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The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018)
A Subtle Introduction to Demonic Ritual in a Family Movie
I swear I thought this was a family movie. I think it still is though to some degree but I gotta say that the third act totally gave me a creep.
I grew up watching Jack Black's movies and really enjoyed School of Rock and Nacho Libre as a kid. I think I was not necessarily a fan of him but I recognize his works and would always see his movies. Cate Blanchett was also a high caliber actress and always a great performance to watch. Owen Vaccaro was a surprise to me in this movie, I think his very charismatic and have the potential to be a good actor someday. I did not know that Renée Elise Goldsberry was in this movie but I am happy for her and wish she receives more projects because I think she's a very talented actress and singer. And the same goes to Kyle MacLachlan which I find very interesting how committed he is in his character thinking that by the time his character was revealed that is where the movie started to crumble for me. I guess all I'm saying is that this movie has a great cast. I think the let down is the script, I really think that it needs some polishing especially the third act.
The first and second half of the movie gave me a kind of Matilda vibes to it, a fun and innocent movie and I was surprisingly enjoying every bit of it. But then some demonic symbols started popping up in the screen in which I just brushed off thinking that this movie will not take that direction because it's a family movie. But I was wrong! I guess this is the type of movie that my parents would not allow me to watch as a kid and I am sure that it will give me nightmares too. Sure, it's not morbid or anything but I guess what is scary is the idea of dealing with the demon.
Overall, I think this movie is almost okay. If not for the weak script this could have been better.
Incredibles 2 (2018)
An Incredibly 14 Long Years of Waiting for Incredibles 2
The Incredibles is definitely one of my favorite Disney/Pixar movies. The first movie came out 14 years ago and 14 years ago I was still in my first year of high school and watched it more than I can count and I've wanted so much more of it. Over the years I was hoping that they would make the second movie already since other Disney/Pixar movies such as Toy Story and Monsters, Inc. already got either their sequels or prequel. And I thought that it was unfair that studio still has no plans for a second installment of The Incredibles, until 2014 when it was announced that The Incredibles 2 is in works. I was excited about the second movie but another 4 years of waiting is just a lot of time...and so I waited...
Now that I watched The Incredibles 2, Disney and Pixar should announce the part 3 already and I don't want it in the next 14 years, I want it next year. I even got goosebumps (I know!) in the first part of the film picking up exactly as to where the first movie left, and it made me feel as if it was like yesterday. It brings back so many good memories of my life back when I was 14 years younger and damn it made me feel older.
As for the story, I think that The Incredible 2 focuses more on the characters and fleshing them out in a way that we have not seen in the first movie such as Jack-Jack which is a delight to watch and Frozone with his relationship with the Parr family. They also included a bunch of new characters both supers and humans. Surprisingly though, Mr. Incredible was left out of action and stayed home to take care of the kids but what made me realize is that this movie is a perfect film to watch on Fathers Day. Mr. Incredibles relationship with the kids, especially with Violet's boy problem and Dash's math homework, made me appreciate him even more as a character and as a father. So, I thought it was an odd choice at first to release The Incredibles 2 in June but now that I saw the movie I think it was a great move because of Fathers Day especially now that some of those kids who saw the first film 14 years ago could be/or a father now. Too bad though that they did not use it in their marketing strategy or maybe I was not just paying attention.
As for Elastigirl, I was skeptical at first when I saw the trailer and that they just basically move the spotlight from Mr. Incredible to Elastigirl. And that Disney/Pixar are just riding the badass woman bandwagon that we have in movies, tv, and books these days. I'm not against it but I think that it is important that these characters were not there because they're a woman, or because they're sexy, or because it's a trend but I think it should be more than that, they should also possess certain qualities of what it takes to be a hero or give them some ideology, a push and a reason as to why we're having these stories in the first place. And to be fair with Elastigirl though, I think that it totally made sense as to why she was put on the spotlight, she has the least collateral damage to make than Frozone and Mr. Incredible when fighting a crime, and that either her or Mr. Incredible needed a job in order to get out of the motel that their family are staying.
