A Samurai in Time

 Japanese Film Festival 2025

Cinema 1, The Red Carpet

Edsa Shangri-la Mall

As the title suggests, "A Samurai in Time" is a time travel film about a real life Edo period samurai Kosaka Shinzaemon who by some freak in nature through a lightning strike is transported 400 years into the future. He conveniently 'lands' on a film set of a Kyoto television series where he is mistaken as an extra. Trouble brews as he yields an actual katana sword and almost ends up killing the main character. Sticking to the code of honor of a samurai, he defends the 'damsel in distress' character of the series.

Kosaka is mostly confined on the set of the film where the kind hearted AD (assistant director) takes him to a hospital because he hurt his head during one of the reel sword fights on the set. Assuming that he got amnesia from the injury, the AD also helps him settle in a nearby temple where the shooting is done. 

Kosaka settles down quickly earning his living as an extra on the film set. It is only when he is cast in another Jidaigeki genre film where the twist occurs. This genre refers to Japanese period dramas set primarily in the Edo period, known for its authentic portrayal and historical accuracy in costumes and styling. Normally these films, TV series or theatrical plays feature samurai, sword fighting and tales of honor highlighting the struggle between good and evil. A popular film genre which is slowly losing its appeal to the younger generation.

So back to the twist, I won't reveal any spoilers but suffice to say, it added a much needed boost to the storyline of this film within a film heartwarming light comedy with an equal amount of dramatic sequences (especially the sword fighting scenes) and emotionally reflective moments.  

Wedding High

 Japan Film Festival 
Online 2024

I tend to watch Japanese movies laden with conflict, personalities with strong character development, focusing on sensitive issues like suicide or bullying and/or samurai themed films. 

For a change, I chose Wedding High because it is a comedy.

It did not disappoint. It was a riot.

The story revolves around a couple getting married, from the planning stage, to the actual wedding ceremony and the reception. Mostly seen through the eyes of the seasoned wedding planner who has her hands full with all the 'problems' that she needs to iron out to ensure a smooth, happy wedding.

Anyone who has planned a wedding knows the abundant amount of stress that comes with it and a Japanese wedding ceremony is no exception. You have relatives (from both sides) and friends offering themselves as 'entertainment' like lasso roping, performing magic and escape tricks, to the fillet of an actual tuna by the father of the bride - certainly eccentric yet also quite amusing. To further complicate the melee, throw in the ex boyfriend of the bride with his sinister plot and a burglar, who all give us an interesting insight into the essence of humor in the Japanese culture.

I found it interesting that the plot featured the background stories of some characters from the wedding entourage like the videographer friend, the groom's boss watching comedy shows so he can deliver a funny, anecdotal speech and the poignant life story of the wedding planner.

The 'wedding story' clocks in with almost 2 hours of fun entertaining narratives and side plots all unfolding seamlessly. The ensemble cast of quirky characters with their colorful lives added flavor to this comedy with an unexpected twist towards the end. 

Be warned, you might need to put on your sleuth hat to piece together the different parts of the puzzle.

Don't worry, it isn't rocket science! 

Paddleton

Ray Romano, Mark Duplass

"A comedy Of dramatic Proportions"

NETFLIX

This buddy drama is one of the saddest movies I've seen.  Andy (Ray Romano) lives on the apartment on top of Michael's (Mark Duplass) flat. An unlikely friendship develops between them. 

They are both loner types lacking in social graces but their bond is solid. They even invented their own game which they named "paddleton", a variety of squash, the racket and ball game. They also always watch an old kung fu movie called "Death Punch", together. 

Michael finds out he has liver cancer and decides to take his own life before the disease turns 'messy'. So they go on a short road trip to another town where the (euthanasia) medicines Michael needs are available. Apparently, not all pharmacies sell these kind of medicines, for moral reasons.

Andy and Mark's friendship is purely platonic and I have to emphasize they are definitely not gay. I never got that vibe even though I have read reviews that imply they were. Their bond is endearing because it seems they only have each other as there are no mentions of family or other friends.

