Sociable Movie Guy
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A High-Octane Action Film That’s Worth Holding Your Breath ForMany say that humans are destructive in nature. Everything we try to prevent from happening is ironically caused by us (global warming, floods, oil shortage, you name it). What happens if that destructive nature combined with greed? Another war? A future where natural resources are so scarce people would actually kill to get them? I certainly hope those are not the world we’re going to live in. Unfortunately, that’s not the case with the characters in the fourth installment of George Miller and Byron Kennedy’s franchise, ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’. Directed by George Miller, ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ sets in the post-apocalyptic world where humanity has fallen down. In a desert wasteland, Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) is seen being captured by the War Boys, the army of disgusting cult leader Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). One thing leads to another, Max is soon dragged to the battle between Immortan Joe and his Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron). Will he take side? And more importantly, will he survive? The premise is simple, but it is done rightly. I first thought that the film would rely heavily on the all adrenaline-pumping and nonsense action scenes. But I was wrong. It is indeed filled with explosive and outrageous scenes, but there are some emotional weight in the film too. Speaking of action scenes, ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ wastes no time in giving you the heart-stomping moments that will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat. All those gun shots, flames, and crashing cars will make you hold your breath from the very beginning of the movie. There are also flashbacks that will give you a hint to what happened to Max in the previous films. So you don’t have to worry if you haven’t seen the first three movies of the franchise. Acting-wise, I must say that Theron outshines Hardy with such a demanding presence, but that doesn’t mean Hardy is not good as the talk-less-do-more man. Credit also goes to Nicholas Hoult who is almost unrecognizeable as one of the War Boys. Here you will also see the ridiculously pretty Rosie Huntington-Whiteley gets down and dirty (but still looking flawless as ever) as one of Immortan Joe’s wives. The film is filled with excessive amount of eccentric campiness, but it is the well-thought campiness, not just the random one. You can see it everywhere in the film and it is quite apparent in the characters’ names. For example, Huntington-Whiteley’s character is named The Splendid Angahard and there’s even a character with the name Rictus Erectus! It’s tacky but it’s undeniably fun. Another highlight of the film is I like how each character represents a certain aspect in the real world. Max represents survivor, a man living in a cruel world who is hardened and reduced to only focus to one thing: to survive. Furiosa represents hope, a woman with a glimpse of belief that there’s actually a better place to live in the almost uninhabitable world. Immortan Joe represents tyrant, a man who thinks he owns the people just because he owns the scarce resources. All of them, I believe, can be seen in everyday life. Our everyday life. All in all, ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ is a well-made installment of the cult franchise. This also serves as one of this year’s best films. By saying that, I insist you to book your ticket real soon because this one is worth every second of your time. Score: 4/5 Note: I saw it in 3D and there was nothing extraordinary about it, so just see it in the usual format. And please, do not bring kids to see this film. Unless you want your kids to be traumatized by the cruel depiction of the world.
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An Entertaining Blockbuster that Doesn’t Surpass its Predecessor HI THEREEE! I’M BACK! HAVE YOU BEEN MISSING ME? Okay, I’m sorry for the too-excited opening but I really am excited to be able to write you guys my review! And what’s better movie for my comeback than the long-awaited sequel to ‘The Avengers’? Before you continue reading the review, I’d like to apologize in advance if you find this particular review a bit stiff or so because I might get a little rusty after my hiatus. Now let’s dig in! ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ basically tells the story of how the team continues to save the world from the bad guys/aliens/anything that threatens earth’s inhabitants. After ambushing Hydra with the team, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) has the initiative to jump start his dormant program Ultron (James Spader, with attention-grabbing voice), an Artificial Intelligence that aims to keep the world in peace. But then things get awry, it turns out that Ultron has his own definition of keeping the world in peace. Together, the team must once again save the human race from what may cause them their extinction. As the director, Joss Whedon did a good job in bringing and uniting all those characters (including the new ones) which I believe is not an easy task. The technical aspects of the film are top-notch, especially the visual effects. The action sequences are also satisfying, well-thought and well-executed. Story-wise, ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ is slightly darker and deeper than the first one. It’s because we get to know some of the characters more through their background story. Another highlight of the film is the palpable chemistry between Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). Unfortunately, I’m afraid the film fails to give something more to the audience. They indeed expand the story by adding new characters and villains, but there isn’t any moment that is either surprising or heart-stomping. I also find the conflict surrounding Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) and Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) kind of boring. I must admit that expectation comes to play and mine is very high towards this film, but who wouldn’t? So, is this film bad? Nope. Did it exceed my expectation? Sadly not. Is it better than the first one? Not quite sure. All in all, ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’ is an entertaining flick that is still worth watching, though you may consider to lower you expectation if you haven’t seen the film. Score: 3.5/5 Hi guys! How are you doing? Hope you all blessed with health and the opportunity to watch movies anytime you want.
