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Booksmart (2019)
Hilarious yet solemn
I think the funny scenes are well contrasted by the sadness in the entire story. Two girls who spend their high school life working hard yet not getting the reward they deserve, fully encapsulating the concept of work smart not work hard. The story is also about growing up and though the movie didn't cover this, but as someone who has gone through high school, I fully understand how this seemingly tight relationship between the best friends will inevitably come to past as time passes and college approaches. The story is as much about cherishing the relationship we have in that moment since everyone will ultimately grow apart with time, distance and life. Making all the hilarious and fun moments the two best friends have experienced together the more valuable and sad.
Aladdin (2019)
Stunning
I watched it in IMAX and it is absolutely stunning. The visuals are so beautiful and the singing is good too. I especially love the new song speechless!
Would have given it a 10 but I do feel that for the high notes in Speechless, Naomi's voice sounds a little weak, only a teeny bit but enough for me to feel like the power isn't quite there.
Five Feet Apart (2019)
A heart-warming love story
I rarely cry during romance genre films as the love story always seems too perfect and not close to real life. However, I find myself crying during this film and I think the difference lie in the fact that this movie centers upon a real illness, making the movie feel much closer to real life and sympathetic. The difficulties faced by the characters and how they confided in one another and bonded over their struggles is an aspect that many can relate to in real life. The defiance the characters faced and wanting to enjoy their lives to the fullest is something everyone has felt at some point in their lives or still feels today. I think this movie makes me more content with my life and more appreciative of the people who have supported me through my ups and downs.
Alita: Battle Angel (2019)
Great visual effects, plot and acting
I did not know this film was actually based on a manga series before going into the film so I'm afraid I might be now committed to a 10-year wait. Still, definitely worth watching! I was very captivated by the trailer right from the start and was very much looking forward to the film and it totally lived up to my expectation! It is very refreshing to see a young woman, an outsider, be the hero of the film. Despite being action-packed, the plot is surprisingly emotional and moving. I think the director was daring enough to slow down the pace of the film by introducing silence and long pauses at intimate and intricate moments, where you can see the characters deep in thought and the bond and relationship between characters develop and mature. The film also does a great job providing depth to each of the characters by showing glimpses of their back stories so you can better appreciate why they are the way that they are and why they make the choices that they make.
Liu lang di qiu (2019)
Beautify visual effects but cliche plot and word choices
I think based on your fluency in Mandarin i.e. how dependent you would be on English subtitles, and whether you have previously watched movies or tv shows from China, your experience can be very different from someone else who has watched this film.
For those who are native Mandarin speakers with no difficulty listening and speaking Mandarin, I assume you might have also watched other Chinese films or TV shows. Personally, I fall into this bucket and I think I am less impressed with the plot of the movie but more with how far China's sci-fi technology has advanced. I think even in China, there are few Chinese sci-fi films that are well-known and a possible restraining factor is sci-fi film technology. However, this film definitely proves otherwise. The visual and special effects are stunning and my only regret is not watching this in IMAX. The overarching plot is novel but definitely offset by various cliche scenes throughout the movie. The choice of words is cheesy and typical of what you would expect Chinese films to have. For example, the sacrifices by the older generation for the protection of the younger generation is a plot I see all the time in Chinese films and tv shows. The catchy 4-letter Chinese sayings that comes up each time the truck is started are also very commonly seen and heard both in China in real life and on Chinese commercials.
For anyone who might be less fluent in Mandarin and who might need to refer to the English subtitles, not surprisingly, I think some of the enjoyment of the film got lost in translation. Using the catchy 4-letter Chinese saying again as an example, I think the rhyme and rhythm of the slogan is lost in translation and the word play and puns are also lost. I won't be surprised if you don't find yourself sharing the same emotions as native Mandarin speakers at certain points in time.
Arctic (2018)
Very focused storyline
Very succinct storytelling that gets the point across with little dialogue. The film really captured the feeling of being in a foreign land, not knowing what to expect next. I feel that I'm kept on the edge of my seat throughout. Though the man appears to always being doing something routine, this routine creates even more anticipation as to what will happen next.
Cold Pursuit (2019)
Well developed characters
The movie explores the theme of loss not only from the perspective of Nels Coxman (Liam Neeson), but also from the perspectives of the villains. While it seems at first that Nels is the character seeking revenge, as the movie develops, we see that multiple parties are seeking revenge, all for the ones they love. The movie opens with the death of Nels' son, giving the audience the impression that the drug dealers are ruthless and heartless animals. However, as the movie dives into the lives of the different people on Viking's team, we see two gay drug dealers caring and loving each other while trying to hide their love from others and the pain of loss as one is killed right in front of the other. We see the other one seeking revenge for his dead lover by betraying Viking to White Bull at the end. We also see the loyalty of Wingman, till his last breath, did not betray his brother. From White Bull's perspective, we also see him seeking revenge for his dead son and his unspoken shared moment with Nels at the end as two old men who had to send off their only sons. Even Viking, who seemed cold-blooded, displayed his affection for his son by preventing his employees from talking about work in front of his son and trying to teach his son to stand up to the bullies in school.
However, I think the plot could be simplified a little given the mass of characters and the multiple plots going on. For example, the whole subplot of the betraying hitman, was unnecessary and did not really serve a purpose in the story telling. Even Wingman himself and his wife were unnecessary additions to the movie. Since there was already a bond going on between the two gay lovers, the bond between the two drug dealers over the hotel housekeeping situation was uncalled for.
Overall, I think the movie is great and all the main characters are well developed.
What Men Want (2019)
Unfunny side characters
I feel that Ali (Taraji P. Henson) and Brandon (Josh Brener) are the only characters in this film that's funny, all the other characters are rather under developed and boring. Being able to hear men's inner thoughts is a pretty novel idea. However, I think the movie did not fully flash out the quirkiness of each character through their inner thoughts. It feels as if the jokes came first and these jokes are forced upon certain characters, making their personalities a jumble of mess. Instead, I feel it would have been funnier if the characters are given distinct personalities first and that the inner thoughts came naturally as a result of the characters' personalities.
The Hangover (2009)
Hilarious film
I watched this film for the first time 2 weeks ago, have since at least watched this film end to end 5 times, have watched certain scenes a good 20 times and learnt Stu's song on the keyboard. So needless to say, I enjoyed this film very much and some might even call it a (slight) obsession. What I love the most are the ridiculous and exaggerated situations that the gang has to overcome. The cast did a fantastic job portraying their roller coaster of emotions as they try to trace their steps and figure out what happened during their wild night. The characters in the movie are well developed, with each having his or her own distinct personality. These personalities are clearly surfaced through the way each character responds both verbally and physically under different situations. The characters' strengths and weaknesses complement one another well and the cast had great chemistry. Overall, this movie is a must-watch!
Vice (2018)
Quirky style
I really enjoyed watching the movie. Though I had little to no knowledge about American politics and the works of any of the political figures shown in the movie, I was still able to understand the movie well and the movie even helped me develop some interest in American politics. The movie is surprisingly lighthearted and gives a do-not-take-me-seriously feel. This is rather ironic given how impactful the decisions and actions of the political figures are. I have not watched a lot of Adam McKay's works, only the Anchorman films. But the way this movie progresses and how the different scenes are cut together actually really reminded me of the Anchorman films. Static images thrown in between moving scenes parallels the one-liners that the Anchorman films are known for. Overall, I highly recommend watching this movie.