REVIEW: THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY

When I first heard about this film, it was in the late 1990s. I was a university student back then in the United States. Famous directors attached to the project were Steven Spielberg and Ron Howard. Jim Carrey was long rumoured to play the title role of Walter Mitty. I didn't realize that the project received a revival as I was really intrigued by the storyline.

The revival is directed by Ben Stiller (Tropic Thunder, Reality Bites). The film stars Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn, Shirley MacLaine, Patton Oswalt, and Sean Penn. It is written by Steve Conrad (The Pursuit of Happyness) and adapted from a short story in 1939 written by James Thurber. The story has already once being adapted into a film in 1947.

How will this second movie remake fair up? Do read on...

Ben Stiller as the title character Walter Mitty

SYNOPSIS:
A day-dreamer named Walter Mitty has a liking for an office colleague named Cheryl. When the company he works for is being bought over, he struggles to cope with the new 'boss' and constantly gets bullied. Then comes a time where he has to face a monumental task to save his company. This is his adventure.

Ben Stiller as Walter Mitty and Kristen Wiig as Cheryl Melhoff, the love interest.

SCRIPT:
Not too bad though could have been slightly better. There was good characterization for all roles. Dialogue was a quite funny and hit the right notes with the audience. The constant back and forth between drama and comedy could have been worked on a little better because I felt it was a little overdone. I liked the ending though I felt it could be better otherwise.

One of Walter Mitty's daydream scenes in the film

ACTING:
Nice performance by Ben Stiller as Walter Mitty and Kristen Wiig as Cheryl Melhoff. A particular praise to Adam Scott as the 'quintessential' a-hole in the film. Great to see film legend Shirley MacLaine on film.

Great performance by Ben Stiller in the title role

FILMING:
Kudos to Ben Stiller for making the movie vibrant and exciting enough. It could easily be a boring material to adapt from. Stiller made it adventurous and likable. Another particular praise is to the cinematography which showcased exotic locations and magnificent shots. At times, it could have been like a feature-length film for National Geographic. Look for the graphic 'text' in the shots.

Ben Stiller wearing three hats as director, producer, and actor

PACING:
Good start, a little slow in the middle, but picked up well towards the end. Decent pacing.

TONE (MOOD):
It is an 'underdog' movie where someone who thinks is incapable tries to achieve the impossible.

Actor Sean Penn 'invites' you to watch the film

DOWNSIDE:
Melancholy and sweet type of movie. May not fit the 'macho' people.

UPSIDE:
One of those sweet and heart-warming movies. A popcorn movie for the family.

Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) in one of his adventures

OVERALL:
Nice and easy film. Recommended by me.

RATING:
7.5 out of 10

REVIEW: THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG

Sorry I am a little late on this review. I've been a bit busy with work. However, it is going to be a fun review because I watched an enjoyable film which I think you would like it.

Around this time last year, New Line Cinema and Metro Goldwyn Mayer presented us with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey to big screens. It is the beginning of a series of three films adapted from a book written by J.R.R.Tolkien titled The Hobbit. Tolkien is known for writing the three novels Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and Return of the King which is part of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. This trilogy of books was also adapted into a trilogy of films from 2001 to 2003.

Returning to the helm is director Peter Jackson, who was responsible for the Lord of the Rings trilogy films and the first Hobbit film. The second film in The Hobbit film series is titled The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. The film reunites Jackson with actors Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Lee Pace, and many more. Orlando Bloom joins the cast by reprising his role as Legolas from the The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. Also adding to the cast is the beautiful Evangeline Lilly and actor Luke Evans. Jackson co-wrote the film with his real-life wife Fran Walsh, Jackson regular Philippa Boyens, and established director Guillermo Del Toro.

How adventurous is this film and will it disappoint? Do read on...

Bilbo, the 13 dwarves, and Gandalf reach a climactic point of the film.

SYNOPSIS:
The adventures of Bilbo Baggins, the 13 dwarves led by Thorin, and the wizard Gandalf continues as they journey to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim what rightfully belongs to the dwarves. Along the way, this band of misfits encounter various obstacles that would challenge their courage and spirit. As a group, they will face the greatest villain of all, Smaug the dragon.

