Reviews

"Power doesn't panic."

As a fan of Star Wars since childhood, it was painful to lose that love after experiencing the nonsense Disney has been churning out over the years. Granted, I was in the camp of those who bought into the hype when Disney acquired the IP, foolishly hoping that with massive resources at their disposal, they'd be able to provide high-quality experiences in a myriad of creative outings. After the failures of main-line films due to them altogether dropping the ball when it comes to writing and continuing on that pattern with most of their Live-Action Disney+ series, I was apathetic and pretty much gave up, with the last two outings in the form of The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi - two projects that should have been an easy hit out of the park - being abysmally written and haphazardly produced furthering the trend of milking nostalgia for every single drop cementing that apathetic sentiment. In retrospect, the only outings from Disney Star Wars that have stood the test of time without rose-tinted glasses and being removed from the hype machine are Rogue One and, to a lesser extent, The Mandalorian; the former fulfilling a personal wish of mine of having a gritty rebellion tale in the vein of Halo: Reach and the latter being a simplistic entertaining western-style tale of a bounty hunter. Yet, even those two have their faults with The Mandalorian, in particular, relying far too much on dangling keychains in Season 2 and having muddled world-building.

So imagine my state of disbelief when I hesitantly gave Andor a try after reading praise about it related to its writing and tone, as well as the fact that it's tied to Rogue One and is helmed by Tony Gilroy - someone with proper writing credits under his belt - and it turns out to not only be the best thing Disney Star Wars has put out by a significant margin but some of the best Star Wars material all around. Man, what kind of timeline am I living in? I'm flabbergasted that this prequel series to a prequel spin-off about a secondary lead received such a high-quality filmmaking treatment that it hammered the cemented apathy for the franchise and shattered it effortlessly.

Andor focuses on the character Cassian Andor from Rogue One and details the beginnings of the rebellion in the Star Wars universe and does so in such a strong storytelling manner that it not only ticks my need for quality Star Wars entertainment but for fictional rebellion in general. It also spends a considerable amount of time on the Empire's side too with resounding success depicting them as competent and ruthless but with unchecked hubris that will eventually lead to their downfall while simultaneously populated by people who are actual characters.

From the first scene, something felt different and the series kept on cranking it up episode after episode. The story is divided into several chunks each building on the last with meticulous weaving of plot threads and characterization and a consistent sense of desperation as the characters are faced with oppression under the Empire. That tension and despair rack up and up until it pops in a magnificent manner and this season does that several times successfully. I was in awe of how much I enjoyed every episode comprised mostly of dialogue. The rebellion and the Empire plotlines both worked in tandem to deliver a captivating experience.

One of my major complaints with Disney Star Wars has been that the Empire (or the First Order) never truly felt like a legitimate threat because it was often too stupid and riddled with cheap humour. Not in Andor; the fascist regime had a proper weight to it that circled back to the feeling of insurmountable odds for the rebellion side. On the opposite end, I have an affinity for rebellions in storytelling and Andor delivers on that superbly by showing the initial sparks that lead to a full flame and how both everyday citizens and people in positions of power are waking up and actively sacrificing for the cause. Even in general, this was some of the best rebellion storylines I've experienced in a long time and had my blood pumping on numerous occasions.

The investment was further made possible by amazing performances from all of the cast. It didn't matter whether the character had a few lines or was amongst one of the main lineups, the actors and actresses were delivering it at full steam. My favourites are Stellan Skarsgard (Luthen) as the man behind the curtains pulling all the strings exuding a combined aura of cold and calculated, authority from experience, and just plain badassery with the best monologue in all of Star Wars; Genevieve O'Reilly reprising her role as Mon Mothma for her best performance yet as a Senator stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea - understated and complex; Denise Gough as the Imperial Security Bureau officer Dedra Meera going an extra step for her Imperial cause that you love to hate soon enough; Fiona Shaw (Aunt Petunia from HP of all people) as the mother of Cassian and a beloved member of the community almost bringing me to tears; Deigo Luna, Cassian Andor himself, conveying so much with his eyes alone with bursts if energetic moments and making him one of my favourites lead characters in Star Wars - just awesome; B2EMO voiced by Dave Chapman, one of the best droids now despite limited screentime.

Couple the all-around strong performances with consistently strong writing and characterization and I cared deeply about the characters even if they were present only for a couple of episodes. The writing was also solid in the world-building department where the universe actually felt vast with various elements and mythos in it. It also speaks for the quality, effort and care for this story that a new location to the franchise - Ferrix - managed to be fleshed out, lived in, have a proper culture and community, and feel REAL so much more than a classic place like Tattooine that has been milked to death in various previous Disney Star Wars outings and never coming close to this level.

To supplement the story and characters, Andor is also an audiovisual treat. Not only are there a lot of practical effects mixed effortlessly with CGI, but the series also boasts some of the most stunning scenes in all of Star Wars (The Eye from Episode 6, for example). The cinematography is relatively creative and gorgeous with a lot of grittiness or rawness associated with relevant locations as well as getting cleaned up and sterile in other applicable areas (kinda like Rogue One).

To wrap it all up in a proper package, the series' soundtrack is wonderful. Composed by Nicholas Britell, it's as impressive as it is different from the usual type of scores you'd see in Star Wars media. Varied and creative with emotional tunes that'll plug at your heartstrings to triumphant tracks that'll make you want to charge at the Empire to electro, synth, drums and hi-hats elements coming out of the left field and yet aptly fitting and carrying on the trend of this series not following the norm.

It saddens me to know the viewership for this series was low but it gladdens me to see the praise it did receive from the majority of the audience that did watch it. I'm ecstatic that it has been renewed for a second season and if the chad team in charge of this project with Tony Gilroy at the helm can deliver a similar quality experience, this entire arc ending with Rogue One could be that addition to Star Wars under Disney that will make the acquisition worth it.

So, all in all, Andor is not only the best Disney Star Wars content, not only some of the best Star Wars content (including the OG trilogy) in general, it's a straight-up great TV series. I adored it and because it is in a fictional Universe I love, the experience was further elevated and I was in bliss. Objectively strong, subjectively outstanding, and relatively excellent, I'm giving the first Season of Andor a 9/10 (might bump it up to a 10 upon rewatch).

I can't exactly pinpoint when but Synthwave music has been one of my favourites for a long time now. Blade Runner (1982), Drive (2011) - and to some extent - The Social Network (2010) certainly pop to mind as the prime earliest examples where I loved it before older teen and childhood memories come into play in a messy labyrinth where I usually struggle to pin-point specific memories. Pop-culture wise, the most popular usage of it in the last half-decade, from what I can gather, is Stranger Things, and one of the main reasons I loved it initially was because the series used this type of music through and through. Somewhere along the line, I came upon The Rise of the Synths, added it to my watchlist, and only now finally got around to watching it. Don't have a lot to say about it since, despite my love for the genre, I'm not well versed in it from an artist/band perspective but I'm gonna be penning (or rather keying) down my thoughts anyway.

This documentary is a great rundown of the modern scene; their drive, their inspirations, their history. It also takes you back in time in decade sized chunks to give an overview of the eras and where it all began. All of it is stitched together and produced in a competent manner with two components standing out above the rest: the music, which was one of the primary reasons I gave this a try as I'd knew there will be some titillating Synthwave in the documentary for the genre; and the narration by the legendary John Carpenter who went over his early life and had some inspiring words for aspiring artists and general motivation for anyone who feels out of place, which I welcomed greatly.

Synthwave always had that 80s nostalgia vibe and for reasons unbeknownst to me - I was born in the 90s - pulled me in strongly while, at the same time, gives a longing for the future and oftentimes a particular form of future that one can relate to something like cyberpunk; this two-sided pull is what I love about it most. As is evident from the artists in the documentary and from the fans in general on Youtube or any other place on the net, it is what attracts all of them too and I find that interesting and beautiful.

I do wish that it was longer and had greater detail when it comes to synthesizing the music as it comes off as an overview rather than an in-depth look but, as a crowd-funded project, this is still a great achievement and props to the team and the backers. If you're a fan of this type of music, I'd highly recommend giving this a try. It's short and sweet. And if I were to rate it, I'd give it a Kavinski/Vangelis.