The movie also has some great visual action scenes. I was never a fan of Mr. Fantistic from Fantastic 4 but I think it was a missed opportunity for previous Fantastic 4 movies to showcase such great power set on screen because of Elastigirl is really rocking it and made me change my mind about elasticity as an awesome superpower to have. She was a fusion of Mr. Fantastic and Spiderman and it was really amazing to see her on screen swinging on buildings fighting crimes and chasing the Screenslaver.
Overall, It was really a fun movie! I just think that when you watch too much Disney/Pixar movies you'll kinda predict what's going to happen but still, 14 years of waiting was worth it. I am excited to watch this movie again and again.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)
J.A. Bayona Delivered!
The main reasons why I decided to watch Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom on cinema and not wait for it to be released in my local TV channel such HBO or Fox Movies as what I intended to do is because of the director J.A. Bayona. I have faith in that guy and loved his works such as The Orphanage, The Impossible and A Monster's Call. If you haven't seen those movies or at least one of those, I suggest you go check it out. I was curious when he said in an interview that he wanted the sequel to be horror. Now, I've seen his movie The Orphanage and I have to give it to him that he can direct a horror movie. Now what I am really interested in is, having seen three of his movies that I mention, I notice that all three (for lack of better word) have "heart", I don't know but they just give you the "feels". But really, that's the reason why I am very excited to watch this one out and see if a gigantic and popular movie franchise like Jurassic Park which is popular for its park and man killing dinosaurs could ever give me the "feels".
AND IT DID! I just can't believe it, J.A. Bayona made me care about dinosaurs!
What I also loved about my movie experience with Jurassic World: The Fallen Kingdom is it was such a fun ride. The theater I was in felt like I was inside an actual amusement park and the reactions of other viewers made me enjoy the movie even more. It's really nice to know that I am not the only one having fun with this movie.
I recommend you guys watch Jurassic World in a nice theater in your area, buy some popcorn and drinks and enjoy the movie ride!
The Cloverfield Paradox (2018)
A step forward and two steps back to Cloverfield franchise
I thought this was finally the Cloverfield movie that will be going to answer and explore the aliens that attacked the city. It explains but sadly it didn't explore. However, I still did quiet enjoy this film. It felt like I'm watching Aliens and to some degree it reminds me of Life (the one's with Jake Gylenhaal and Ryan Reynolds in it) especially with that last scene.
I think the cast was great particularly the black leads Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Hamilton) and Roger Davies (Kiel). It's quiet nice to see Zhang Ziyi working again in Holywood (I'm also excited for the new Godzilla movie), it felt like she didn't aged a day after Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I also think Daniel Brühl and Chris O'Dowd did a good job in this movie, they both pop out in this diverse cast, though to be fair all of them did a great job portraying their characters. And lastly, I gotta say that Elizabeth Debicki is really a stunner, I've been keeping an eye on her since I saw her in The Great Gatsby and I really think the she's a great actress.
Overall, I hope that this franchise still continues. I would love to see what's going to happen next. But of all three Cloverfield movies, I think that in terms of casting this one is the strongest but story wise it felt like it could have been better. I guess the studio made a good decision releasing this one on Netflix and not in theaters because this is a kind of movie that I felt won't necessarily make big money in the box office.
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
For an MCU movie, this is Thor-lerable
Maybe I am the most boring human being in the world for not laughing in this movie. Hell, others would hate me for it. But for the record, I would like say that I really enjoy the MCU ever since The Incredible Hulk back in 2008. I do like the humor of MCU and I also enjoyed Taika Waititi's "What We Do in the Shadows" and "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" but this Thor: Ragnarok just didn't work for me. I think the set/props and some CGI part looks fake, I kinda zoned out when they were in Sakaar because it was too caricature for me. That planet didn't feel authentic, from the costume design to the set, it was almost a sitcom level to me, a high-budgeted sitcom.
The main problem for me is the fact that this is a comedy movie first before a superhero movie. The humor in this movie is really really predictable, like MCU humor predictable. So I've seen it all coming.
What I like about this movie though is Cate Blanchett's Hela, Anthony Hopkins and Tom Hiddleston. Story wise I think it was interesting, I mean I finished the whole film but I was not satisfied with the finished product. Maybe I am just having a superhero fatigue after almost a decade of following MCU. I don't know. But I am pumped up for the next chapter which is the Black Panther.
