Reviews
District 9 (2009)
An Alien Movie?
Filmed like a documentary. It is really believable as a documentary too. But it is a fictional movie. A science fiction story. But it is believable. Because of the way it is made.
I watched it when it was first made. I did not even make it half way through. But this time, I watched it through. And was I impressed.
The South African back drop was ideal. The South African gangs, the South African military, the Alien technology! It is total mayhem. Which I missed the first round.
And it is not the action and the gore (the splattered body parts, etc). There was great emotional depth between the characters.
What a movie! What an action and emotional ride. I seldom give an '9' for a movie. Here, I give one for this sleeper.
The Exorcist (1973)
The Definitive Horror Movie.
A slow beginning. But once built-up, the horror never let's up. The transformation of an innocent heroine girl. And it is supposed to be cursed. The making of.
American Graffiti (1973)
Age Of Rock And Roll
A nostalgic slice of life. It is a period piece. The Rock and Roll and the oldies score is worth the price of the ticket and rewatching. Nothing much happens but it is pure nostalgia.
Evil Takes Root (2020)
Amateurish Effort.
Creepy movie? Haha. I do not know why I actually watched this movie. Perhaps it is the perverse effort of knowing how bad a movie can. But I avoided giving it a one or two star. After all, it does take some effort to make this movie.
The Northman (2022)
Action Movie?
Action packed medieval movie. But that is all. Full of mambo jumbo. Nothing like the viking series. And was that a character dressed like a red Indian? In a movie about vikings?
Jurassic Park III (2001)
Sequel To A Successful Movie
Run of the mill sequel to a successful franchise. Clearly banking on the money making success of the original movie. Thrills galore. But that is just it. Nothing original about it.
Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989)
Depressing But A Slice Of Life
This is the 4th time I'm watching this. No joy. It is ugly. But it is a reflection of life. Not everybody's cup of tea. It is about life in a seedy part of the USA set amidst the Labour riots.
The Legend of La Llorona (2022)
Disappointing Movie
Poor acting. Amateur actors. Cheesy script. Standard special effects. Screams, wailing, etc. I just wanted to find out more about La Llorona or The Weeping Lady. All I got was this. A waste of time.
The Magnificent Seven (2016)
An Average Remake.
You tend to compare. That is a problem with remakes. And this is the problem facing this one. There are few remakes that are better than the originals. And this picture not better. A creditable film making. But it comes out as an average remake.
A Night at the Roxbury (1998)
Really Dim-witted
Quite bad acting and dialogue. Not 0 or 1. But quite bad. The humour is infantile and corny.
Hidden Figures (2016)
A Sleeper That Is Surprisingly Good
I have never heard about this movie. No violence, no sex, very little action. A biopic. A talkie. But it is good. And it is relevant to today's issues.
The Expendables (2010)
Action Galore
The first of a franchise. An action movie with a star-studded cast. It is the first of what would subsequently become a franchise. It is above average for a first of a franchise. But I would be expecting more from subsequent instalments.
Bad Boys for Life (2020)
Credible Movie .... But More Of The Same.
Part of a franchise. Part of a franchise, but if you liked the previous movies, then you will like this. Otherwise... To me, I am indifferent to the franchise. I found the humour quite infantile. As movie making goes, it is quite credible.
Predator 2 (1990)
An Average Movie
An average movie with inconsistencies galore. Part of a franchise, the main purpose is to cash in on a supposedly popular movie. But it seems to be doing a poor job of it.
Huang jin shi dai (2014)
Realistic Setting
The atmosphere, setting, dialogue is authentic. But it is very slow moving. For the set which goes for realism and authenticity. But it fails as entertainment.
Black Mirror (2011)
Mostly Hits, A Few Misses
An anthology series about technology. A dark series, about the mishaps and misteps technology can have. Each story is different. Some are original, with storylines featuring some twists. Some have lessons. I enjoyed most of these stories.
Meurtres à La Pointe du Raz (2020)
A French Who Dunnit
A french murder mystery with a difference. Not your usual whodunnit. A terrible legend forms the backdrop of this mystery. Some of the subtleties are lost
to me due to its translation. But it is an above average mystery.
Priest (2011)
A Cliched Action Movie
2nd time I'm watching this. It was quite forgettable. My opinion has not changed. The beginning was quite dark and foreboding. Then the action became predictable. I'll give it points for atmosphere. But that was it.
The Undoing (2020)
Twisty Thriller
The synopsis was rather Misleading, oh but what a twist. It was a thriller with a twisty court case ending. Riveting to the end.
DNA (2019)
Reminiscent Of The Great Nordic Mysteries
A Danish production with an international cast. Great production values. With numerous twists. Initially a bit confusing, with back and forth in time storyline, but everything is made clear towards the end.
Wo men yu e de ju li (2019)
Not Your Usual Taiwanese Soap
A touching, human series about the aftermath of a mass shooting. It also deals with the issues of schizophrenia, guilt, vengeance, repentance. It is not the usual Taiwanese serial.
The Head (2020)
Be Very Afraid.
Surprisingly good mystery. Suspenseful with multiple twists. A group of people stranded in a frigid environment. With a killer?
Cats (2019)
Did Enjoy This Movie Translation Of A Musical
It is not easy to move a stage musical to the screen. And I think it is very creditably done here. The singing was well done too. I did enjoy this effort.
Nocturne (2020)
Just A Teenage Flick
A teenage flick with classical music pretensions. I am a little confused here. Is she a pianist or a violinist? Or both?
Food Lore (2019)
Not A Food Show.
An anthology of Asian stories. Inspired by food. The series offers variety, tender love stories, colourful cultures. One of the best in HBO Asia.