The Batman (2022) is yet another iteration of the world-famous caped crusader for the big screen this time with Matt Reeves holding the reigns, a director whose filmography I've thoroughly enjoyed so far, and Robert Pattinson donning the cape, an actor who I've grown to appreciate considerably more over the years. Since Batman is one of my favourite superheroes, naturally, I was excited and cautiously optimistic. While the movie has its issues, it executes enough elements strongly and distinctly to be a worthwhile outing for the hero.

The movie wisely does away with retelling the origin story and instead thrusts you into the world of Gotham taking place 2 years into the crime-fighting vigilante career of Bruce Wayne where a new opponent has sprung up killing top officials, leaving clues behind, and playing a mysterious game with the authorities and the Bat going by the name The Riddler. The premise allows this version of Batman to be focused on his detective and crime-solving side of things more so than any other Live-Action iteration I've seen and I appreciated that immensely. It's first and foremost, a noir detective story heavily grounding the Batman world and inspired, it seems, by films such as Se7en and Zodiac which, hey, if you're gonna get inspired by something, David Fincher's best are a way to go.

The inspiration doesn't stop there as it lends its hands to the strongest element of the movie i.e the production quality. Matt Reeves and the team meticulously crafted a Gotham that has its own character; a gritty, dark, crime-ridden, rainy metropolis oozing with a sense of dread and filth. Some areas are developed while many others are decrepit and dystopian complementing the story and the tone perfectly. The action sequences are well-shot and choreographed with fewer cuts and a Batman who loves to Tank hits creating unique thrilling scenes, although, requiring a higher suspension of disbelief where individual scenes mileage may vary. All of it is shown to you with sublime cinematography touching the Every Frame a Painting territory making it probably the best looking Batman movie to date. A visual treat.

Michael Giacchino's score is another strong element where he crafted a theme that's simple yet powerful, blasting in your ears and preparing you for vengeance. It can be argued that it was reused a bit too much but since I loved it, I didn't mind that or any of its variations and you can bet that once the movie is over, you're gonna be humming the theme for a while. It is based on Nirvana's Something in the Way, which is also used perfectly in the movie twice. The sound design, sound editing and other OST tracks were solid too.

Now, as is usually the case whenever an actor is cast for an iconic role, there is a lot of pushback and Robert Pattinson was no exception to this. I, however, was not worried since I've seen enough of his films after The Twilight Saga to know that he has the acting chops and he did not disappoint. This is a recluse Bruce Wayne succumbed with vengeance and Pattinson felt right at home with a subdued take on the character. There are many scenes where he shows a lot of subtlety and I loved it. Performances were solid all-around from the major actors: Zoe Kravitz as Selena Kyle was sexy, badass and a surprisingly good Catwoman; John Turturo as Carmine Falcone also surprised me as an initial jovial dude who can also intimidate and show his true sleazy mob boss colours on the dime; Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon, while no Gary Oldman, was a solid companion to Batman; Colin Farrel, who you can't even recognize under all the makeup, as the Penguin was hilarious and awesome; Andy Serkis as Alfred, was a nice iteration of the character, although, I wish he had more screentime as his scene with Bruce had the highest emotional value in the film and could have been even stronger; Paul Danno as The Riddler, for the most part, walked the fine line between intimidating and cringe properly for the realistic take they were going for; I didn't find him amazing but he was good enough.

Where the movie faltered and faltered hard enough to keep it from being great was the mixed bag plot writing. On one hand, The Batman is trying to be the most grounded out of any Live-Action outings and I appreciated that but at the same time, there are contrivances that prop up every now and then and progressively get worse, particularly in the final act, that contradicts the tone and can take you out for a moment whether it is Riddler's plan or Batman's plot armour, the former of which when thought about does become even messier. A lack of consequences is also noticeable after some events that make the world-building a bit iffy. The final act, as a whole, was the weakest part of the movie and it always sucks when a film starts strongly but fumbles at the end instead of fumbling at the start but finishing strongly (as was the case with No Way Home). It's a shame too because the writing isn't poor through and through; there is a strong thematic throughline and has a decent chunk of setups and payoffs that is executed well and I'm sure I'll pick up on more details on a rewatch. Another contention I had, although a small one, was the pacing. It is a 3-hour movie and you feel the length even though it is not boring.

Overall, while being held down a bit by its flaws, it is still a solid iteration of the classic superhero and one that stands on its own feet and has a distinct vision to separate it from the other ones. I respect it for being what it is as a Big-Budget superhero film in the current pop-culture landscape. I loved the fact that there is a lot more Batman than Bruce Wayne (which fits with the story too). I hope we get another outing of this Batman as there is strong potential here after the conclusion of this arc with this cast and crew at the helm. With the last few movies, DC has upped its game tremendously and I hope they keep on this track. A definite recommendation. It is a standalone story so you don't need to have any prior knowledge of previous movies. And if I were to rate it, I'd give it a 7.8/10.

P. S I haven't revisited any of the previous Batman Live-Action films in a while now but if I were to rank the ones I've watched and remember, this is how it will look and can probably change upon rewatching them:

The Dark Knight (2008) Batman Begins (2005) The Batman (2022) The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Batman v Superman (2016) Batman Returns (1992) Batman (1989) Batman and Robin (1997)

The Adam Project (2022) is another outing from the director-actor duo Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds, who gave us Free Guy last year, a movie I loved. With the premise being that in the future time travel exists and a fighter pilot goes back in time to team up with his younger self to save the future, I had to give this a try. While not on the same level of enjoyment as Free Guy, this one turned out to be another success for the duo. Interestingly, while looking at the director's filmography before putting down my thoughts about this movie, I had no idea I have watched several of the films he directed and pretty much all of them were enjoyable to some extent with my favourites being Real Steel (2015) and Night at the Museum (2006). The dude might not be making masterpieces but he sure has consistency for a good time from my experience.

Anyway, the style and tone of the movie pay homage to the 80s sci-fi or fantasy family films or Spielbergian feel, without actually taking place in the 80s. I'm a fan of that era so I was hooked pretty much from the start. The action, the SciFi stuff, the production quality, it's all decent. CGI can be a bit wonky at times but it wasn't inconsistent to the point that it was annoying a lot of times save for one thing that I'll mention later on.

The strongest point about the movie is what it had to nail in order for the experience to work i.e the relationship between Ryan Reynold's character Adam and his younger self, acted wonderfully by Walker Scobell. The kid rocked, I loved him and he genuinely felt like a young Ryan Reynolds and the banter between him and his older self was hilarious and endearing. I also enjoyed the aspect of connecting to your younger self as one grows old instead of forgetting it, the idea that one should keep the inner child so that one doesn't grow cold and heartless after being drenched in responsibilities as an adult, which just happens to be one of the core messages of one of my favourite books i.e The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery.

Ryan Reynolds himself was good in the role and he sold it well as a person who has unresolved issues from his past, particularly with his father. The movie, in general, surprised me with the performances. Even if certain actors didn't have a lot of screentime, they utilized that time effectively instead of phoning it in for an easy paycheck, whether it was Jennifer Garner or Zoe Saldana or Mark Ruffalo. Certainly a strong emphasis on the emotional side of things which I appreciated given the story of the movie.

The weakest aspect that brought the movie down a notch or two was the villain and the final act. Catherine Keener wasn't bad in the role but she wasn't given a lot to work with. She also had a younger self who was poorly de-aged and that was distracting every time she was onscreen. The finale felt rushed and lazily written relative to the rest of the movie as if they wanted to get it over with and go to the ending and the wholesome message. Ironically, it would have made the catharsis better had there been more stakes and tension in the final struggle.

Overall, despite its faults, I had a good time with this movie. It won't blow your mind, it is not groundbreaking, but it is an easily digestible fun wholesome time and if you're looking for something like that, give it a try. It's on Netflix too. And if I were to rate it, I'd give it a 7/10.

Roland Emmerich is one of those directors whose movies I loved as a kid, particularly because I had an affinity towards big blockbusters with epic set pieces and massive amounts of destruction. That affinity still remains and some of his earlier works, namely Independence Day (1996) and The Day After Tomorrow (2004), I adore to this day. Over the years, the quality of his big epics declined with massive disappointments such as Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) but I still gave them a chance in the hopes that I may be surprised, which did happen relatively recently with his WW2 feature Midway (2019). So, with this latest outing of his, I was itching for a disaster movie and was pretty much expecting a dumb disaster of a movie after seeing the critical reception and that was pretty much what I got, and it was fun.