Martin Freeman as the hobbit named Bilbo Baggins

SCRIPT:
Strong and solid. Enough to garner attention towards the storyline. Good character development. Multiple plot lines were well outlined and enough to sustain interest. Please do note that the inclusion of Legolas and Tauriel, portrayed in the film by Orlando Bloom and Evangeline Lilly respectively, were added by the writers and was not in the book it was adapted from. Just like the previous Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Hobbit films explores the themes of brotherhood, teamwork, courage, and determination. Good insertions of comedy.

Benedict Cumberbatch voices the villainous dragon Smaug.

ACTING:
Despite the majority of actors being under heavy make-up and prosthetics, I find their acting to be reasonable good. A good blend of nice performances from an ensemble cast where no one actor tries to outdo another.

Actor Luke Evans (left) brings more acting credibility to the film

FILMING:
Excellent. Director Peter Jackson manages to incorporate new angles and creative action sequences to make the film interesting. The amount of dramatic moments and action are well balanced. Visual effects was awesome. He did all this while still retaining some of his trademark shots (45 degree angles moving constantly) and still is interesting. Stay for the song at the end by Ed Sheeran who sings "I See Fire".

Orlando Bloom reprises his role as Legolas from the previous Lord of the Rings trilogy films

PACING:
For a film that runs for 161 minutes, it was not boring at all. Though there were some scenes that require a lot of talk and explanation, it did not feel boring.

TONE (MOOD):
An adventure on an epic scale told from the eyes of those considered  a 'minority' in a fantasy world.

Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins enjoying a moment in the film

DOWNSIDE:
Non-fans of adventure film might not find this suitable. Quite a long film.

UPSIDE:
Great adventure film. Strong underlying themes of the human spirit is clearly evident. Good for kids.

Evangeline Lilly as Tauriel and Orlando Bloom as Legolas in a scene from the film

OVERALL:
A must-watch for film-goers. Good popcorn film. Please note that you HAVE to watch the previous film, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, before watching this film in order to understand key points of the plot.

RATING:
8.5 out of 10.

REVIEW: CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

Tom Hanks has almost never failed to deliver good performance on film. So does director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, United 93, The Green Zone). Now, both this auteurs are collaborating on a project which was brought to the world's attention in 2009. I think this is the first time I am reviewing a film based on true events.

Captain Phillips is directed by Paul Greengrass. It stars Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Faysal Ahmed, Barkhad Abdirahman, Mahat M. Ali, Yul Vasquez, and many others. The script was written by Billy Ray, who adapted in from the book A Captain's Duty: Somali Pirates. Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Day at Sea, which book in turn was based on true events of Captain Richard Phillips. For more on the incident involving Captain Richard Phillips and Somali pirates, you can read in here. This film was released in October in America but only reached Malaysian shores December 5th, 2013.

Can Paul Greengrass and Tom Hanks do justice to a story based on true events? Do read on...

Tom Hanks as Captain Phillips going about his normal duties on Maersk Alabama

SYNOPSIS:
In April 2009, the shipping vessel Maersk Alabama was hijacked by four Somali pirates. After some tactical struggle between the ship's crew and the pirates, the Somalians fled in a lifeboat but brought the ships leader Captain Richard Phillips as hostage. This is the story of that ordeal.

Captain Phillips notices approaching Somali pirates

SCRIPT:
Solid, simple, and straightforward. It does enough to sustain interest by not complicating it with maritime jargon. Good character development. At times we cheer for the heroism of those on the ship and at times we symphatize for the cause of the Somali pirates. Great rollercoaster of a drama.

The four actors playing Somali pirates. Barkhad Abdi as leader Muse is second from left.

ACTING:
Powerful performances from the actors. Despite many raving about the performance of Tom Hanks as Captain Phillips, I am more impressed by the performances of the four unknown Somali-Americans who made their debut in the film. After doing some research, I found out that the four of them live in the same building in Minneapolis, Minnesota and they attended the film's audition casting call together. Look out for the performance of Barkhad Abdi as the lead terrorist Muse (pronounced Musa).

Barkhad Abdi as Muse threatens Tom Hanks as Captain Phillips

FILMING:
Paul Greengrass is famous for his 'quesy-cam' shots (also know as shaky cam). In his earlier films, they were a bit excessive but for this film, he has toned it down a little bit, which is good. I liked the editing, in particular switching the story back and forth between the heroes and the villains. I liked how it got more intense towards the end. I noticed the audience started rooting for the hero. Good job Paul Greengrass.

