Joker (2019) – Personal Movie Review

Still can’t move on! I can’t stress enough how good and satisfying the Joker movie is!!!

It feels like a movie not based on a DC character but an original suspense thriller movie!

Joaquin Phoenix is phenomenal here. His determination, dedication and commitment to his character are impressive enough but his performance is so convincing that he deserves an Oscar for his portrayal. He is at par or a bit better than Heath’s version but both are very good at being Joker. The first scene (GIF below) alone can snatch him an Oscar.

The cinematography is well shot, you can feel the bustling Gotham in the 80’s. The score is hauntingly beautiful yet suspenseful to make you feel the darkness of the tone, the editing is perfectly interwoven and the character development is well executed. I love how some storylines of Bruce Wayne are patched into the movie.

I bet this movie will earn them several Academy Awards nominations for Actor, Cinematography, Score, Editing, Adapted Screenplay and Film itself.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Do You?

By: Marc Christian Ramones
Composed: 30 July 2019

Do you know what makes you happy?
Did you think it through
I know it’s been elusive
Because in my life, I’m looking for it too.

You’ve been searching at the wrong place
Drowning yourself on where to start
You think you know the answers you seek
Yet still feel that empty space in your heart

It is a struggle to appease with your mind
When reality and fantasy can barely be defined
You pretend to be a character in a movie scene
Just to escape the wicked world you are in

You can try one thing that defines it all
To be happy but make your loved ones cry
Or do what some people are doing
Make them happy but your happiness sacrificed

Avengers: Infinity War (2018) – Personal Non-Spoiler Review

I have been dreaming about this film for 10 years. I remembered, after watching the first MCU movie through Iron Man, about the spectacle of this universe and that I waited for like a lifetime for this penultimate movie against Thanos… and it did not disappoint! I have high expectations about this film and it delivered however, though normal, the movie is not perfect (I have some issues to write about below) but the amount of effort to bring this to fruition is praised. The movie itself is a rollercoaster of emotions and has jaw-dropping and out of this world (no pun intended) moments. I felt like a kid inside the cinema and the entire movie had me with lots of Wooow! and Oooh! and Noooh! and Yeeees!

It is worth noting that the amount of exposure and screen time are equally given to the stellar, A-List cast and without a question gave justice to the character. I like that the plot and story arc don’t revolve around the Avengers any more with their personal conflicts and issues but gave chance to understand both Thanos’ authoritative and vulnerable side and because of this, I personally like Thanos as one of the best villains in the MCU. The movie also shed some light to questions about the Infinity Stones and previous MCU characters. I like the upgraded suits of Iron Man and Iron Spider though.

The cinematography is very good however, there are scenes that felt very unreal that I had to cringe watching. The CGI is nearly perfect especially Thanos’ motion capture effects however a bit worried about the fact the Avengers are able to breathe normally in outer space. The score though is perfectly interwoven to the movie which gave life to the each scenes especially those surprisingly thrilling moments.

I have some issues firstly with the pacing is somewhat the same impact for me as with ‘Age of Ultron’ where there are dead and slow pacing scenes which can be avoided even though this is a scene of character development, it has stopped the momentum of a perfect fast-pacing flick. Secondly, I believe humor is always a signature of the MCU films but there are comedic scenes on the film that is out of place. I mean don’t worry, the humor is mostly on point but you don’t have to put humor in every scene especially during action scenes! Lastly, I written above about cast giving justice to the character but a lousy script didn’t allow some of the characters to use their full potential and skills on the film… case in point Drax!

All in all, I find the movie worthy of your money to spend watching in theatres because it is visually entertaining, nostalgic and fun. It has all the ingredients you will find for a comic book movie.

I will give 4.5 out of 5 stars for Avengers: Infinity War

La La Land (2017) – Personal Movie Review

My first blog of 2017.

“The story of Mia, an aspiring actress, and Sebastian, a dedicated jazz musician, struggling to make ends meet while pursuing their dreams in a city known for destroying hopes and breaking hearts. With modern day Los Angeles as the backdrop, this musical about everyday life explores what is more important: a once-in-a-lifetime love or the spotlight.”