The premise of Moonfall (2022), as one could guess from the title, is that our moon's orbit goes out of wack and is now on a collision course with Earth which, of course, is not good. So now the main characters have to figure out a way to stop that. Since I didn't watch any promotional material, that is pretty much what I knew going in and I thought some pseudo-science is gonna be used to explain how it naturally happened. Turns out, the plot is a bit crazier than that right from the start, something that did initially bummed me out because that trope was not what I was expecting to be the reason but as the movie went along, it kept getting crazier and surprised me with where it ultimately ended up. It was as if Roland Emmerich wrote the plot after going down a YouTube conspiracy rabbit hole and then had the balls to fully dive into that ridiculousness. Had a lot of fun with that.

I also had a lot of fun with the depiction of The Moon that it felt like an entity; a villainous one at some times, a heroic one at others. I was smiling and chuckling every time the moon would pass by where some characters are and you'll get a deep bass BWAAAAAAAM sound accompanied by cool visuals and gravity shenanigans causing destruction and mayhem where, at the same time, characters would use that to their benefit in hilarious ways and the dialogue in some of those scenes had me guffawing.

Most of the characters were caricatures of what you would see in an Emmerich feature doing things you would expect but with the level of execution that often crossed over to the so-bad-it's-good realm adding more fun to the experience. Sometimes, though, it was just bad and boring as some subplots had nothing of entertainment value in them. John Bradley (Sam from Game of Thrones) turned out to be the best acted and written character in the movie relative to all the other ones as the conspiracy theorists or Megastructurist and had somewhat of an arc. He is accompanied by Patrick Wilson and Halle Berry who were fine with what they were given. Michael Pena is also in the movie but I won't fault you if you forgot because it was a massive missed opportunity to not have him be comic relief and instead be a rival dad to the protagonist who you don't even remember as the movie enters its final act until a line towards the end.

Now, in a movie like this, the biggest attraction is the disaster sequences or the audiovisual experience. While there are several scenes or shots that are visually thrilling or amusing and entertaining with decent enough CGI, my favourite being The New York moon flyby, there are also a lot of visual effects that look cheap and low quality to the point that they might as well have been taken out of an old video game pre-rendered cutscene. There is also a lack of big destruction sequences on Earth in favour of sci-fi moon stuff. I initially thought that perhaps this one didn't have a big enough budget but apparently the movie had a budget of almost 150 Million Dollars, so I have no clue where that money went. It is sad too to know that the movie flopped, an expected result considering the objective quality of the movie, but since I love the genre, I would never want them to stop being made.

To sum it all up, it's a dumb big-budget sci-fi disaster flick that, given the mood or the mindset, could be a lot of fun, especially if you have a history with the director's filmography. It's not a good movie by any means, though, so if you want a solid or well-made disaster or sci-fi film, this is not it. You would be better off skipping it. In fact, from the films I have watched from Emmerich's filmography, if I were to rank them, Moonfall would be at the bottom above only Resurgence. However, since I already knew what to expect and got a lot more, the movie wasn't ruining anything preexisting I love, and it wasn't concerned with being political, and just wanted to revel in its stupidity, it was a lot more fun and a lot less disappointing and cringe as opposed to something like Resurgence. As for the rating, had the movie been consistent with its CGI and been trimmed by 15-20 mins, I would have enjoyed it more but as it stands, I'd give it a 6/10 for pure dumb Emmerich fun. Objectively I guess it's a 2 or 3 out of 10.

Ted Lasso (2020) is a comedy-drama series on Apple TV+ which is about an American Football college coach getting hired to move across the pond and coach AFC Richmond, an English Premier League Soccer team that is down on its luck. I always find it fascinating when an entertainment property sinks its hooks into me and doesn't let up even though I'm not a fan of the setting and/or the backdrop. Some of the best examples off the top of my head I can give are the films Rush (2013) and Ford v Ferrari (2019), both of which take place in the realm of professional car racing, something I never had an interest in and yet I absolutely loved both of them. Similarly, I've never been a fan of watching Football (both versions) yet I adored watching Ted Lasso.

The premise itself has enough of a draw to grab your attention at the start giving a fish-out-of-water type situation for the titular character, Ted Lasso, who knows nothing about Soccer (and not a lot about England either) and yet he is now in charge of a Premier League team. That alone, though, wouldn't have been enough to carry the entire series as the novelty can die out after a while which is where the strong writing comes in. Having a great set of main, secondary, and tertiary characters who all have varying levels of depth to them interwoven with a clever, witty, and wholesome plot while maintaining a sense of realism and profundity makes this a wholly entertaining watch.

Jason Sudeikis is an actor I have enjoyed in his various comedic outings from the past but I never would have thought that he would be in a role like this let alone absolutely killing it as the lead and giving one of the best performances I've seen recently. The thing about Ted Lasso is that while he is optimistic, looks at life from a positive angle, and is in the business of not simply coaching a team but coaching YOU as a person to become a better version of yourself, he is also flawed who has to wrestle with his own insecurities and demons reinforcing his character and he never comes off as too preachy or overindulgent to the point of annoyance as can be the case of characters who are supposed to be positive. Throw in several speeches and monologues with great wisdom+badass moments and you can't help but love the guy. We all could use a Ted Lasso in our lives.

Joining him are a plethora of characters who might come off as caricatures at first glance whether it's the partner coach who is always there to help yet is mysterious played by Brendan Hunt, the experienced and aged sportsman looking at the last of his days in the sport played by Brett Goldstein, a younger talented sportsman who lacks wisdom played by Phil Dunster, a model who dates footballers played by Juno Temple, a CEO with misaligned intentions played by Hannah Waddingham, a secretary who gets laughed on by everyone played by Jeremy Swift, the locker room worker who gets picked on played by Nick Mohammad and so on but as the episodes progress, you can see the underlying strong writing and they all grow, expectedly or unexpectedly with Ted Lasso acting as the crux that makes it all possible and it's genuinely wonderful to have multiple stories every episode with characters you grow to like or love in an overall wholesome wrapping. It also helps that everyone is on the top of their game with great performances all around.

A good comparison I read in a comment about Ted Lasso is that it's like Bojack Horseman but in reverse. Whereas the latter has a nihilistic viewpoint with lots of comedy yet it surprises you with gut punches and realism, the former has an optimistic viewpoint with lots of comedy that also surprises you with its gut punches and real-life lessons. I think it kinda fits. Also, PSA, watch Bojack Horseman if you haven't, it's a masterpiece.

As for the negatives, I'd say some plot points weren't as engaging, particularly in Season 2 which without knowing where they'll take them, could turn out to be better or worse in retrospect. Season 2 as a whole didn't feel as strong or tight as Season 1 even though it had some of the highest highs of the series so far. There is also a lack of prolonged thrilling matches, something you'd expect in a series revolving around Football to have.

All in all, this is a MUST WATCH. A series I'll highly recommend to everyone whether you're a fan of the sport or not. It's the kind of entertainment that everyone needs some time, something that's uplifting, something that's wholesome, something that is chicken soup for the soul, something that'll give you escapism from your troubles of life and bring you back lighter and brighter. This series also has the best use of Rick Roll (Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley) I have ever seen. And if I were to rate it, I'd give Season 1 a 9/10, Season 2 an 8/10, and the overall experience so far of both seasons an 8.5/10.

I'm not a Bond aficionado, I haven't seen anything from the old eras other than some clips, the oldest memories I have are of Pierce Brosnan's run with movies such as Die Another Day and The World Is Not Enough which my Dad used to enjoy and as a kid, I joined in sometimes but I hardly remember them and whenever I decide to check out the previous movies (not anytime soon), I'll have to rewatch those. I have, though, watched all of the recent ones and No Time To Die (2021) is the latest entry in the James Bond franchise and marks the end of the Daniel Craig era. An era if I look at it as a whole has certainly been entertaining but uneven, with some entries such as Casino Royale, my favourite Bond film so far, and Skyfall being awesome experiences. Now, Spectre, the one before this one, wasn't that good. It was well produced and directed but I didn't care for the story so I wasn't hyped or excited for this last one to the degree I normally would have been. After finishing No Time To Die, I can safely say it was a similar experience, albeit slightly better.