Captain Phillips tries to negotiate with the terrorists.

PACING:
For a movie that has a running time of slightly above two hours, this movie was not boring at all. It had a nice pace to it and can garner intense interest from the audience

TONE (MOOD):
A hostage rescue operation where the odds are seemingly against the heroes.

Drama and tension aboard the shipping vessel Maersk Alabama

DOWNSIDE:
A cast of unknown supporting cast might be unfamiliar territory to some. Also, the heavy subject matter which some might find non-relatable.

UPSIDE:
Great acting performances and a good script.

The U.S. Navy in one of their many attempts to rescue Captain Phillips

OVERALL:
A must watch. This film 'smells' awards all over it.

RATING:
8.5 out of 10

REVIEW: ULAR - Malaysia

Watched another local Malaysian film the following day after Kolumpo. This time the film is of a different genre, suspense thriller. The title of film is called Ular, which is the Malay language translation for snake. Sounds scary.

Ular is written and directed by Jason Chong. The film stars Lisa Surihani, Yusry KRU, Izzue Islam, Harun Salim Bachik, Namron, Zarina Zainuddin, and many more. The film is produced and distributed by Showbiz Productions Sdn. Bhd. Here's a peek at the trailer:-

The poster suggests that this could be a re-imagining of the Hollywood film Anaconda (1997) but is it? Do read on...

Lisa Surihani (center) as Maira and Yusry KRU (right) as Remy

SYNOPSIS:
A young female reporter and her photographer is send to an island to do an article about a resort. Once they arrived, they meet a bunch of colourful characters. The reporter soon discovers that an electric fence is surrounding the resort. Her reporter instincts compels her to investigate and finds more than she bargained for.

SCRIPT:
Mediocre and cliché. It is not a re-imagining of Anaconda (1997) as what many people expected. Pretty original storyline. Good character development in the beginning but withered down as the movie progresses. Would have loved to have a little more backstory of the female reporter and photographer as it was touched upon only a little bit.

Yusry KRU as Reey getting tangled by a snake

ACTING:
The only good performance is Lisa Surihani. She does good work in the movie roles that she is given. I can't say much for the rest of the supporting cast. They were pretty stale.

FILMING:
I think it was okay. Some creative use of angles but couldn't help thinking how a cheesy storyline brought the film down. Visual effects was mediocre but could have been better. One or two close-up shots of snakes were nice. Good utilization of sound effects. Some pretty good scare which got the audience and me shocked. Nice sets.

Multiple movie stills from the film. Click to enlarge picture

PACING:
For a film that runs under 80 minutes, it felt pretty draggy. Good start but slow till the end.

TONE (MOOD):
A group of unexpected individuals trying to survive animal threats in an isolated location.

Lisa Surihani as Maira in a scene from the film

DOWNSIDE:
Movie cliché after movie cliché which made the film a downer to watch. Predictable outcome too.

UPSIDE:
Good shock and scares. Nice use of sound effects.

OVERALL:
A popcorn movie. It has its nice moments despite being a mediocre storyline.

RATING:
6 out of 10

REVIEW: KOLUMPO - Malaysia

The Malaysian movie I am about to review has received much hype and buzz in the local entertainment industry. Therefore, I was intrigued to see what this movie had to offer. The title of the movie is called Kolumpo. The word 'Kolumpo' is a slang term meaning Kuala Lumpur, which is the capital city of Malaysia. Kolumpo is an anthology film, one of the first of its kind in Malaysia. An anthology film means a film which combines several short films into one feature length film. Directors like Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese has had anthology films in their careers.

This anthology film consists of three stories. These three short films are directed by Bront Palarae, Sheikh Munasar, and Rozi Izma respectively. When reviewing this film, I will refer to each story as Story 1, Story 2, and Story 3. The film stars Azad Jazmin, Mano Maniam, Radhi Khalid, Soffi Jikan, and Sabri Yunus in Story 1. In Story 2, the stars are Nell Ng, Ruminah Sidek, and Emely Poon. Finally in Story 3, the stars are Sharifah Amani and Amirul Ariff. The film is produced and distributed by Otto Films. Here is the trailer for Kolumpo:-

 

 

Will this one-of-a-kind film be worth the watch? Do read on...

