Deadpool Review

Not your ordinary hero this one! 

Deadpool Review – One look at the promo (the poster, the trailer etc) for this flick and you not it’s not your typical super-hero picture.

Pick your side. 

Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is a former Special Forces agent who have since turned into a thug trying to make a living until he meets and fall in love with a prostitute (told you this is not your typical movie). They live happily ever after, well not quite because soon after, Wade finds out his body is riddled with cancer and as he prepares to face it alone, a shady character offers him new lease on life. Wanting to take a chance, Wade agrees to undergo a dubious experimental operation. Instead, he’s tortured and disfigured in an attempt to make him into a secret weapon. Wilson then takes on his alter ego persona as Deadpool and spends the rest of the movie hunting down Ajax (Ed Skrein), the man in charge of this research project. What will become of this anti-hero? Will Deadpool get his revenge? 

R u ready for this? 

Forget all the other X-men and any other superhero actors with their usual serious as heck persona (except maybe Chris ‘Cap America’ Evans). Deadpool is a different type of superhero altogether, although he might not agree about being a superhero. Deadpool is smart-arse wise crack quirky fella in a tight red suit as he himself puts it. He takes cab to ‘work’ and pay his cabbie in high fives while also giving love advice. Heck, Deadpool even address the audience and narrates his own story. Who better to don the title than Ryan ‘former Green Lantern’ Reynolds? He has the personality to fit Deadpool since making his appearance in Wolverine’s stand-alone movie not long ago. It’s only fair Ryan be given another chance of star in his own film and he doesn’t disappoint us one bit. Unfortunately that’s about the only best acting in the film because all the other roles pretty much plays second fiddle to Ryan’s title character. The villain, Ajax feels like a run in mile role so does the girlfriend and the extra X men of Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead. Other than that, you should be able to stand Deadpool’s twisted sense of humour or else you might feel it’s a waste of time. I. however enjoyed every bit of his gag response and reaction perhaps because I’m a nut myself. Meanwhile do be warned of some gory scenes with brain matter being splattered around once the action part of the movie goes on high gear. You have been warned.   

Fuck yeah! 

Brush up on our Marvel comic to get an idea who Deadpool is so you won’t be confused with the constant referral to other Superhero. Another friendly reminder is to not to miss the opening and end credit of the movie. Just like other Marvel movies, there is a surprise at the end while what’s ‘special’ is the opening credit which well, credits the actors and makers of the movie. You don’t want to miss seeing The Director of the movie being referred to as “an overpaid tool” which gives you an idea how different Deadpool is from recent Superhero movies that’s been flooding the big screen. I hereby demand for more Deadpool please Mr. Overpaid Tool! 

Room Review

Ma and Jack bonding. 

Room Review – Movie not shown in Malaysia, I have no idea but do try to watch it if you can…i.e. – download haram. (P/s – I watched in Bangkok)

Jack's only connection to the outside world. 

Joy (my latest crush, Brie Larson) lives with her five (5) year old son, Jack (cutie pie, Jacob Tremblay) inside a very small confinement referred by them as Room with view to the outside world is only a window as a skylight high above the roof. (*Confession – at first I thought Joy was a prostitute which proofs assumption is a very bad idea.) As the story builds it’s established that Joy was kidnapped when she was seventeen (17) years old and held captive by her crazy abductor-rapist, Nick who comes and goes (as in rapes her) as he pleases. Meanwhile, Jack grows up in his own world thinking that nothing exits outside the room until Joy decides to break the truth to him. Slowly trying to plan their escape, Joy convinces Jack to play dead so Nick will remove him from the room. The plan works and Jack gets the taste of the outside world for the first time ever and manage to rescue Joy. Safely returned to the reality, Joy is hit with more anxiety, she struggles with anger and depression while Jack tries to adapt to his new environment. Can this mother and son cope life outside the Room after being locked up for so long?

The chemistry between these two are simply amazing! 

In real life both Brie and Jacob are only 26 and 9 years old respectively but both displayed a great performance well beyond their age. Jacob especially will steal your heart with his innocence while Brie is on her way for bigger roles after sweeping off most of the awards for Best Actress. At the time of this review, she is nominated for an Oscar for this role which I without doubt can say she will bag. Her character will make you feel all kind of emotions towards her. Pity at first then perhaps loathe followed by trying to understand why she is behaving the way she is now. Sounds like an Oscar winning performance to me! Addition of veteran actors such as Joan Allen (as the mother) and William H Macy (father) will take you back in time to show how different Joy was before going thru such traumatic incident. The camera work to capture the cramped environment to look both restricted and spacious might make those with claustrophobia seem queasy but that’s how  good the detailing was done. This movie is worth the numerous nominations it received for the upcoming Academy Awards while Brie Larson is certainly a winner in my heart, Oscar win or not. Ehem. 

How cute are these two? 

You may think this is just a movie adapted from a best-selling book but trying searching online and you will find there are real life situation where people gets locked up against their will. What drives the other person to commit such act? I have no idea but let’s just hope these monsters will come to their senses and realize that every creature in the planet deserve their own freedom. Let not there be another Room situation ever to exist.

Super crush over this beauty! 

  

The Revenant Review

Leo is at it again! 

The Revenant Review – Finally…will this be Leo’s Oscar crowning glory flick? It sure does looks like it.