From a production standpoint, it was a well-produced and directed affair, for the most part. Cary Joji Fukunaga was at the helm this time who is famous for directing Season 1 of True Detective and as far as the audiovisual experience goes, it was a solid spy action thriller. There was some CGI stuff that was a bit iffy and the stormtrooper aim could have been lessened but oh well. The runtime is long, clocking in at around 2 hours and 40 mins, yet it had a lot packed in it in terms of action scenes, plot beats, jumping around locations and characters, tieing in material from previous films, and because of that, it didn't get completely boring despite my lack of interest in the actual story. Also, simply by being a fan of Daniel Craig and his Bond, having a sendoff experience carries some weight.

The performances were good which also helped attention retention, I have enjoyed the portrayal of Bond from Daniel Craig in every entry and this was no different with him being aged and a veteran at this point while showing vulnerability as he's looking for something more than the life he has. The supporting cast did their job well in whatever chunks of screentime they were given whether it's Ralph Fiennes as M, Lashana Lynch as the new 007, Ben Wishaw as Q, Lea Seydoux as the love interest Madeline, or Ana de Armas as the rookie agent Paloma who was not only absolutely stunning and lit up the screen with her presence, had she been in the entire movie and was the focus, I might have given this a 10/10.

Since the story takes place a while after Spectre and is a direct continuation since from what I can gather this is the most serialized Bond run, the baggage from that movie is present here. I usually am not a fan of the "It was me all along" trope as most of the time the writing isn't strong enough to pull it off well and that was exactly the case with Christoph Waltz's antagonist in the previous movie that is tied into this one while also further exacerbating the problem by having an even bigger baddy trying to raise the stakes but then completely falling flat on its face when it comes to Rami Malek's character. Somehow, Safin was worse than Blofeld and it's such a shame since James Bond isn't the same without a strong villain. Also, what a waste of a great actor. All of that combined with the love story that just isn't as strong as the movie would like you to believe, both in this and the previous one, and remembering how much better it was with Eva Green's Vesper and you now have a story that lacks the emotional connection, investment and intrigue that is required for a final outing to give you that tension, thrill, excitement and THE FEELS which would make the entire experience something to truly remember. Honestly, had they forgotten about Spectre and done their own thing and given Rami Malek more to work with (strong writing), this could have been good or even great.

Overall, I can't say I was disappointed since I had low expectations but I would have still liked to be surprised. However, the fact that during the marketing campaign, there was a lot of commotion over this being woke and Bond would be treated poorly etc because of the noise of the fandom in retaliation to click-bait articles and misinterpretations from shoddy journalism that is sadly the norm now, I was surprised to find out that wasn't the case, so that was nice. It's not a bad movie, it certainly has some entertainment value, but the story isn't good and that bogs it down A LOT. If you have enjoyed Craig's era or are a Bond completionist, give it a try. If you are not a fan of Bond and don't want to watch all of the previous films, I'll recommend giving Casino Royale a try and moving on from there depending on how you feel. And if I were to rate this, I'd give it a 6/10.

P. S This is how the Daniel Craig era stands for me: Casino Royale Skyfall Quantum of Solace No Time To Die Spectre.

I never watched Ghostbusters as a kid, didn't grow up with it, have no nostalgia for it from my childhood but I did eventually try it out several years back and loved it, such a fun time and a tight script. Also watched the sequel which was fine, as well as 2016 one, which was bad. So getting a new one that doesn't take into account the last one and acts as a proper sequel+successor set in a small town in the middle of nowhere with a younger cast and being directed by Jason Reitman, the son of Ivan Reitman who did the original, had me intrigued. After giving Ghostbusters: Afterlife a watch, it suffices to say the son did not disappoint.

The story follows a single mom with two kids who move to a small town after the passing of her father and inheriting his house and land. As the kids investigate around, they start uncovering who their grandfather was and how the strange occurrences in the locality are linked. For the most part, I enjoyed the simple straightforward tale that pays homage and respect to what came before it while incorporating its own thing in the mix. The performances were, in general, good to great with Mckenna Grace stealing the show as the smart and curious kid, she was wonderful and funnily enough, did more as a strong female lead than the entire 2016 reboot with an all-female main cast. Paul Rudd was his usual fun wholesome self and that's never a bad thing even if I wish he was in the movie a bit more. Carrie Coon... well she's Carrie Coon, I have loved her ever since The Leftovers and she always delivers.

Production wise, this was a great one. The sets, the props, the cinematography, the CGI, it all was solid especially considering it didn't have a humungous budget. The thing that surprised me was the sound effects had a strong punch and impact whether it was the equipment, the action scenes, the atmosphere etc, something I didn't expect in a movie like this to put as much care into but it did so props for that.

What did bring down the movie a tad bit was that not all of the characters were utilized efficiently. Despite having a 2-hour runtime, the script wasn't as tight as I'd hoped it would be. Also, the final act could have had a bit more to it in terms of the antagonist, maybe expand upon the lore or add something to it that is concrete since it was familiar and full of nostalgia.

All in all, considering the absolute nonsense Hollywood is up to with bringing back old franchises and running them to the ground by doing cheap and lazy cash grabs and hiring people who think they can do it a lot better than the original creators while not giving the property its due respect, it's so refreshing to see something that actually does not follow the trend. Jason Reitman I bet would have made his father proud. If you're a fan of Ghostbusters, this is a must-watch. If you are not, I'd suggest watching the original and then giving this one a try. And if I were to rate it, I'd give it a 7.8/10.

Don't Look Up (2021) is a satirical sci-fi drama about a group of scientists who discover that a Comet is on a direct collision course with Earth, their attempt to alert the Government before it's too late, and their utter dismay at how things turn out. Written and directed by Adam McKay who is no stranger to such movies with his previous outings such as The Big Short, a film about the 2008 housing crisis and economic crash, and VICE, a film about Dick Cheney's tenure, with both having a strong layer of satire embedded in the narrative and so I was excited to check this out. Another hit from the man.

My enjoyment of this movie boils down to two main reasons:

1) Growing up, I was a huge fan of Disaster or end-of-the-world scenario movies regardless of what is bringing that end and two of my favourites from that time were Armageddon and Deep Impact, both dealing with a large Asteroid impact, so I was naturally giddy with excitement when a modern movie with a similar scenario came out and dealt with that subject matter in a satirical tone. A fresh experience of something I love.

2) The social commentary on the state of the modern world and several avenues in it as what would the world do if Humanity is faced with this extinction event whether it is politics, mainstream media, social media, big tech companies, science, the youth, family etc, and giving jabs to both sides of the political spectrum. Some of it is heavy-handed and too on the nose going to absurdism while some of it is subtle and that created a fun balance. It also can be horrifying as to how close to home it hits with all the nonsense that is happening nowadays.

Of course, the movie wouldn't have been great without having a large and talented cast, all of whom gave good-great performances, enhancing your attachment or disdain for the characters according to the plot. My favourite was without a doubt, Leonardo DiCaprio. The dude's amazing in everything I've watched and this was no exception. Seeing him in a scientist role struggling to deal with the sheer stupidity at hand from the Govt. And the media made me frustrated as well, alongside the co-star Jennifer Lawrence, who was also great. I like that while it is a comedy, it walks the line between serious and absurd rather well. If it was all goofy and funny, it wouldn't have had the impact it wanted to have.

Well directed, written and shot with erratic editing that works for a movie like this as it keeps the momentum going. Without giving anything away, I do, however, wish that we got to see a bit more towards the end. Also, I did miss Adam McKay's style of 4th wall breaks or the fake obvious wrap-ups but considering it is a fictional tale and not based on a historical event or personality, maybe it wouldn't have worked here.

Overall, I enjoyed it a lot, this was right up my alley. It is definitely amongst the best of 2021 for me. If you like satire or if the premise interests you, I'd recommend giving this a watch. And if I were to rate it, I'd give it a solid 8/10.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) is a dumb campy sequel to the 2018 surprise box-office hit and it follows the protagonist Eddie Brock and the symbiote Venom a while after the events of the first movie and they are having odd-couple issues... oh and there's Cletus Kasady/Carnage who's the bad guy.

It's a simple movie with a short runtime that flies by quickly and there is something to appreciate here for a superhero/comic-book flick in this day and age to just embrace its campiness and B-Movie feel. Doesn't make it good, though, as that can only take the enjoyment to a certain degree before one start wishing there is a bit more substance in the script since it's more dumb than fun. The same camp-style can be kept but be a bit more clever with it.

