Movie Review: London Has Fallen (2016)

Movie Title:  London Has Fallen

Release Date: 4 March 2016

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

Director: Babak Najafi

Stars: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman 

IMDB Rating: 6.5

Storyline:

In London for the Prime Minister's funeral, Mike Banning discovers a plot to assassinate all the attending world leaders.

My Rating: 6.5/10

My Review: No US Presidents in history has been this unluncky!

If I was the President of the Murrica, after the events of this movie, I would resign on my own will. After the success of Olympus Has Fallen, the production company must have thought "Hey, they did 3 Taken movies with Liam Neeson. Why not another Olympus Has Fallen? But this time with more Presidents!"

This film is indeed a repetition of the first movie. I have to admit that the movie has really good action sequences and the dialogue funny at times. But the overall mold of the movie is similar as Olympus has fallen. A president, CHECK. A bodyguard, CHECK. A mole, CHECK. Now that's what I call easy cash in.

The movie is rated 18SG but I don't understand why. It is your basic everyday action movie. I don't know how a few F-bombs and bullet wounds gets it rated 18SG. This is a movie that everyone might just want to skip and hope a third installments never happens! (Yes I'm referring to the resignation letter scene!)

Movie Review: The Finest Hours (2016)

Movie Title: The Finest Hours

Release Date: 29 January 2016

Genre: Action, Drama, History

Director: Craig Gillespie

Stars: Chris Pine, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster 

IMDB Rating: 7.1

Storyline:

The Coast Guard makes a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod after a pair of oil tankers are destroyed during a blizzard in 1952.

My Rating: 7.3/10

My Review: The ocean is a scary place!

It is surprising that this is a Disney movie. The movie is based on a true story of the rescue mission of two oil tankers that was destroyed at sea during a very bad blizzard in the 1952. The movie has a very slow beginning as it introduces the characters before any of the action starts.

The storyline is very emotional and the action was nerve wrecking. It reminds you of how small and powerless we are compared to the vast ocean. The story focuses on two stories, the ship crews and the coast guards. The movie shows the dedication of the coast guards to rescue the victims of the tankers and the perseverance of the tanker crews to buy time for the rescue to arrive.

The movie has very few experienced actors but still provide the a powerful emotional roller coaster. This movie definitely honors the coast guards involved in the actual rescue mission in 1952. This movie will remind everyone how much sacrifice our fellow soldiers and public servants gives to ensure we get to live a better tomorrow

The movie may not be the most awaited movie of the year, but it is a good movie nonetheless. I suggest those with cash to spare and are bored to go and watch this movie.

Movie Review: Deadpool (2016)

Movie Title: Deadpool

Release Date: 11 February 2016

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Director: Tim Miller

Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J Miller 

IMDB Rating: 8.8

Storyline:

A former Special Forces operative turned mercenary is subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopting the alter ego Deadpool.

My Rating: 8.5/10

My Review: Chimi-Fucking-Changa!!!

This is one of the most awaited movie of the year. This is 20th Century Fox's attempt to fix that FUCKED UP Deadpool from X-Men Origins: Wolverine and what a success!!! Ryan Reynolds reprising his role as the rebooted Deadpool with great success similarly to how RDJ is Tony Stark. I can't think of a better cast for Deadpool after watching this movie.

However, the movie does lack in depth in terms of storyline as it is too simple and focuses on the origin story of how Wade Wilson becomes Deadpool. But the movie compensates with ridiculous and hilarious jokes and humour that only the Merc with a Mouth can pull it off. A word of advice when coming to watch this movie, don't be late.... The first few minutes was fucking hilarious!

The movie also made the connection between Deadpool and the X-Men Universe with the appearance of Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead trying to recruit Deadpool for the X-Men. We can expect more X-Men-Deadpool crossover in the future. MCU will need to compete with the X-Men Cinematic Universe.

I can say that Deadpool's breaking the 4th wall makes this movie different than any other superhero movies. The amount of action in the movie is satisfiying (I'm looking at you Fantastic Four reboot!). You can expect Mr Stan Lee to have a sick cameo in this movie! Overall, this movie exceeds my expectation for a Marvel movie from 20th Century Fox. Every adults must go and watch this movie!

Another advice out there to the parents, please don't complain about the sexual, profanity and violence in the movies being unsuitable for childrens. The movie is rated 18SX/SG for fucks sake!!! Do not take the fun away from others just because you got butthurt.

P/S: Wait for the post-credits...

Have a dirty gore fun people! CHIMI-FUCKING-CHANGAS!!!!