The movie is perfection. From the casting to the scoring, cinematography, choreography and editing. La La Land is so reminiscent to 70’s musical movie genre however refreshing to watch as this genre, like Jazz as they say in the movie, is almost something of the past. The movie is very engaging and it draws you closer to each characters like you don’t want to let go of them. There is something in this flick that really wants to get more out of the story. 

Emma & Ryan exude chemistry and it was evident on how they affected me throughout the film. 

This inspires to hope for your dream and teaches me that it is never too late to chase it, embrace it and grab it. It also brings out a lot of emotions from happiness, melancholy, hopefulness, nostalgia, longing and heartbreak. I really feel these to the core.

In short, I just fell in love with the movie!

5 stars out of 5

Doctor Strange (2016) – Personal Movie Review

Doctor Strange for me is one of the best Marvel movies. The story line and character development are on point matching with a risky yet impressive CGI… the one that can really blow your mind. Same with Guardians of the Galaxy, the movie breathes fresh air from Marvel sequels and mash ups. Cinematography is carefully done intertwined with commendable scoring and editing/sequences. The flow of the story is fast-paced and the humour is definitely a buy for me! I love how this origin story is engaging, interesting and it really draws you into the film. Easter eggs are all over the place from Avengers reference to Stan Lee cameo. It is also safe to say that Benedict Cumberbatch is to Doctor Strange as what RDJ to Iron Man… a perfect fit to the titular character. The rest of the cast gave solid and relatable performances as well.

The movie really opened a lot of doors to possibility of a much complex plot leading to Infinity Wars and Doctor Strange will (he is already confirmed for the movie) be a great addition to Avengers lineup. I also love how the movie delves into a deeper conquest of multiversal & other dimensional understanding so that it will help moviegoers (not the real comic book fanatics) get a hold of the future storyline of the MCU. It is just a bit sad that the ending isn’t what I hoped for in terms of pure action scenes but I am satisfied in general.

By the way, the new OBB of Marvel Studios during intro sends me chills and goosebumps. A really good upgrade!

Stay tuned for 2 (mid and post) credit scenes.

Rating it 4 out of 5 stars.

Inferno (2016) – Personal Movie Review

Famous symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) follows a trail of clues tied to Dante, the great medieval poet. When Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones), a doctor he hopes will help him recover his memories. Together, they race across Europe and against the clock to stop a madman (Ben Foster) from unleashing a virus that could wipe out half of the world’s population. (C) Wikipedia
Inferno is an adaptation based on Dan Brown’s fourth novel about Robert Langdon and it was somehow disappointing to note it didn’t live up to my expectations. Since I haven’t read the book, I will rate it solely based on what I saw with a 2.5 stars out of 5. 

I felt that the movie hasn’t sustained the momentum and fast pacing it built during its first few minutes. Most of the time, it has becoming too dragging and slow due to character and story development but it is understanding. The editing, cinematography and scoring are commendable and really good. It made you feel engaged with the characters.

However, I feel that from the 3 movies, this film isn’t an upgrade from its predecessor. For me, Angels and Demons has more effective thrilling and suspenseful scenes that really take your breath away compared to Inferno.

Watch: The Black Eyed Peas ft. The World #WheresTheLove MV

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Goosebumps… like literally! Though the music video may seem very simple but it conveys a very strong message about today’s bloody & violent situation and the impact is very evident for me. It is tastefully done, timely & relevant and I am happy seeing BEP in one frame again. 

This is their next ‘We Are The World’ & ‘What’s Going On’.

Here is the music video.

#WheresTheLove #TheBlackEyedPeas #BEP

Suicide Squad (2016) – Personal Movie Review

Figuring they’re all expendable, a U.S. intelligence officer decides to assemble a team of dangerous, incarcerated supervillains for a top-secret mission. Now armed with government weapons, Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Captain Boomerang, Killer Croc and other despicable inmates must learn to work together. Dubbed Task Force X, the criminals unite to battle a mysterious and powerful entity, while the diabolical Joker (Jared Leto) launches an evil agenda of his own. (c) Wikipedia

I had big hopes and expectations for this movie, not because of the characters I grew up watching and the nostalgia it brought but the thought that this movie could have helped vindicate and save DC from the mess they made with Batman V Superman… but those expectations went down the drain. I will rate this movie 2.5 out of 5 stars for several reasons.