Check out the Oscar nomination nods

Set in the 1820’s, a group of pelt (animal fur) hunters are ambushed by the native Indians. They escape helter skelter for their lives because those captured by the Indians are slaughtered (I mean like cattle farm animals just slit slit slit….ugh). The survivors flee on a boat with Hugh Glass (Leo DiCaprio) navigating as he knows the woods pretty well. Soon the group had to abandon the waterway as they are afraid being followed and might get ambushed again. Glass leads the way and while scouting for route he gets attacked and mauled really bad by a grizzly bear. The Captain in command however decides to clean his wounds and carry him all the way to safety. Unfortunately the path gets too rough and Glass is left to be cared for by Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), Bridger and Glass’s half native son, Hawk. Fitzgerald hatches his own agenda and tries end Glass’s misery. He betrays the trust bestowed on him. Not long after being left to defend for his life, Glass makes an amazing recovery and continues his journey trying to avenge on what happened to him. Faced with the elements which are mostly against his odds, can Glass make it out alive come face to face with those who deceived him?  

All three men gunning to Golden Statue glory. Who will triumph? 

Including The Best Picture, Director and Actor in a Leading Role, this movie is nominated for another nine (9) Academy Awards which shows how much attention to detail was paid into making this epic movie. From the word get go, the audience are served with non-stop action, drama, tragedy…you name it…it’s all in there. You will cringe in pain watching Leo getting whacked by the bear, you will flinch in disgust watching Leo eating a raw bison liver, you will squirm watching Leo hide inside a horse’s carcass. The catch is Leo, he gives the performance of his lifetime, committing himself truly to the role. If he doesn’t win his Golden Statue this time, there must be something really wrong with the movie industry. Not just Leo, the others involved in other part of the movie should get their reward as well. From the sound editing, the cinematography, the make-up, the visual effects, all top notch and real stand out. This is how tonnes of money should be spent so that movie goers will get their money’s worth.

Leo aiming for his Oscar perhaps? 

 Warning for those who are terrified of blood, there are loads of gory scenes so be sure not to eat too much before going into the cinema for this. Otherwise, sit back (if you can) and enjoy The Revenant.  

Ola Bola Review

Bola time! 

Ola Bola Review – It’s not just about bola sepak…

Harimau Malaya 

Marianne is an ambitious reporter counting down her days to leave for England until she is assigned to do a story on the glory days of Malaysian football team. She travels to Sabah to locate on the football great to re-live those moments. The squad was at first struggling to play as a team with the individuals involved faced with their own personal problems. They loose match after match and are de-moralised until newly appointed English coach decides to turn the table around and change the line-up. Tempers flare at first but soon the multi-raced side start to click together and face the biggest match of their life. Will they be able to come up on tops? 

Kita menang sama-sama, Kita kalah sama-sama. Kita training pun sama-sama

The Director, Chui took a big risk with The Journey few years back and was awarded handsomely for showing how Malaysians lived together in harmony. He once again spurs the sense of togetherness by offering us this sporting story. His tale hits a familiar feeling that Malaysians hold closely to our heart, supporting our team in time of need. The brilliant plot coupled with excellent acting by mostly new comers along with marvellous cinematography to capture our nation’s natural beauty will jerk at least a few tears from movie goers. Watching and hearing the crowd in Stadium Merdeka rooting for the team gave me goosebumps as if I was seated at the venue. Such is the superb work by those involved in making this film.

Komen jangan tak komen! 

With the current slump of our National football team in the international arena, this film is a timely release to remind Malaysians of the fighting spirit of the players showed during the most difficult times of their life. Hopefully it will serve as an encouragement for the present players to achieve what others thought was impossible task. Ola Bola scores big time in my books. Majulah sukan untuk Negara! 

The Boy Review

Want to be his nanny? 

The Boy Review – Annabelle’s (the female creepy doll) boyfriend? Well, not quite.

Just a boy toy? Well, think again....

An American women, Greta (Lauren Cohan) trying to escape violent past takes on a job as nanny in the English countryside. She gets a surprise of a lifetime when she has to babysit a life-size doll. Her employers however advise her to take her job seriously and treat Brahms (the doll) as a living boy with strict rules to follow. After a while Greta slacks on her responsibilities and faced with disturbing consequences. It all boils down to a showdown when Greta finally finds out the truth behind The Boy.

Don't forget to feed him 

One thing for sure, the marketing team did a good job to promote this film as a horror story when it actually ends in a totally expected or unexpected way (for some). There are truly some eerie moments here and there which will convince you that the doll is indeed alive. The way the doll ‘looks’ is sometimes enough to send shiver down your spine. The ending however was a let-down (for me), because I saw the ending way before the story reached its climax. All that suspenseful build up crumbled in a matter of seconds.

Remember and follow the rules. 

Hollywood needs to go back to the draw board to learn a proper way to scare the audience instead of churning out this kind of crap. Period. 

Exposed Review

Why Keanu? Why? Tsk tsk

Exposed Review – Keanu is back but not is he any good?

Does she really? 

Detective Scotty Galban (Keanu Reeves) is investigating the death of partner when he comes across Isabel (Ana de Armas) who seems to have a strange connection to the case. As he digs deeper, he finds disturbing facts about of his former partner. Can Scotty solve the mystery and what truth is Isabel keeping to herself?

Seen this guy? He used to act in better movies...

Keanu….oh Keanu….why lar…I shall not comment further as I’m afraid I might butcher his credibility as one of my former favourite actor. As for Ana…a slight improvement from Knock Knock where she stared along Keanu…coincidence? I think not. I was delighted to see Mira Sorvino on the big screen after so long but that too soon became a disappointing anticipation when her role was nothing but…well…nothing. Hurm… I got nothing much to elaborate except for Exposed is fast exposing Keanu’s need to come up with better movie.

Come back with better movie please Keanu. 

This is a fine example when the Director is undecided on what genre of film he wants to direct. It travels back and forth between super natural to crime to simply annoying the heck out of me after a while with its pace. I just couldn’t wait to leave the cinema and I was to bump into this filmmaker, I swear to God, I would have just punched him in his face.