I know it’s been way too long since the last time I posted my review. Unfortunately, it seems like I’m not going to write any reviews in anytime soon. The reason is there are these priorities that demand my focus and energy. I still watch movies (a lot of them), but I just can't find the time to write the reviews. It really saddens me to say this, but I’m going to take a hiatus until further notice. But don’t worry, once I get a grip of the aforementioned priorities, I’ll go jump back to my desk and serve you the reviews you deserve (not that I write my reviews on a literal desk, though. You know, metaphors) Until next time! Your sociable movie guy, Wildan A Stylish and Enthralling Spy Film for the Now Generation I have never really been a fan of espionage films. It is because spy films, to me, are tailored for the older audience. I did see a few of Bond’s films and some of them are really good, but still they never made it to my top list of best films of the year. However, my standpoint is likely about to change with the arrival of ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’. Directed by Matthew Vaughn (‘Kick-Ass’, ‘X-Men: The First Class), ‘Kingsman’ is loosely adapted by him and Jane Goldman from Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons’ comic ‘The Secret Service’. The film tells the story of Harry Hart (Colin Firth), a seasoned agent in an independent and highly confidential organization. He recruits the unlikely but potential kid Eggsy (Taron Egerton) to enroll in the training program to be the next spy. While doing that, he and his team must deal with the rising threat from the eccentric typhoon Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson). ‘Kingsman’ is what happens when you marry Bond’s films with ‘Kick-Ass’, which was also directed by Vaughn. It’s flamboyant, stylish, and also very edgy. The script is smart and I like how Vaughn depicts the action sequences in the film, entertaining and adrenaline-pumping! The film is also successful in balancing its hilarious and intense scenes. Both the production and costume design complement the aforementioned goodness of the film. From the acting point of view, the quality is equally good. Colin Firth gives a good performance as the calm-but-deadly spy agent. Taron Egerton also shines as the kind-hearted rough kid. He has this combination of talent and charismatic presence that will easily make him a must-watch rising star of the year. And what is spy film without villains? As the main enemy, Samuel L. Jackson definitely nails it, portraying arguably the most complicated character of the film with such a charm. His character is radical, violent, and very persuasive. But he also can’t stand blood, even if just a drip of it. How unique is that? Sofia Boutella as his sidekick Gazelle is also a scene-stealer with her tantalizing look and killer metal feet.
All in all, ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’ is as fresh as it is very fun to watch. Just like the title of this review suggests, the film suits very well for younger viewers. This is the perfect example of blockbuster done right. Go save yourself a seat! Score: 4.5/5 A Strong Adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s Brave True StoryLife is full of eye-opening and harsh realities. What will you do if it hits you and knocks you down? Some might say they will go to someone whom they can share the burden with. The others might say they will just suck it up and move on. Whatever the answer is, we all have our own way to deal with our problems in life. So does Cheryl Strayed. Adapted by Nick Hornby for the film, the script is based on Cheryl Strayed’s memoir ‘Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail’. The film centers on Cheryl’s decision to go on a hike, solo, in order to overcome her recent problems. Through flashbacks in the film, we will eventually see the reason why she actually experienced the problems. As the director, Jean-Marc Valee does a good job in capturing the essence of Cheryl Strayed’s adventure. He has this stylishly tender way in directing his films that can be seen in ‘Wild’. Seeing this film also reminds me of his previous work, ‘Dallas Buyers Club’, who won its stars peak achievements in acting. Speaking of that, he is also succeeded in bringing the best out of his two actresses in the film, Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern. The former plays Cheryl Strayed and the latter plays her mom. This brings us to the acting department of the film. As a woman, Cheryl Strayed is flawed and complex. (SPOILER ALERT!). She cheats on her husband and abuses drugs. She is also brave and very affectionate especially towards her mother. In portraying her, Witherspoon gives a very strong and appealing performance. She makes us care about her character, which to me is one of the hardest things to do in acting. My favorite scene of her in the film is (SPOILER ALERT!) when she says goodbye to her husband. The emotion she displays there is just real and honest.