The last 20 minutes was intense and quite emotional. It is the scene where Michael decides to end his life. Much to the chagrin of Andy yet he doesn't stop his best friend, either. Mark Duplass did a great job in showing the effects these medicines have on one's body. There was no blood or anything gory involved. In fact, it was quite peaceful to see but it was also tragic and very sad. 

On the other hand, it was refreshing to see Andy move on with his life without Michael, even making small talk (his pet peeve) with his new neighbors (a mother and son) moving into Michael's former apartment.

I don't believe in euthanasia. This film doesn't really justify it. It was portrayed as an option offered to cancer patients so they can get a good quality of life. I may not like it but I do understand and respect their decisions.

"Paddleton" does not aim to be an existential movie and was ranked 186th in the 250 best Netflix movies. It is a simple narrative about an affinity between two people who may not have anything in common but are drawn to each other and have a lasting brotherly relationship. It is powered by great and credible acting from Mark Duplass and Ray Romano. Romano is  quite a revelation because even though he is  a comedian, he can equally shine in dramatic roles. Just be ready with some tissues, when you see this movie.

Knives Out

Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas

Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson,

Toni Collette, Chris Evans,

Michael Shannon, LaKeith Stanfield,

Christoper Plummer

"Everyone has A motive.
No one Has a Clue"

This all-cast murder mystery does reveal early on, the manner the murder was committed. Yet as the plot unfolds, the original cause of death is torn to pieces as the truth slowly comes out.

So the 'murdered' person is famous crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), the patriarch of the family who just celebrated his 85th birthday. Suicide is the cause of his untimely death. 

Enter Lieutenant Elliot (LaKeith Stanfield) the person in charge of investigating the 'suicide'. He is accompanied by renowned detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) who was hired by an anonymous benefactor. They proceed to interview several members of Harlan's immediate family. 

Harlan's eldest daughter Linda Drysdale (Jamie Lee Curtis), a successful business woman and her husband Richard (Don Johnson), next is Linda's brother Walt Thrombey (Michael Shannon) who runs the publishing company which markets his father's books. 

Joni Thrombey (Toni Collette) is Harlan's daughter in law, the widow of his late son Greg. She has a teenage daughter, Meg who is friends with Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas), Harlan's dutiful nurse and caregiver, an immigrant from some Central or South American country. They all answer the queries as honestly as possible even though in the process, they each offer some sort of motive towards wanting Harlan dead, in some way or the other.

Through Blanc's intensive prodding, he discovers that Marta made a mistake while administering Harlan's medicines, he then overdoses on an injection which gives him only 10 minutes to live. Marta is unable to find the antidote so Harlan decides to kill himself so Marta's mother, an illegal immigrant won't be deported when Marta is jailed for the accidental injection. Much to Marta's chagrin and despite her pleas to call an ambulance, Harlan slits his throat.

To make the long story short, several factors such as Blanc's style of investigation, and the appearance of Ransom (Chris Evans), the son of Linda and Richard Drysdale, we find out the real cause of death, the evil mastermind behind the 'murder' and who hired Benoit Blanc. These snippets are all revealed through flashback sequences and leads to a bittersweet conclusion with Marta inheriting everything the patriarch owes as stipulated in his will.

This Agatha Christie style crime thriller with a cast of good actors was refreshing to watch. Daniel Craig shines as Benoit Blanc as we are reminded of Hercules Poirot, the fictional Belgian detective created by Agatha Christie. Not a caricature, mind you. But an equally eccentric detective. The ensemble cast carries the entire narrative on their quite able shoulders. The plot tends to lose some momentum during some scenes but overall it is a clever whodunit which deserves our full attention. 

Parasite(Gisaengchung)

"Misplaced Familyhood"

I don't watch Korean movies or their TV dramas which are all over the boob tube, or online. 

BUT.

With all the fuss about "Parasite", not to mention it winning all the best movie awards from Europe to America, I got curious! 