Tom Hardy was good as Eddie Brock yet again and is easily the best part of the movie, I just wish he had a better script to work with. The odd-couple schtick was fun for a while but then it went on for far too long and the overemphasis on comedy in this sequel detracts more than it adds. The lack of focus on the villain and rushing that plot point to get to the big CGI fight finale also hurts the overall experience. Woody Harrelson was hamming it up in the role with what he was given and he was fun with a layer of cringe.

There were some cool/entertaining action scenes, the finale fight was certainly better than the first one. The movie, however, once again reinforces the fact that Venom SORELY needs to be Rated-R which would have made Carnage's carnage so much better. With the first one, I get that they had to make a safe play, but with the sequel, they should have embraced the violence.

Not much else to say about this one. Kinda disappointed as I did like the first movie more which admittedly over time has fallen a bit in my eyes too. This character has a lot more potential than what we are being given and I hope whatever outing it gets next, it's done better. If you enjoyed the first one, you might like the sequel but if you didn't enjoy it, this won't change your mind. And if I were to rate it, I'd give it a 5.5/10.

Eternals (2021) is the 26th entry in the MCU, a part of Phase 4 of the franchise and it is about a group of Alien beings who have been on Earth for thousands of years protecting mankind from another alien race called Deviants and they now have to reunite and face the ancient threat which has resurfaced. Similar to Guardians of the Galaxy, this is one of those Marvel properties that I had no prior knowledge of and the movie was my first foray into their story. Unlike Guardians of the Galaxy, though, it was not good.

The movie has a lot of problems and it falls under the umbrella of those flicks where the more you think about it, the worse it gets, and if you don't think about it, it's middling at best, as elements and players introduced by the story and trying to squeeze them in an already expansive Universe lacks well thought out writing for proper cohesion and thus it comes off as lazy and stupid. Case in point: The Celestials, the true Godly Beings that have been shown a few times before in the MCU but this is the movie where you get a proper explanation about their existence and when the plot reveals details about the Prime Celestial Arishem's design, it's just dumb and saps whatever interest one might have had in that part of the story and worldbuilding.

Since I have grown a bit apathetic towards this cinematic universe due to worldbuilding shenanigans that Phase 4 has shown so far, poor writing in that area alone wouldn't have been a big issue (would still be an issue) had the characters been interesting but that turned out to be the biggest problem of this movie which stems from its own nature of being i.e there are ten Eternals, ten main new characters that are introduced in a single movie, and none of them is properly developed. As I write this review, I don't even remember the names of many of them. On top of that, director Chloe Zao decided to have the cast give uninterested/boring and bland performances for so much of the runtime instead of being energetic and charismatic utilizing every bit of screen time they have to imbue personality to their roles. There was also lost potential of a plot point regarding Deviants, the movie just ends it in an anti-climatic fashion and throws it away.

With all that being said, I did enjoy certain things. There were some beautiful visuals, particularly with the Celestials and their gargantuan scale, especially if you don't think about the physics of it all. Some of the fights were entertaining even with the iffy CGI, the speedster Eternal especially was portrayed how I'd wish other movies to showcase their speed type characters and you get a fun meta pseudo Superman vs Flash throwdown. Despite having thin characterization, some Eternals I did end up liking such as Druig, Gilgamesh or even Icarus, and hell I even got interested in that one Deviant since that seemed important relative to most characters in the movie. I also do applaud the director for not filling the movie to the brim with the typical Marvel brand of humour which has been getting too annoying recently and I wish strong writing was present to complement the more serious tone. Plus, the movie had both Jon Snow and Robb Stark fall in love with Sersi which I found amusing.

Overall, this is in the bottom tier of MCU movies for me. I wouldn't say it's the worst one, that title belongs to Black Widow for now. I don't know how the events in Eternals will play out going forward in the MCU or whether it'll have any impact or would be forgotten. This probably would have fared far better if it was a Disney+ series instead as that would have given it time to develop its characters at the very least even if at the loss of spectacle. Wouldn't recommend it unless you're an MCU fan and completionist. Anyway, if I were to rate it, I'd give it a 5/10.

Ah yes, The Matrix, one of the best and most influential sci-fi films of recent decades and one of my all-time favourite films. When it was announced that another sequel is coming, I was mostly indifferent about it because that is just Hollywood now, anything can be brought back. When the first full trailer dropped for The Matrix Resurrections, it piqued my interest a bit but I didn't get hyped or had high hopes even if some of the original cast is returning as well as one of the creators i.e Lana Wachowski because, in this day and age, it is more likely to be a letdown. And as it turns out, that was precisely the case. This is, without a doubt, the worst movie in the franchise. BUT I was pleasantly surprised that after seeing the negative reception from a lot of people it wasn't an outright terrible experience for me and I ended up enjoying several parts of it even if I wouldn't call the movie good but rather a middling to above-average experience owing to my predisposition and fanboy bias towards this world.

Returning to the world of The Matrix after more than 20 years certainly carried a hefty dose of nostalgia and it was plainly enjoyable simply being thrust back into that realm. Seeing Keanu Reeves as Neo again lit up the fan in me. Having to deal with the matrix again and retreading events from the first one, despite being an obvious nostalgia bait, was entertaining especially when the movie was self-aware about it and had a meta-narrative going on. In fact, the time spent in the matrix during the first half was probably my favourite, especially when you view it from the machines or The Analyst's POV.

It would have been wonderful to have Laurence Fishburn and Hugo Weaving reprising their roles but the replacement for Morpheus, Yahya Adul-Mateen II, wasn't bad. Felt like a hip version of Morpheus. Can't say the same for the new Agent Smith but he did bring some unintentional hilarity, so there's that. In fact, there was a lot of comedy relative to the previous parts, both intentional and unintentional. Some of it worked, a lot of it didn't with some scenes being pure cringe as was the case with a certain cameo.

You get a new crew of characters but apart from Jessica Henwick's character Bugs, none of them were interesting or had any proper presence. The only connection I felt was that several of the actors were from Sense8, a series I happen to like. The performances were fine, including Neil Patrick Harris and Carrie-Anne Moss returning as Trinity.

The second half of the movie deals more with the real world and at first, I was enjoying seeing how things have developed after Revolutions. There were intriguing tidbits and scarce info dumps as well as developments which I liked and I was wishing the movie would explore more but it was busy rushing on with its own clunky main plot. Maybe they are saving it for further sequels which I'm not sure they'll even get a greenlit on. To make matters worse, the movie, regrettably, leaned too heavily on the nostalgia baiting and dangling keychains instead of balancing it out. It was spread out throughout the runtime with the most egregious one being flashbacks of scenes from the previous movies which acted as a constant reminder that while you're back in this world, it's nowhere near as well-executed, a self-inflicted detrimental element.

The element that actually disappointed me the most was the audiovisual experience, something I expected we would at least get in a strong manner even if all else fails. The action, while being fine-ish for a modern Hollywood big-budget movie, was way too poorly executed in comparison to the previous films. The trilogy was known for its Martial Arts and Gun action and you hardly get anything of the former while a flimsy toned down version of the latter with stormtrooper aim dialled up the highest level as if the operator has hacked the matrix and is purposely making the bad guys miss every shot. The biggest sin was having the now John Wick at your disposal and not giving him a gun throughout the movie or having any scene with Neo going all out and instead relegating him mostly to force push and pull. There was also no real tension or actual danger/threat in the movie.

All in all, this was a clunky and messily executed amalgamation of some cool ideas and concepts, new and old, and a trip down memory lane which kept it from diving into the abyss further propelled a bit by my inner fan bias of this world. By no means a good movie and after pondering upon it for a while, I can certainly see where the hate is coming from. If you're a massive fan of the trilogy, you might enjoy it but if you only like/love the first one and didn't enjoy the sequels, chances are this won't bring your mind around. And if I were to rate it, I'd give it a 6/10.

The Witcher (2019) is a Netflix adaptation of the popular fantasy novel franchise which immensely gained new traction after the video game trilogy based on it from CD Projekt Red was released. I was introduced to this world because of those amazing games more than a decade ago (still haven't played Witcher 3 yet, though, a mortal sin I know) and with the release of Season 2 coming up, I decided to finally give Season 1 a watch, especially since I started reading the books and finished The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny beforehand considering this season is mostly based on those two books.

