the 1st episode will learn to know the characters of Sully & his family members + spider + the bad guys. Of course, having watched the 1st episode is always advantageous to knowing this movie better.
The 2nd part is that they go underwater. This is where one will see how visually impressive and breathtaking the movie is, with soothing colors and all kinds of amazing marine creatures. This part may be slightly lengthy, but overall it is ok!
The 3rd part is all actions pushing toward the final battle. Audiences will get all kinds of visual excitement from the actions.
One thing I love about this movie is that it addresses most of the doubts, e.g. Why is Tulkun so intelligent? What are the steps of hunting Tulkun? What does 'butterfly jelly fish' do and so on. With this, it is self-explanatory, or it clears your doubts when things happen!
However, this movie is not perfect, and there are some drawbacks as follows:
Firstly, the Major Quaritch (bad guy) is a military guy, but I saw no tactical or logical wartime attack or defense strategies from him throughout the movie.
Secondly, the emotional value is much weaker this time. It touches on family ties, but it's rather touch-n-go, and audiences are unlikely to be moved or emotionally involved. And, the emotional bond between Tulkun the kids could hardly touch one's heart too.
I gave 3.75/ 5.0. Overall, it's a nice movie. It maintains the standard or quality as of the 1st episode. BUT, what's more, other than the same environmental theme (e.g., deforestation, whale conservation) + beautiful CGI? I supposed audiences would wish to see more than these, after the long wait of 13 years later.