 

 

SYNOPSIS:

In Story 1, a young immigrant from India comes to Kuala Lumpur for work but only to find out that he has been tricked into making his dreams of making money a false hope. He slowly discovers that his way of life is not what he hoped it would be.

In Story 2, a Chinese lady befriends a Malay old woman after she accepts a hitchhiking offer at a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur, As the Chinese lady drives the Malay woman to her destination, they form an unexpected friendship.

In Story 3, a young Malay girl spontaneously befriends a young Malay boy, who has never had a girlfriend. Together, they discover the of value of friendship and possibly love, as they walk the streets of Kuala Lumpur.

 

SCRIPT:

Each story has its own strength in the storyline. As you can tell that each story focuses on the three primary races in Malaysia; Malay, Chinese, and Indian. There is a theme going on which is obvious; all stories takes place in Kuala Lumpur. I liked the fact that this film tries to show the many layers of life among the races in Malaysia. The stories may be common but there were interesting enough for me to be engaged in it. The stories do not provide any sort of isolation but more tries to unite what is common between us. I like how each short story has a little twist to it, eventhough they were predictable.

 

Story 1: Azad Jazmin in blue and white sarong. Flanked by Radhi Khalid (left) and Mano Maniam (right)

ACTING:

Kudos to the filmmakers for mixing up the casting by hiring established and newcomers in this anthology film. Their performances were not memorable but just enough to serve the purpose of the story. I particularly liked how the veteran actors surrounded the newcomers.

 

FILMING:

Simple and effective for a film that is so obviously shot on a low budget. Creative use of angles which makes it interesting.

 

Story 2: Ruminah Sidek and Nell Ng

PACING:

A little slow but takes awhile to get used to. Story 1 had nice pacing. Story 2 was a little slow but made it up with some comedy. Story 3 was slightly draggy but sweet ending.

 

TONE (MOOD):

An adventure on the many racial facades of life in Kuala Lumpur.

 

Story 3: Amirul Ariff and Sharifah Amani

DOWNSIDE:

It is a drama anthology film. Can be draggy for some.

 

UPSIDE:

Good performances and nice stories.

 

Behind the scenes. Director of Story 1 Bront Palarae cameos in Story 2 with Nell Ng

OVERALL:

A heart-warming anthology film which could have been more better. Sweet feeling all-around.

 

RATING:

7.5 out of 10





REVIEW: PENANGGAL - Malaysia

Gonna review another local Malaysian filem. This time it revolves around the supernatural genre. Most horror movie genre in Malaysian cinema is done very comedic or slapstick. This one is a dramatic tale on a famous myth. The movie is titled Penanggal. The titled is loosely translated as "the person that can detach" but in the context of this film, it refers to the ghost which can detach its head from the body and float around. The Penanggal is known to prey on female victims who are pregnant.

Penanggal is directed by actress-turned-director Ellie Suriaty Omar. It stars Fasha Sandha, Ummi Nazeera, Azri Iskandar, and Zul Ariffin. It is a joint venture production between the two biggest film distributors in Malaysia; Grand Brilliance and Tayangan Unggul (under the name Astro Shaw). Here's the trailer.

Will this film excite the horror in me? Do read on.

The beautiful Ummi Nazeera in the lead role as Murni (bottom right)

SYNOPSIS:
After being cursed to be a Penanggal, a young lady name Murni roams and terrorizes a village while hiding out at the outskirts of the forest. Several years later, a young merchant named Yusof discovers Murni and got more than he bargained for.

Azri Iskandar as Yusof discovers Ummi Nazeera who plays Murni in the river.

SCRIPT:
Mediocre and sporadic. Despite a good start, it did not sustain much interest in explaining the story. Audience beside me were constantly asking "what happened" when the scenes were changed. This is not a good sign. The ending was anti-climactic. I am still baffled as to why the script needs to alternate between Bahasa Malaysia and the Arabic language.

Zul Ariffin and Fasha Sandha sharing a scene.

ACTING:
Stagnant. The only exceptional point is Ummi Nazeera as Murni. I liked her acting and she brought the character to life. Couldn't say much about the supporting cast. Azri Iskandar tried his best and worked well in some scenes. Fasha Sandha gets top billing in the film but she is in the film for barely 20 minutes (why???).