What I loved: Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia. He was perfect. He had the feel and style of Geralt nailed down and since he is a fan of the games, he emulated the voice from them and it was awesome. He gave a great performance as the famous witcher. He looked the part too albeit a bit beefier version. Also, some of his fight scenes were brutally thrilling and well-choreographed.

The song "Toss a Coin to your Witcher" from Jaskier/Dandelion was an absolute banger and Dan Vasc's Metal cover of it is even better. Still can't get it out of my head.

What I liked: Joey Batey as Jaskier/Dandelion (I wish they called him dandelion in the series), he was a fun companion to The White Wolf and I enjoyed their interactions and his injection of comedy alongside Geralt's dry wit. Would have liked it more if the writing gave him more smarts alongside the comic relief aspect as it is in the books but who knows, maybe in the next season. Anya Chalotra as Yennefer, might not look the part that well but I sure did enjoy her performance, she had some intense moments in this season and she brought out her acting chops. Freya Allen as Ciri wasn't bad either and whatever shortcomings I felt had more to do with the writing and not the actress.

Seeing some of the locations such as Cintra, some monsters such as The Kikimora and Striga, and some magic with good production values was entertaining. Also, some events which weren't elaborated on in the book being shown in the series was cool.

The soundtrack was good and clearly had influence from the games although not at that level.

What I didn't like/Hated: The way the story was structured, I wasn't a fan of it for a lot of it. Instead of taking their time with Geralt's short stories they were adapting from the books and introducing the viewer to the world and giving them proper breathing room by focusing earlier episodes on each story, they half-assed it in order to cram in other characters and plot elements that ran concurrently alongside the witcher stories in pretty much every episode and because of that, so much was cut or altered, some downright butchered (Sword of Destiny, for one). Also, some decisions made with the out-of-order timeline felt extremely misplaced basically giving you a spoiler first and then building up to it and I wasn't a fan of it.

The visuals were very inconsistent. Some episodes clearly had more budget than others. Elements such as the Brookilon Forest and Dryads or the dragon from the story The Bounds of Reason looked downright bad (and the adaptation of these stories equally sucked).

Overall, I enjoyed it for some of the elements I mentioned above but I was certainly hoping for better adaptations of the stories, which is something I wish they'd remedy in Season 2. Now, would I have enjoyed this more if I had not read the books? Perhaps, but I can never know that for sure, I guess one gives up that factor when one has experienced the source first. Anyway, if you haven't watched it yet, I'd still recommend giving it a try regardless of whether you have played the games or read the books or are completely new to this fantasy world. If Netflix doesn't screw it up in the subsequent seasons, this could have the potential to be as big of a hit as Game of Thrones and the books are finished so there's that edge as well. And if I were to rate the first season, I'd give it a 6.5/10.

I love Edgar Wright, he's one of my favourite contemporary creatives and some of his works rank amongst my top favourites such as Hot Fuzz and Spaced. Naturally, I was eager to check out his latest offering, something that's different from his normal body of work. Last Night in Soho (2021) is a Horror, Mystery, Drama about an enthusiastic aspiring designer from the countryside going to a prestigious London college of arts where she encounters the ability to visit the city in the 60s that starts wreaking havoc in her life after the glam and glimmer subsides.

The film shines when it comes to the cinematography, editing, set designs, soundtrack, and costumes, where even with the restraint shown, justified for the story and tone, you still get that Edgar Wright style that makes his movies stand out. It can be gorgeous with some amazing camera work and long takes. I enjoyed the performances too. Thomasin McKenzie as the lead was able to carry the film on her shoulders quite well, for the most part. Accompanying her was the gorgeous Anya Taylor-Joy who, as in pretty much everything else I've seen her in, was great. The supporting cast does a good enough job.

For the first half or so, you aren't exactly sure where the story is going and the mystery was enticing although, the themes weren't original nor were the social commentary and a lot of it was only superficially deep. Still, the horror elements intertwined with the tale plus the execution made it entertaining albeit not nearly as hard-hitting as I'd hoped it would be. However, when everything starts panning out around the final act, the story just fumbled and got all floompy. You can surely understand the tragic tale the film is going for but the writing leaves a lot to be desired. The entire finale was unsatisfactory which sadly brought down the whole experience for me.

I always appreciate it when an artist tries to branch out into different genres from what they're known for and I do applaud Edgar Wright for doing that but this is, without a doubt, the weakest of his works I've experienced. I'd still recommend it giving it a try, you might enjoy it a lot more than me. But as it stands, this was a disappointing watch for me but there were still elements I appreciated and was also entertained for a lot of the runtime. And if I were to rate it, I'd give it a 6.5/10.

Red Notice (2021) is the latest outing from Netflix and is a comedy, action, heist, adventure blend which is about an FBI agent trying to bring down the world's greatest thief with the help of the second greatest after things go screwy apprehending the latter. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Dwayne Johnson and Gal Gadot, I got excited and gave it a watch. Sadly, it turned out to be a very middling experience.

One would expect that there would be a great deal of charisma, enthusiasm and quality back-and-forth banter with the Actors (particularly the male duo) the movie has at its disposal but one would be wrong. It's not that there isn't any but what you get for the most part and for a lack of a better word, is pure MEH. It's not terrible, you can stomach it but there is nothing special here. Ryan Reynolds felt like he was doing most of the heavy work by being his usual self with some of the Deadpool persona bleeding in improvising in a not-so-good script still being my favourite part of the movie, whereas the Rock was oddly enough living up to his name, by being a rock, and for whatever reason, he or the director decided this would be the movie for it, against Deadpool... It's good to live up to your name but you still gotta choose an appropriate time and this was not it. Gal Gadot, while being gorgeous and someone who looked like she was having fun, also came with a heft dose of cringe in some of her scenes.

Couple that with the goofy nature of the movie which, in a better-written film with interesting comradery between the characters could have been highly entertaining, with a plot that is easily forgettable with the propensity for "twists" without the wit to carry whatever level of self-awareness that movies try to present leaves you with a mishmash of elements taken from much better films where neither the sum of its parts nor the whole is as entertaining as it should have been. Again, it's MEH.

Also, with a reported $200 Million budget, it has some pretty shoddy visuals at times while having some cool shots and sets otherwise. This is a repeated trend I've seen in big-budget movies lately where they'll have massive budgets but you don't see that reflected in the visuals/production properly. And if DUNE can look wonderful with a relatively lower budget, these other movies have no excuse with the level of CGI they end up using.

Anyway, I was hoping for a lot more fun than I ended up experiencing. You get a massive sequel bait at the end and there are two more entries greenlit by Netflix, so we'll get more of this Trio. Not excited but who knows, they might end up being better. This is an average experience at best which I can't really recommend unless you have nothing else to watch and just want something to pass the time. And if I were to rate it, I'd give it a 5/10.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is the first entry in MCU Phase 4 with a completely new superhero, an origin story, and is about Shang-Chi, son of a powerful man who has control of the ten rings as well as having an organization of the same name. Living a normal life, his world is turned upside down when the past he has left behind comes back to bite him. Not gonna lie, I wasn't hoping much from this movie considering how disappointing Phase 4 has been but to my surprise, this turned out to be the most entertaining entry in this Post-Infinity Saga so far, particularly because I didn't leave it filled with a layer of disappointment that gets worse the more you think about it.

It's not groundbreaking or different from what the MCU has given us before, especially when it comes to origin stories. In fact, it feels very reminiscent of the earlier movies that came in this cinematic universe following a lot of the same formula, part of the reason I enjoyed it as it reminded me of the good ole days where I was genuinely hyped about the MCU and getting introduced to all these superheroes without having any solid comic-book reading history. It's the usual Marvel schtick with a different skin but with good enough execution in certain parts that you get a steady flow of entertainment and hardly any major frustrations, if at all, from the entire 130 mins runtime.

What I enjoyed the most was the action sequences, which were predominantly hand-to-hand combat and weaponry based kung-fu. With good choreography and cinematography, fewer cuts, non-shaky cam, and the actors performing a lot of the combat themselves, it was thrilling. The accompanying soundtrack was nice too with a mix of modern and East Asian tracks that flowed well with the action.

The story itself, while ending up with the usual end-of-the-world trope that so many superhero flicks have, wasn't bad either. It was cool to see this side of the world in this cinematic universe and not having a typical Human baddie was nice as well.