Not only Witherspoon, Dern also shines in ‘Wild’. She gives a heart-warming performance as Cheryl Strayed’s positive-minded mom. Although her part is considerably small compared to Witherspoon’s, it doesn’t mean that it’s not effective. There’s one scene that showcases Dern’s acting chops. It is when she is confronted by her daughter on how she is being so naïve in regards to the difficulties they’re facing. That scene really serves as her Oscar-moment. All in all, ‘Wild’ offers a look at how Cheryl Strayed, just like every single of us as a human being, tries to cope with problems in life. Anchored by fantastic performances from Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern, this film is definitely worth of your time. Score: 4/5 A (Surprisingly) Dark yet Charming Fairy Tale Musical To me, musicals are always fun to watch, whether they are in drama or comedy form. The reason is simple, it is because they usually have songs that go straight to your head and stay there for a couple of days or even weeks. Just about two years ago, one of Disney’s animated film did that. Yes, I’m talking about ‘Frozen’, an award-winning and influential musical animated film. I believe you still can see ‘Frozen’ footprints everywhere, especially in merchandises from your younger sister’s or her friends’ birthdays. Not to mention the songs, particularly ‘Let It Go’ that is still on the playlist of your local radios. Even one of the recent ‘Glee’ episodes features ‘Let It Go’ sung by Lea Michele’s Rachel Berry. Disney then brings another musical to the silver screen. Adapted from Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Broadway musical of the same name, ‘Into the Woods’ is directed by musical expert Rob Marshall. His previous films include Oscar-winning ‘Chicago’ (2002) and Oscar-nominated Nine (2009). His latest feature sets in the village whose inhabitants are very unique, such as The Witch (Meryl Streep), The Baker (James Corden), The Baker’s Wife (Emily Blunt), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Jack (Daniel Huttlestone), Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Rapunzel (Mackenzie Mauzy), Prince Charming (Chris Pine), and The Wolf (Johnny Depp). One day, The Witch persuades The Baker and his wife to go into the woods to get a few things that she needs. In return, she promises to undo the barren (or mandul in Bahasa Indonesia) curse she once put on The Baker’s family tree. Since they have been wanting to have a child for so long, they take The Witch’s request. In the woods, all of the aforementioned characters will collide while The Baker and his wife try everything they can to collect the things that The Witch wants. As a musical, Into the Woods has a handful of sing-able numbers from composer Stephen Sondheim. My personal favorites are the opening song and the one sung by The Witch when she explains why she placed the curse on The Baker’s family tree. Another positive thing from the film is none other than the charm of the star-studded cast. All of them play the roles finely and sing so beautifully. Kudos to Meryl Streep, whose performance as The Witch is as malicious and creepy as she is charming and engaging. I really think she does deserve her Oscar nomination for that portrayal. Lilla Crawford also shines as the strong-headed and fearless Little Red Riding Hood.
Story-wise, ‘Into the Woods’ starts off really strong. Sadly, it gets weaker and unfocused as it goes through the second and third phase. Streep’s performance actually experiences a downward too, but it’s the script’s fault not hers. There’s another thing that came to my attention regarding the story. I first thought the film would be a whimsical and light musical, but I was wrong. Much to my surprise, the story is dark and grim FOR a Disney film. What I mean by dark and grim here may not be surprising for some of you who have read the actual version of the fairy tales, not the Disney’s one. So yeah, that’s a hint of how dark ‘Into the Woods’ is. In sum, ‘Into the Woods’ is a nice fairy tale film with charming ensemble and a few ear-catching musical numbers that is darker than it seems. If you want to bring your kids or younger relatives to see this, please make sure that they are mature enough to digest the film’s dark element. Score : 3/5 A Feel-Good Film with Equally-Good Soundtracks Music and sappy romantic story, same old same old. That was the first impression I got from seeing ‘Begin Again’ poster on the web. Originally titled ‘Can A Song Save Your Life’, this film tells the story of Gretta (Keira Knightley), a singer-songwriter who bumps into Dan (Mark Ruffalo), a once-successful music executive. Both just experienced a bad day of their life, the former just broke up with her boyfriend while the latter just got fired from his job. Together, they form a rather unique relationship that eventually helps them back on their feet. I have to admit that my first impression was wrong. The film does revolve around music and has romantic feels all over it. But the director (John Carney) successfully brings the mature-romantic tone into the film, not the one that will exploit you to cry your heart out. And here you can also see how good he is in handling the music aspect in the film. The music in ‘Begin Again’ is not just the background and sweetener. It drives the whole story and has real impact to the characters. This is actually unsurprising since Carney had directed another successful film with the same theme in the past called Once (2006). In fact, the film snagged an Oscar in 2008 for Best Original Song (Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova – Falling Slowly) which I believe some of you have heard. Let’s move on to the songs shall we. It appears to me that Carney also has a gift in choosing what songs suit the best for his films. Particularly in ‘Begin Again’, most of the songs work like a magnet to your ear. You can just humming them the minute you finish listen to the songs. Kudos to composer Gregg Alexander for crafting such pleasurable tunes! Off all the songs sung in the film, my personal favorite (and looks like everybody’s favorite too) is ‘Lost Stars’. It’s very, very addictive.