Zul Ariffin and Azri Iskandar driving a classic car.

FILMING:
The only plus point of this film. High praises from me. Nice cinematography in terms of choice of angles and colour. The make-up effects for the ghostly appearances were well done. Nice props and location choices which is a good addition to the eerie haunting feeling. Visual effects was not too bad.

Ellie Suriaty directing Ummi Nazeera as Murni

PACING:
Too slow for my liking despite a good start. It is more a drama than a horror.

TONE (MOOD):
Dark drama of a ghost trying to salvage what is left of her soul.

Love this shot for the film. Looks like a visual effect but it is not. Filmed on a slower film rate.

DOWNSIDE:
More of a drama than horror. Awkward script structure which some might find uninteresting.

UPSIDE:
I like the efforts the production team and director did to make it haunting and exciting. Only one or two scare moments. Basically, that is it.

Villagers trying to fend off the Penanggal ghost.

OVERALL:
High praises for production value but low marks for everything else.

RATING:
6 out of 10.

REVIEW: KISAH PALING GENGSTER - Malaysia

Local Malaysian films has lately been criticized for recycling story ideas. This is true. However, when these stories are retold in a different fashion, the execution seems to garner disinterest in the movie-going audience. The movie I am about to review is a common genre but its execution impressed me.

The title of the film is Kisah Paling Gengster. The title is loosely translated into English translation as, The Greatest Gangster Story Ever. The movie poster has the subtitled Gangster Wars and shouldn't be confused with the translation of the movie title. The film is directed by Brando Lee. The film stars award-winning actor Shaheizy Sam in the lead role. Rounding up the supporting cast are Zul Suphian, Wan Hanafi Su, Mikail Andre, Wawa Zainal, Rock Chai, Khatijah Tan, Epy Raja Lawak, Fyza Kadir and many more. The film is released by B&L Kreatif and Lightbulb Pictures. Here is the trailer.

 

 

 

How good of a Malaysian gangster movie is this? Do read on...

 

Shaheizy Sam in the lead role as Remy

SYNOPSIS:

A down and out loser name Remy is going about his usual job as an ambulance driver when he stumbles upon a gun battle between two rival mafia gangs. After surviving this and successfully treating a godfather from injuries, Remy reluctantly joins the mafia gang and is absorbed into its illegal activities.

 

L-R: Fyza Kadir as Sofea, Wan Hanafi Su as Ayah Megat, and Shaheizy Sam as Remy

SCRIPT:

Solid and simple. Good story structure from start to finish. The storyline is not too complicated and it does showcase some positive values despite its violent themes. I liked the fact that there were two plot twists in the film. Reasonably well-written script. Love the intro. The reasonable amount of balance between action and comedy is what I liked.

 

Don't mess with Remy

ACTING:

Kudos to Shaheizy Sam for his performance as the lead. Great supporting performances all around too especially from Zul Suphian, Wan Hanafi Su, and Wawa Zainal.

 

Shaheizy Sam and Wawa Zainal sharing a scene

FILMING:

I think the direction was tight, meaning just concise and nice. Though I felt the film could be better with more stunts, I can't blame the filmmakers for it feels like it was under-budget. Editing could be tighter but this opinion is subjective. Nice choice of camera angles.

 

Behind the scenes photo during filming

 

PACING:

A good start. I was intrigued and interested from the start. Got a little slow in the middle but not to a point that I lost interest. The ending is a bit cliché but it is common for movies with this sort of story genre.

 

TONE (MOOD):

Action, redemption, revenge, and violence all in one with some elements of self-discovery thrown in the mix.

Gangster initiation process. Zul Suphian on the right as Ringo and Huang Qi Ming as Chin on the left.

DOWNSIDE:

Not for kids. A little violent for local cinema standards. I felt the movie should be more longer and too short. Many avenues of storytelling not explored.

 

UPSIDE:

Good moral values despite its many violent sequences. It is a tale of loyalty, respect, family, honour, and whatever else associated in a mafia gangster type of movie.

 

Mikael Andre as Romeo, the chief villain pointing the gun at Zul Suphian as Ringo

OVERALL:

This is a good movie. Good for adults. A sleeper hit, which is a movie not successful at the box-office but might just make it from word-of-mouth and reviews.

 

RATING:

7 out of 10.