However, the writing was still not particularly good as the movie sorely lacked urgency and stakes. There wasn't that OOOMPH that would have propelled this movie to higher tiers. It played safe and light with a lot of predictable elements so you just sorta experience the events which play out mostly how you'd expect. The dialogue could have been a lot better as well with the same story beats the movie employs and would have given characters a lot more depth where the emotional moments could have been hard-hitting. The titular character himself felt lacking in energy and charisma.

I did like the overall ensemble and how it all came together in the end even if full of cliches. I was worried about Awkwafina's character Katie and that she'll be annoying for the rest of the movie but I was pleasantly surprised by her relationship with Shang-Chi played by Simu Lu, it was sweet. I'm glad the humour wasn't in your face throughout and took a backseat at certain points as MCU lately has developed a habit of injecting way too much of their brand of humour and it hasn't worked for me. Not saying the comedy here was great as some of it fell flat on its face but some of it did work.

All in all, despite its problems, despite the movie playing it safe, despite it being predictable, I had fun. I do hope Simu Lu gives a stronger performance wherever his character shows up next because compared to other MCU heroes, Shang-Chi himself is among the lower end for me for now. If you like the MCU, then certainly give this a go. If nothing else, you'll probably enjoy the action. And if I were to rate it, I'd give it a 6.8/10.

Dune is a world that has been on my radar for years now but I never delved deep into it, mostly because I wanted to read the book first whenever that time comes. When Denis Villeneuve, one of my favourite contemporary directors, took the reigns of a new adaptation of it, and it finally got released recently, I knew it was time. The sci-fi story, without going into details and spoiler territory, is set in a possible future many 1000s of years from now and is centred around House Atreides, one of several great houses and the son of the duke, as they are tasked by the emperor to take charge of the desert planet Arrakis, where a crucial and rare mineral is extracted, in place of another house. Things don't go as planned when they get there.

This is one of those rare occasions where I have read the source material and I was ecstatic to check out this film to see how that world is brought to the screen with the help of modern technology. To no surprise for me knowing Denis' previous filmography, the film is an audiovisual treat. I do hate the fact that I didn't have the luxury to check this out in cinemas, let alone IMAX. Still, watching it at home on my average Home Theater, I was enthralled by how the universe created by Frank Herbert was brought onto the screen in a sublime seamless fashion. Whether it is shots of landscapes, cityscapes, planets, massive futuristic vehicles, the sandworms, indoor spaces, all of it looked wonderful with top-notch CGI. The imagination at display from the source material was awe-inspiring and the love for it was shown in taking the time to let the visuals breathe instead of haphazardly throwing in stuff and rushing to the finish line. The word EPIC does get thrown around a lot but this is one of the few occasions where it aptly fits and then some.

Accompanying the visuals are the top-tier sound effects that can give you an eargasm and a fittingly strong score by Hans Zimmer. Sure, you do get the usual BUWAAAMS but on a whole, I enjoyed the uniqueness/freshness of Zimmer on this one from his norm. Kinda liked how it felt for Interstellar, although not as amazing.

There are a lot of characters and the casting for many of them was really good. I loved Oscar Isaac as Duke Leto, he fits that persona so well and I so wish there was more of him. Rebecca Furgeson as Lady Jessica was awesome and had one of the best performances in the film. Stellan Skarsgard as the Baron Harkonnen was a stroke of genius, so imposing and effective with the accompanying visuals. Havier Bardem as Stilgar was friggin amazing and I can't wait to see more of him in Part Two. Timothee Chalamet as the protagonist Paul Atreides was another strong one although when compared to veteran actors, he did stumble here and there but also had some GREAT moments. Plenty of well-casted actors for characters from the book.

Unfortunately, even with the 2 and a half hour runtime, characterization was weak. So many characters didn't have enough screentime to be fleshed out properly and some got completely shafted, for example, Piter de Vries. Some story beats also suffered. Still, some of the writing was commendable that even with a lot of material to adapt, most of it went through quite well even if I was wishing they made the movie a full 3 hours long. The omissions made and sacrifices for the dialogue wouldn't have been an issue then.

Now, it is not apparent from the promotional material but this is Part One of the experience that roughly covers 55% of the book, so keep that in mind as the film just sorta ends without any satisfying conclusion. I'm so glad that Part Two has been announced, so now we wait for that... it's gonna be excruciating.

Overall, despite some issues, I loved it. It's a faithful adaptation from someone who genuinely cared for it. A grand-scale epic serious sci-fi adventure that you don't really get anymore. It's probably the best audiovisual treat I've gotten since Denis Villeneuve's last sci-fi outing i.e Blade Runner 2049 (absolutely love that film). Just goes to show how modern visual effects can be implemented in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing. Whether you've read the book or are new to this world, I'd highly recommend checking it out. And if I were to rate it, I'd give it an 8/10.

Finch (2021) is an Apple TV+ film starring Tom Hanks as the titular character, a couple of robots, and a dog. Set on a post-apocalyptic Earth, it is about Finch and his companions trying to survive while they set on a journey for a better location. I legitimately decided to watch it just because I saw a solo Tom Hanks with a Robot and a dog on the poster, thinking at worst it will be a middling watch. It turned out to be a heartwarming and somewhat original experience and I'm glad I made that jump.

Tom Hanks, to no surprise, delivers a poignant performance as an old survivor in a desolate landscape desperate to find some way of safeguarding his only biological companion, particularly in his absence, a doggo named Goodyear played wonderfully by Seamus. He is also accompanied by a four-wheeled helping hand robot Dewey, and the best part of the film, Jeff, the humanoid bot with true artificial intelligence voice nicely by Caleb Landry Jones. Together, you set out on a journey with them that'll give make you laugh and give you the FEELS!

Apart from the group, the thing I loved about this movie is that it sets itself apart from other films by focusing solely on the group and does not dive into what you'd normally expect from a post-apocalyptic setting. The meat of the experience is from small subtle things instead of having big thrilling set pieces or the typical Human conflicts. Seeing Jeff learning what it means to be Human from Finch and Goodyear in his newfound conscience had me smiling most of the film. I do wish the movie delve deeper into those Human elements and themes but I'm still satisfied with what I got.

Directed by Miguel Sapochnik, who directed some of my favourite episodes from Game of Thrones, the movie is competently made. It can be a looker at times. Written by a duo of newbies when it comes to feature-length films, Craig Luck and Ivor Powell, I admired their venture into doing something different with a setting that could have been by the numbers story. Also, while understated, the musical score by Gustavo Santaolalla added a layer of poignancy to the entire experience, especially in key scenes.

Now, it is almost 2 hours long, you hardly get any detours and instead just simmer in the experience, so the entire thing is slow-paced, which I can understand can be a turn off for a lot of people but for me, it just worked. I was enthralled by it and was enjoying the characters and their journey. So if you get bored by slow-paced stuff easily, I wouldn't recommend it. Otherwise, I'd suggest giving it a try, the movie might surprise you. You leave it feeling content. A slice of life experience in a post-apocalyptic world. Something original or different, at least for me. And if I were to rate it, I'd give it a solid 8/10.

"Some things in life are bad They can really make you mad Other things just make you swear and curse When you're chewing on life's gristle Don't grumble, give a whistle And this'll help things turn out for the best And Always look on the bright side of life Always look on the light side of life"

Monty Python and The Holy Grail was a blast to watch in all its low-budget absurd hilarity and I was in the mood for something similar so I decided to give their subsequent outing a shot and it turned out to be another hysterical watch of Biblical proportions.

Monty Python's Life of Brian is about, well, the life of Brian. A fella born around the same night as Jesus where The Three Wise Men mistakenly enter his abode and thus start a whole series of events that will eventually make Brian the Messiah, much to his dismay.

Set in Jerusalem under Roman rule, the movie pokes fun at whatever it can find in that setting in the usual Monty Python fashion and Religion is at the centre of it. Whether it's religious fanatics, mob mentality, self-proclaimed prophets, living under foreign rule, rebellious groups, politics, etc it's all thrown into a pot with a layer of cleverness, a dab of absurdness, and a thick dose of exaggerated comedic chops, resulting in a non-stop hilarious romp that will have you in stitches.

One of my favourite scenes was the entire Biggus Dickus bit. You just turn into one of the soldiers who just can't hold it in. And of course, the wonderful closing of the film via the song "Always look on the bright side of life" being sung by the Crucifixion party... how can one not love it. Wonderful performances by the entire cast.