The film really is a gold mine and an opportunity for future franchise given the brand itself… DC and if only the plot was well crafted. Like BvS, the plot is too scattered and messy with a disorganized editing of each scenes. There is less story development and the pacing is a roller coaster ride of being fast and slow. I often juggle on how engaging the movie is and how boring most scenes can be. It is so frustrating to see because the potential is there and the chemistry of the characters & actors playing it are there. You can really feel they are having fun but because of the poor story line, it went into another direction. The saving grace is that there are more lighter (no pun intended to Diablo) and funnier scenes which makes the movie less darker.

Speaking of characters, it is good to see though that in spite of the flick’s less character development, at least, each characters were given moments to showcase their abilities but it is obvious that more time was given to Will Smith and Margot Robbie since they are the bigger stars and somehow holding the movie from collapsing. Contrary to what I read about Jared Leto’s performance and take on the role of Joker in some articles , I think he did a great job portraying the character which is really different from what Heath Ledger did. The difference only is that the former isn’t really the main focus of this movie and his screen time isn’t enough to warrant his being maniac and lunatic. But I feel his madness and his performance is credible. Batman or Bruce Wayne’s screen time too is sufficient for the story arc. Spoiler though, please wait for the mid-credit scene to really understand why DC and Warner show the Justice League teaser.

I would like to point out the action sequences are a bit chaotic. They could have made some choreography into it to make it cleaner. Also, I really felt the visual effects and CGI used are really too much that it almost went like you are watching the 90’s Ghostbusters movie. and the choice of villain does not fit the movie at all. They could have used a more human approach for their villain to really utilise each characters’ skill sets.

With regard to the soundtrack and song choices, I don’t mind having different songs to introduce each characters but sometimes, it cheapens the scenes or story as though they are more concerned about what song to use for a particular scene rather than focusing on how to pull off and connect the story.

Well, I am positive there will be a sequel to this soon-to-be-cult movie or a spin off but it would be better if DC makes it right with an engaging story line.

Photo credits to Warner Bros. and DC

Watch: Justice League Comic Con Trailer

​After the trailer was shown during DC panel on Comic Con 2016, Zack Snyder just dropped the trailer for all of us to feart and it was effin insane!! 

Here is the trailer fresh from Comic Con:

Warcraft (2016) – Personal Movie Review

Looking to escape from his dying world, the orc shaman Gul’dan utilizes dark magic to open a portal to the human realm of Azeroth. Supported by the fierce fighter Blackhand, Gul’dan organizes the orc clans into a conquering army called the Horde. Uniting to protect Azeroth from these hulking invaders are King Llane, the mighty warrior Anduin Lothar (Travis Fimmel) and the powerful wizard Medivh. As the two races collide, leaders from each side start to question if war is the only answer. (c)

Having seen the first trailer for this movie months back, my anticipation is very high and have been expecting a good adaptation from its computer game. I was really excited with this movie considering they dubbed this as The One which might save the computer-game-turned-movie genre and boy! I was disappointed to the highest level.

The flick is a missed opportunity to be a great movie franchise. Firstly,  the heavily-laden CGI isn’t realistic enough to entice me to be in awe. I felt like watching an RPG/video game intro and some frames are taken straight from the video game itself like battle scenes. They could have exerted more efforts of erasing the feel that they are taking scenes inside a big studio and  made more practical effects in terms of the characters like the orcs & dwarfs.

The story & characters aren’t developed well  and the pacing isn’t consistent which made some scenes boring & disengaging. The humor is far too disconnected to the story line and the delivery of it is too trying hard.

I will make this review short and give this movie 1.5 out of 5 stars for being a mess of a movie. They could have polished the visual effects & made it with a darker tone as the story line and mythology are really rich. The potential for this film to follow the LOTR direction is there, they just wasted that moment.