Ma vie de Courgette (2016)
Undercooked Zucchini
I don't know, maybe I'm not the target audience of this film. The reason why I watch this is because I am interested with the art in it and I think it was refreshing to watch this kind of animation in a world full Pixar. Also, the fact that it is an awards contender made me more interested in this film.
But story wise, I think that it didn't got me there. I thought it was predictable and I thought it was okay. Maybe I am just expecting too much on a movie made for kids? or is this just the effect of watching too much Pixar (in terms of story)?
Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018)
Almost lost in the Maze
Though not nearly as perfect, I love the first Maze Runner movie. I was quite upset with the second one, The Scorch Trials. All those twists and alterations in that movie leave a bad taste at the back of my mouth, and I know that I am not the only one because after I saw that movie I saw some rants from other fans of the books on social media too. Also, the fact that it took a year to release this movie (Yes, I know that Dylan O'Brien had an accident during the shoot) kinda lose my momentum with the series a bit, I have to hurt my head to remember some names of characters and what have happened in previous movies. And their marketing department doesn't help much because it felt like their not promoting this movie hard enough. Nobody's talking about Maze Runner in here. Perhaps they just don't want to burn that much cash because they know the quality of their product? I don't know but we'll see in coming days how would The Death Cure performs at the box office.
While I was walking into the cinema to find my seat, I was having this words play repeatedly inside my mind, "please, don't suck". But! I got to say that they've done a pretty decent job with this final installment. Though to be honest, I don't have high expectations for this movie after what have happened in The Scorch Trials. Though some scenes may be predictable, I still appreciate the effort that they did to pull it off. And base on the reaction of some audience in the theater, it seems to me that they were surprised when they saw some familiar faces pop up on the screen. Oh! and also there's a lot of explosions in this movie.
Now in terms of characters, here are some that I really like in this movie. I think that Dylan O'Brien (Thomas) did a really good job in this movie, it made me realize how physically demanding this movie was and his accident made me appreciate the scenes even more. So thumbs up for that.
I also like the portrayal of Teresa by Kaya Scodelario, too bad she's caught in the middle by Thomas and W*CKED but I really felt her genuine sincerity in finding the cure for the virus to save lives without any hidden agenda.
Another man of science (or should I say a woman of science) that I really like is Doctor Ava Paige portrayed by Patricia Clarkson, her methods in finding the cure might be plain wicked but you'll see in her eyes that she's compassionate and that her intention is good despite the terrible acts they need/thought to do.
I was kinda surprised with Rosa Salazar as Brenda in this movie. I thought she was forgettable in the Scorch Trials but she's quite badass in this one and I really like that. Good for her being cast as Alita, I'll be looking forward to seeing that movie. And is it just me or does Rosa looked like Kaya quite a bit?
As for Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), I think that he really is the glue between the bonds of these Gladers and how his character affects the decision Thomas will have to make in this movie but of course, to those who read the books, you already knew it.
As for Ki Hong Lee (Minho), I don't have problems with him when he's running or he's fighting bad guys, but when you just put him in a scene where he just sits, I just can't connect with his character on the emotional level. I don't know, perhaps his face acting is a bit flat for me. So I am not that invested with his character that much.
Surprisingly though, I find Will Poulter's portrayal of Gally interesting. Poulter's really good at portraying this type of characters.
And lastly, Aiden Gillen (Janson) helps elevate this movie being the bad guy. I wished his co-actor in Game of Thrones' Natalie Emmanuel (Harriet) and Braking Bads' Giancarlo Esposito (Jorge) have more screen time because they're such good actors as well.
Overall, I think that this is still an enjoyable movie and for someone that read the books I find it satisfying. I got to give Wes Ball a credit for not entirely ruining such good source material and of course James Dashner. Go see it!
The Maze Runner (2014)
We've got a Runner!
If you ain't scared, you ain't human.
As a fan of The Maze Runner series I got to say that there are many changes in the movie which I think is necessary because of course you'll notice that usually movies runs from 1 up to 2 hours long only...so what do you expect? (this is actually for those whiners who didn't have a clue) Besides I think that those changes makes the maze and the Grievers (a bio-mechanic monster) much more dangerous.