If you can have an open mind and are not someone who gets easily offended, especially if you're the religious type, and have not watched this movie yet, I'd highly recommend it. It will certainly lighten up your day/night and your life a tad bit henceforth. Hard for me to say whether I enjoy this one more or The Holy Grail without having rewatched either of them so for now, they are equal in my eyes. And if I were to rate it, I'd give it a solid 8/10.

The Spine of Night is an adult animated fantasy film and is a tale about a mysterious force, its influence over the ages and the ones who opposed it. Created in rotoscope style animation harkening back to classics such as The Lord of The Rings animated feature, I was both intrigued because of experiencing something different and worried because of the style of animation it is using as I'm not a fan but as it turns out, I don't mind it and got used to it fairly early on as the story and the world sank its teeth into me.

At about only 90 mins long, there is a lot in the plot in terms of thematical material whether its spirituality, Gods, the infinite spiral of existence, Death, cycles of humanity, the pursuit of knowledge and the ego and pride that can arise, and such that can make you ruminate all seamlessly embued into the story that is being told by a shaman/witch/sorcerer and in an entertaining fashion. It also felt fresh, something original amongst the sea of sameness and is what made me love this film.

Since it is an adult animated feature, it doesn't shy away from nudity and violence/gore, especially the latter of which there is an abundance, all well animated and gives a proper kick to the dark fantasy nature of the experience. Speaking of animation, the environment and objects were actually rendered beautifully and even though the character design and movement isn't something I'd considered attractive, it works and has its own fluid charm to it that comes with rotoscope animation.

The film boasts a talented voice acting cast although I certainly did not realize any one of them whether it's Lucy Lawless or Patton Oswalt or Richard E. Grant etc during watching it. It's not amazing but it is apt for the tone and style of the film and does its job i.e it's still good.

I'd wish it was slightly longer and delve a bit deeper into its characters since you hardly connect to most of them strongly as there isn't enough screentime for the majority, but still, overall, it was a great watch. Phillip Gelatt and Morgan Galen King along with the entire team did a wonderful job with this and I'd highly recommend it provided you're fine with the animation style and the adult nature of it. And if i were to rate it, I'd give it an 8/10.

I've been hearing about this anime for a while now so I finally decided to give it a watch. Turns out, there is validity to the hype. It's a blast to watch. Jujutsu Kaisen is a Shonen anime in a world where negative or cursed energy from Humans can manifest into beings or curses which then terrorize. Most people can't control it but those who can are known as Jujutsu Sorcerers. The story follows an unnaturally fit High School student who gets wrapped up in this world after a fateful encounter.

The world presented here is intriguing. I was hooked from the start and was on board to know more about the world and the characters that inhabit it. It's a Shonen anime so you definitely get the usual tropes but it's the execution of them where it sets itself apart to a degree where you get this layer of freshness that you might not have gotten if it just did everything by the book through and through.

There are plenty of characters in the 24 episodes that are available at the time of writing and most of them are likeable and interesting. My favourite character so far is Goji, his charisma and powers alongside his view of the world and being a teacher made me love him. The protagonist, and his trio as well as other students all have something going for them where you get attached to them. Even those who might come off as one dimensional and unlikeable have more than what meets the eye and as the episodes go on, you start enjoying them and the best example of that is Aoi Todo. I didn't like him when he initially appeared but boy did the anime turn that around when you get to know more of him.

The anime is extremely well-paced with pretty much every episode having something interesting going on with many being jam-packed. There is a TON of action and what makes it great is that the variety of action sequences and the powers displayed by the characters are plentiful keeping things from going stale throughout. Of course, it wouldn't be nearly as entertaining if it weren't for MAPPA and them putting in the hard work to animate it all beautifully. The action sequences can be sublime and because of the sheer number of them, I have to tip my hat off to the animators. It sounds good too with some great OST tracks that hype things up well.

I was not expecting Jujutsu Kaisen to be this hilarious, though. It has serious stuff in it but it also has a ton of comedy mixed in with the entire structure and a lot of it is pretty good. Some of it had me in tears.

Overall, I had a great time watching the 24 episodes that are out now and am looking forward to watching the movie and more seasons. It's highly entertaining and if you like Shonen type animes and want to watch a recent one that is a complete package while also feeling fresh, I'd highly recommend this. Give it a try even if you don't like the genre but the premise intrigues you. And if I were to rate it, I'd give it an 8.5/10.

The Medium is a Thailand Horror movie taking place in the Isan region of the country and is centred around Shamanism and a family who is going through a possession ordeal. Didn't know anything other than that it is produced and co-written by Na Hong-Jin, a South Korean creative who wrote and directed two great films i.e The Chaser, and The Wailing, the latter of which if you've seen would give you an instant hype boost if one is looking for Horror as it's one of the best Horror films I've seen in recent memory. And thankfully, this movie turned out to be a great fear-inducing creepfest watch.

Shot in a found-footage documentary style, the director Banjong Pisanthanakun used that style to its full effect, for the most part, drenching you in the locale and the mythology of shamans, which in it itself was engrossing and kept me hooked from the start and was also necessary since it is a slow burn horror. That style, though, did act as a double-edged sword sometimes as you did have to suspend your disbelief a bit more than usual and also the fact that sometimes the characters would just make questionable or stupid decisions while the filming crew is there with them, but nothing too damning or ruinous.

Of course, this movie wouldn't have nearly as much draw and effectiveness if it weren't for its wonderful Thai cast where pretty much everyone gave a good-great performance. Legitimately felt like you're just diving in to their lives and watching them go through this nightmare. Special nod to Narilya Gulmongkolpech who plays Mink, one of the leads who they suspect is possessed. It's her first feature-length film role (from what I can tell) and she was absolutely fantastic and is going places.

Now, the movie isn't wholly original when it comes to presenting you the Horror aspects as you'll definitely find cliches and tropes associated with this style of filmmaking but it didn't need to be either as the execution alongside a complete change of the area from usual horror films was enough for full immersion. It also hardly relies on jump scares but instead uses its slow-burn horror and local culture/mythology to slowly sear the experience into your skull. I can think of only one cheap jump scare which I knew was coming and it still got me.

Easily one of the best Horror movies of the year and the best found-footage style ones I've seen in recent times. The final 30-minutes or so were just... DAMN! Highly recommended. Just know that, as mentioned above, it is a slow burn, so the pacing isn't fast for a good chunk of the movie but it is of the good kind, the type where tension and intrigue are slowly wound up to a high degree and then is given a proper release in the climax. And if I were to rate it, I'd give it a solid 8/10.

Reminiscence (2021) is a sci-fi noir thriller and is a directorial feature film debut of Lisa Joy, the co-creator of Westworld alongside her husband Jonathan Nolan. She also directed one of my favourite episodes from Season 2. It is set in a not-so-distant future Miami where the world has been subject to rising sea levels wreaking havoc. Memory tech is a craze where one can relive their cherished moments from the past and Hugh Jackman's character is running a business of it alongside his friend played by Thandiwe Newton. Things go awry when a customer, played by Rebecca Furgeson, goes missing and Hugh's character takes it upon himself to find her. I was curious to check this out and sadly it was disappointing.

The movie is competently made for the most part i.e the sets, the production design, the CGI, sound effects and music, the pacing, the cinematography, the acting, are all executed well enough that you get the feeling of a proper good looking and sounding movie. It's in the writing and story department where it falters and drags the entire experience down from being a good or even great one to a middling one at best.

The movie mixes in different ideas and concepts, none of them new, and while on their own they are cool, when blended together with the story you get, it doesn't work nearly as well as there is a lack of energy and urgency that you don't really get throughout. You are experiencing the story play out and it's kinda OK but it never goes beyond that.

There is superficial depth to the themes and ideas where the movie thinks it is being deep and poignant but you don't really get that feeling. It's just sorta there. Not to mention the fact that the entire plot hinges on a romance that was hardly developed so you don't get that connection which should hook you.

Take out the competency in other elements and high profile actors and this would be bad but since those things are present, it goes up a few notches, so props to Lisa Joy for that at least and hopefully her next outing will be better. Rebecca Furgeson's beauty alone kinda pushes it one point above for me not gonna lie, it is what it is. Simply put, it was just OK. Disappointed cause it could have been a lot more. Maybe if Jonathan Nolan was helping with the script, that would have been the case, who knows. Not recommended but hey, if you are curious, give it a shot. And if I were to rate it, I'd give it a 6/10.