Movie Review: Ola Bola (2016)

Movie Title: Ola Bola

Release Date: 28 January 2016

Genre: Sports

Director: Chiu Keng Guan

Stars: JC Chee, Luqman Hafidz, Saran Kumar Manokaran, Bront Palarae

IMDB Rating: N/A

Storyline:

Ola Bola tells the tale of the golden age of Malaysian football when the Malaysian national football team qualifies for the Olympic Moscow 1980.

My Rating: 8.0/10

My Review: (No spoilers in this review, I think you guys need to see it for yourself!)

I was very excited for this movie and hopeful for this movie. Just based on the trailer, I saw that this movie has the potential to become the Malaysian Movie of the Year. Inspired  by the events of qualification of the Malaysian National Football Team the Moscow Olympics 1980, the movie captures well the cultural diversity and the patriotism of Malaysia as a multi-racial country. The movie portrays the hardships of Malaysians in the 80s, the difficulties of footballers to juggle their life as footballers and as a family member.

The movie started with a very broken Malaysian team which was later united under the management of the new coach through intensive training and restructuring of the team. The plot focus on values of teamwork, patriotism and perseverance, something every person should strive for. Moments in the movie does make me feel a sense of pride in being a Malaysian and knowing we as Malaysian are capable of great things. I admit to almost tearing up in some moments of the movie. 

The movie has a very diverse atmosphere by using different languages in different scenes instead of maintaining a 100% Malay dialogue. This shows the natural behavior and diversity of cultures in Malaysia. The director managed to capture the audience with good laughs and strong storyline keeping the movie very interesting.  The choreography of the football matches is well done. The use of CGI was also very convincing. I am impressed with the casting choices with so many new faces and convincing acting.

My final verdict, this movie is a must watch movie with a very strong script and acting with good technical film making. I recommend everyone to watch this movie. A job well done and thank you, Chiu, for making such a good movie. It is good to have this type of movie in the Malaysian film industries which is always saturated with repetitive romance and comedy movies.

As the movie tagline says "You will believe again", I BELIEVE!

Movie Review: The Boy (2016)

Movie Title: The Boy

Release Date: 22 January 2016

Genre: Horror, Thriller

Director: William Brent Bell

Stars: Lauren Cohen, Rupert Evans, James Russell

IMDB Rating: 6.6/10

Storyline:

Greta is a young American woman who takes a job as a nanny in a remote English village, only to discover that the family's 8-year-old is a life-sized doll that the parents care for just like a real boy, as a way to cope with the death of their actual son 20 years prior. After violating a list of strict rules, a series of disturbing and inexplicable events bring Greta's worst nightmare to life, leading her to believe that the doll is actually alive.

Written by STX Entertainment taken from IMDB

My Rating: 6.8/10

My Review: (WARNING! SPOILERS)

The reason I actually wanted to watch this movie is because it has two things: Lauren Cohen (Yes, I'm a Walking Dead fan) and a possibly haunted doll. I have seen at least two other horror movies which involves dolls, Dead Silence and Annabelle. I would put this movie somewhere in between with Dead Silence as my favourite.

The starting of the movie sees Greta Evans (Lauren Cohen), an American women offered a babysitting job by a rich family in a British countryside to get away from her problems. Greta was introduce to Brahms, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Heelshire who are going for a vacation. Everything was normal except that Brahms is a doll. She was to follow a certain set of rules given by the Heelhires but being a typical American, thinks it is a pointless and foolish thing to babysit a doll. Most Asians would probably have run off at first sight. So she just gets paid every week by the Heelshire for doing nothing.

The movie has a mysterious mood to it instead of the overused jump scares James Wan usually opt with. The movie uses the standard 'moving inanimate objects around when you're not looking' formula. The movie actually make us think that Greta actually going mad when finally she ends up following the rules. No more disturbances occurred except that Brahms is a brat who does not know how to stay still.

Apparently, Greta was only playing along to actually scientifically (drawing lines around the doll) proving the doll actually moves. SCIENCE! She proven it to the grocery boy, Malcolm (Rupert Evans) that she is not going crazy. The best part is, the grocery boy did not freak out but instead was OK with the idea about babysitting a supposedly dead boy in a doll. Must be Greta's 'personality'. Then Greta's problem came to take her home and decided to die instead. Brahms is a jealous kid.

All I can say is that the movie did not dwell too deep in either scares or mystery that you don't actually know why this movie categorized as a horror, thriller. The movie is basically saved by the acting of Lauren Cohen along with a resting b***h face of Brahms the Doll. However, the only points I give to this movie is the awesome twist at the end which ripped my belief in ghosts and of how big a house is actually is! This film taught me to NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER.

My final verdict is everyone should go and watch this movie if you have extra cents to spare and if you are fans of haunted dolls like I am or if you are a fan of Lauren Cohen. My sister, Aifaa was the only one to scream in the entire cinema. (-.-)