Main Casts was actually great for me. I'm familiar with Thomas Sangster (Newt), Will Poulter (Gally), Kaya Scodelario (Teresa) and Patricia Clarkson (Ava Paige) since I have seen their other movies before. Dylan O'Brien (Thomas) though was new to me, I've heard that his from Teen Wolf which I don't watch, but I was actually surprise with his acting performance in this film, it actually pretty good. Another newcomer is Ki-Hong Lee plays Minho which until now I don't know whose famous scientist he was named from.
The movie experience as a whole was incredible, it was heart- pumping and wicked! I am already excited for second installment The Scorch Trial because that is craziest part of the series besides I would love to see those Cranks in horde too.
And if you guys saw the film but didn't read the book, I think you should read it.
The Avengers (2012)
Assemble!
Who wouldn't be thrilled to see Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor and the rest of the gang in flesh and bones on a film for the very first time? well maybe not all but for what its worth I was one of those who would be willing to do anything just to watch it because the waiting was the worst part.
Not a fan of either Captain America or Iron Man but I was satisfied with the movie given the fact that the Avengers was gradually taking shape starting from The Incredible Hulk (the one staring Edward Norton), to Iron Man 1 & 2 and up to Captain America and Thor. It was a long journey but the end justify the means and it was epic! it was awesome!
Up (2009)
Never Been So Wrong
Up is one of my favorite Animated movie from Disney/Pixar of all-time, actually that list is getting longer, keep surprising me Disney. This movie is like a comfort-food for me, a feel-good movie, perfect to watch on lazy weekend.
I remember the first time it showed its trailer in theaters, I get skeptical about it. A grumpy elderly man, a chubby Asian boy, talking dogs, a flying house up in the air tied up with hundreds if not thousands of balloons, in a one big adventure? For some reason I thought that these might not work because it's too random for me but it is seems interesting though and it's Disney! I doubted other movies that they've created before for the same reason, such as Finding Nemo, Wall-e and Brave which turns-out to be really great.
Obviously I did love this film that's why I have rated it 10! It was funny, heart-warming and visually stunning. 20 to 50 years from now, I would love sit one day on a couch and watch this movie again.
Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Not Bunch of A-Holes
I was not actually a hardcore fan of comics, though i know some stuffs about superheroes that an average human being does not know. With GotG though, I know little about the character's origin but i think my main concern about the movie is that given the fact that they're all bunch of misfits, liars, thieves and thugs. I think that in the movie they have given their trust to each other that easily for a small span of time. I mean of course this was just a movie and movies usually runs from 1 to 2 hours only. So what the do I expect? but I guess my point is that I did not see that deeper connection or bond within the characters.
Overall though, I think that this movie is all fun and mayhem and oldies but goodies music. It was less explosive than The Avengers but it was still good.
Fight Club (1999)
The first rule of fight club is you don't talk about fight club.
Fight Club earns itself as one of my all-time favorite movies. I don't know where to start but I guess the reason why I love this movie is that I know how a routine could be lethal in your life.
For me this movie is beyond entertainment, it's more of a wake up call. Consumerism, Narcissism and having the wrong concept of success; we as human beings craves so much of these that we forget what's the true meaning of life or what it felt to be truly alive or so they say. We became prisoners of these ideas that the only reason we work is just to buy something that we thought would make us happy and in process it's sucking out our life of us.
Sometimes I guess we all need a Tyler Durden; of not giving a damn about those propaganda's that the society dictates us to be or says we needed. However,we are still living in a civilized world so it is best to keep your Tyler Durden on leash. We don't want anybody to end up in jail now, do we? and for what's its worth, I think that Fight Club shows us that sometimes our own true enemy is ourselves, it is just a matter of to be or not to be.
Moving on, I am also a fan of Edward Norton and Helena Bonham-Carter and I think they're great actors, actually I've been hunting lately their movies to watch. And of course there's Brad Pitt so I guess the main casts was great not to mention some of the supporting actors such as Meatloaf and Jared Leto.
Overall, I enjoyed watching this darkly-humored movie and I was glad that I did! two thumbs up!