Story-wise, the film offers nothing new to the table. Thankfully, there’s this handful of charming cast that really elevate the story. Both Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo are irresistible and who knew that Ms. Knightley could sing really well? On the supporting bench, Adam Levine, James Corden, Hailee Steinfeld, Katherine Keener, Mos Def give fine performances too. Although a little bit more of Hailee Steinfeld would not hurt anybody. All in all, ‘Begin Again’ is a laid-back and at times heartfelt film. Armored with plenty of catchy songs, the tunes and the lyrics will definitely linger in your head long after the credit ends. Score: 3.5/5 A Classic Action Film that Looks Stunning but Feels Bland Indonesian cinema has been loaded with plenty of action films since The Raid burst into theaters back in 2011. Now comes Mira Lesmana and Riri Riza (both are very well known for their previous films such as ‘Petualangan Sherina’, the phenomenal ‘Ada Apa Dengan Cinta’, ‘Laskar Pelangi’, and ‘Sokola Rimba’ to name a few) producing their own action film titled ‘Pendekar Tongkat Emas’ or ‘The Golden Cane Warrior’. Directed by Ifa Isfansyah (best-known for his award-winning ‘Sang Penari’), the film tells the story of Cempaka (Christine Hakim) as the legendary warrior and owner of the great golden cane. She wants to inherit the golden cane to one of her four students, Biru (Reza Rahadian), Gerhana (Tara Basro), Dara (Eva Celia), and Angin (Aria Kusumah). But then betrayal appears and the golden cane is stolen. Some of her students must find the only person who can help them retrieve the golden cane, Pendekar Naga Putih or The White Dragon Warrior. The film is shot in East Sumba, Nusa Tenggara Timur which is famous for its exquisite scenery. And the film really does justice to that place! The cinematography by Gunnar Nimpuno is nothing but amazing. The costume design by Chitra Subiyakto is also very beautiful to look at and complemented by the film’s decently detail production design. But the champion here is the choreography that looks real and convincing. Kudos to Xiong Xin Xin as the choreographer and the committed actors and actresses in preparing and doing all the action scenes. One of the actors, Reza Rahadian, is reportedly spent 7 months just to prepare for this film. 7 freaking months! Things are going well in the acting department too. Christine Hakim is as charismatic as always despite her limited amount of screen time. But the most valuable player in this film is Eva Celia. She steals every single scene she’s in. The way she delivers her lines, which are not easy due to the heavy use of formal words, is so smooth. She embodies the portrait of a young and determined woman warrior so good you just can’t take your eyes off of her. Meanwhile, the rest of the cast give watchable performances.
Unfortunately, the script by Jujur Prananto, Seno Gumira Ajidarma, Mira Lesmana, Riri Riza and Ifa Isfansyah is just too weak to hold all of the greatness I mentioned before. There are quite much plot holes that make the film less enjoyable. It’s like all of the events occurring in the film are not sewn neatly which lead to some questionable and confusing moments, such as (SPOILER ALERT!) the sudden appearance of Gerhana's child in the climax fighting scene. All in all, 'Pendekar Tongkat Emas' is a technically sophisticated film that may not be able to touch your deepest emotions. But still, the film is nonetheless another breath of fresh air for Indonesian cinema. Score : 3/5 A Bold and Smart Adaptation of Best-Seller Novel The time has finally come for me to review my first ever Indonesian film! I’ve always wanted to do this but I waited for the appropriate film, and Supernova certainly is the one. Directed by well-known Indonesian director Rizal Mantovani, ‘Supernova : KPBJ’ is adapted from novel of the same name written by Dee. The film tells the story of Dimas (Hamish Daud) and Reuben (Arifin Putra), a couple who makes a promise out of their encounter to create a novel about a Knight, Princess, and Shooting Star (Ksatria, Putri, and Bintang Jatuh translated). At the same time they write the story, another events occur that resemble the one they develop. Are the events really happening? Or are they only the reflection of Dimas’s and Reuben’s mind? First of all, let me compliment the team involved in bringing ‘Supernova : KPBJ’ to the silver screen. A very, very, brave move! Although I haven’t read the novel, but I can tell from its reviews that it is not the easiest literature to adapt to. The scope is very broad and not the simplest one to understand (it is actually the first novel of a ‘Supernova’ series, so the scope will eventually get even bigger). Not to mention the aforementioned characters are gay, something that is still widely considered as taboo in Indonesia. The film itself has an exceptionally wide scope. Ranging from infidelity to science aspects that I haven’t even heard of (you should have taken more seriously those science books in high school, Dan!). But Rizal Mantovani and scriptwriter Donny Dhirgantoro successfully wraps it in a way that is not only clever and dynamic, but also engaging for the brain to digest. The cinematography by Yudi Datau is to die for which makes the film really beautiful to look at. There are also some scenes with visual effects which are well-executed, if not perfect. Another noteworthy aspects from this film are the score and soundtrack that really add up to the film’s gloomy mood. Now let’s move on to the acting department, something that really gets me going. ‘Supernova : KPBJ’ is filled with excellent performances particularly by Herjunot Ali who plays Ferre and Hamish Daud. The last time I saw Herjunot Ali on screen was a long time ago in ‘Realita, Cinta, dan Rock&Roll’ and seeing him in ‘Supernova : KPBJ’ has shown me how much he has developed and improved as an actor. His every gesture and emotion as Ferre, a somewhat troubled but very successful young man are perfection. His deliverance in each line is nothing less than top-notch (trust me, those lines that given to him are not easy). I sense that this performance will be heavily-recognized in the next award season. Hamish Daud gives an equally award-worthy performance too as Reuben’s partner. The way he gazes and speaks his words are very convincing. It is indeed a supporting role, but nonetheless still as effective as it gets. Like any other things in the world, ‘Supernova : KPBJ’ is not without faults. One of them is the last one third of the film feels like being rushed. The problem is that part is filled with so many heavy content so it would be better if it is delivered in a more relaxed manner. Another thing that can be considered as a lower part of the film is Paula Verhoeven’s accent as Diva. The thing is, she is given the most crucial lines in the film and the way she delivers them can somehow be distracting. But given the fact that this is her first attempt in the film industry, her performance is far from unwatchable.
All in all, ‘Supernova : KPBJ’ might not be for everyone’s taste. But it is undoubtedly a well-made film that serves as a breath of fresh air for Indonesian cinema. Being said that, the film really deserves your attention, so go watch it at your nearest cinema! Score : 4/5 A Dialogue-Driven Drama About Life ComplexitiesIt’s been too long since the last time I posted something to this beautiful baby of mine. I know no excuses would make up for my abandonment. But still, I apologize for postponing this particular post that should have been done weeks ago. Let’s move on to the review, shall we? ‘Winter Sleep’, or originally titled ‘Kis Uykusu’, is a Turkish film which won Palme D’or, the most prestigious award in this year’s Cannes Film Festival. The film is directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, who is no stranger in the festival. He previously won the Grand Prix (the second-honor award in Cannes) twice for his ‘Uzak’ (2002) and ‘Once Upon A Time in Anatolia’ (2011) and snagged a directing prize for his ‘Three Monkeys’ (2008). ‘Winter Sleep’ tells the story of Aydin (Haluk Bilginer), a former actor who owns a small hotel in Anatolia. He’s also the landlord for some of the properties around his hotel. One day, he deals with one of his tenant who is apparently having a hard time to pay the rent. While solving that problem (which eventually snowballs into something larger), he must also face his estranged relationship with his equally estranged wife Nihal (Melisa Sozen). And it doesn’t stop there. The hotel occupant includes his recently-divorced sister Necla (Demet Akbag) and he too, must face endless and somewhat tiring arguments with his sister who apparently has very exciting views in life. The title of this review says it all. This 3++ hours film is literally driven by tons of dialogue from the characters involved in the story. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the film is dead boring. The result is totally the opposite. Ceylan successfully crafts his film into something very compelling. All of the lines thrown by the characters are magnetic and witty. The topics are so varied I can’t even spill each of them (ahem, this might also works as my justification to the fact that I actually forget the details of what they are talking about in the film). The performances also make this film worth to watch. Of all the fine performances, my favorite goes to Serhat Mustafa Killic who plays Hamdi, the local Imam who is also a family member of the aforementioned tenant. He plays a man trying to save his family so effortlessly good. The way he reluctantly begs Aydin, his forced smile, and his gesture are all on point. I must admit that ‘Winter Sleep’ is not a film for everyone due to its weighty content and challenging duration. But the film is actually enjoyable once we can open our mind a little bit. So, open and relax your mind then join the ride that Ceylan has prepared for us!
Score : 4/5 Note : once again thanks to Jiffest for bringing this film to town. Can’t wait to see what you guys will bring next year! |
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AuthorA self-acclaimed movie guy who likes to socialize |