It is only now that the world is opening up to Director Bong Joon Ho but it seems he has been actively making movies in his native land, South Korea. This tale of two families from very different spectrum of society tackles class conflict and discrimination which the audience no matter our social standing, can totally relate with on many levels.

The Kim family are bottom dwellers, for lack of a better word but they embody it in every sense of the word. The family of 4 - middle aged parents, Ki-woo, their son and their daughter Ki-jung - live in a sub basement of an apartment, getting 'free' pest control (even if they are bathed in toxic chemicals), leeching off the wifi connection of their neighbors, yet they do earn from folding pizza boxes for a small company.

Ki-woo's friend will be studying in the US so he asks Ki-woo to replace him as the English tutor of Da-hye. She is the naive yet smart daughter of the Park couple. She, together with her younger "troubled" brother and parents live in this beautiful house which was designed by Namgoong, a famous architect. The builder of the house had a housekeeper Moon gwang who now works for the Park family. Through a conniving plan, the entire Kim family are also employed by the affluent family as their art therapy tutor, driver and housekeeper.

One rainy night when the Parks are out of town, their former housekeeper shows up at the residence and all hell breaks loose. This occurs about one hour into the film, a twist is revealed through very clever film editing. This otherwise ordinary film suddenly evolves into a morbid and violent tale, a twist of fate which adds more layers to an already complex story line. In this regard, I believe this twist + the "did.it.happen.or.did.not.happen?" ending sets the perfect stage for "Parasite" getting all its accolades, and deservedly so.

It was filmed in some Seoul shanty town depicting the very bare existence of the Kim family. Yet the luxurious mansion of the Park family was built from scratch in the studio. Great visually vibrant sets (the poor district & the upscale neighborhood hidden behind high walls) that highlights the huge social and economic divide between the two families. 

To end - if you ask me, who does the title refer to? I believe, all of them are parasites. The Kim family conniving their way into the household and the good graces of the Parks. The wealthy yet lonely and snobby employers looking down on their 'servants' like insulting their smell. The real bottom dwellers, 3rd part of the equation, yes there are more characters. They are also free loading off the totally clueless Park family. So yes, I get where Bong Joon Ho got the idea behind his award winning critique on the socio-economic barriers between the haves and the have-nots.

The Two Popes

Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce

"Inspired by True Events"

NETFLIX

As a now practicing Catholic, I say 'practicing' because it was in 2008, the year I got married that I truly became a Catholic in every sense of the word. But this post is not about my Catholicism, it is about a heartwarming movie. "The Two Popes" captures an imagined yet intimate scenario between two very different Cardinals who are tasked with the daunting job of steering the Catholic Church of 1.2 billion people into these 'modern' times. 

It starts in 2005 when Pope John Paul II dies, and Cardinals from all over the world are summoned to Rome to elect a new Pope. German Cardinal Ratzinger is elected and now known as Pope Benedict XVI, while Cardinal Bergoglio of Argentina came in second. Then in 2012, the Catholic Church under Pope Benedict is besieged with numerous issues (Vatican Bank bankruptcy, priests embroiled in scandals, close aide of the Pope releasing a book revealing Vatican State secrets) which rock the very fabric of the religious institution. 

Meanwhile, Cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) wants to retire and is summoned to Rome. At the papal summer house located in the beautiful Italian countryside, the two start an introspection. They clash over their differing preaching styles, and intently discuss opposing views about what should be the priorities of  the Church. In the process, they both realize, they are just human and are susceptible to misgivings, and shortcomings. Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins) keeps ignoring Cardinal Bergoglio's request letter to retire, as we shortly find out, he has his own plan of leaving the papacy. Much to the chagrin of Cardinal Bergoglio, who must now be the one to convince the Pope to reconsider his shocking plan.

The Vatican scenes were shot in the studio, replicating the breathtaking Sistine Chapel as the backdrop for the election of a new Pope. One of the highlights is a visually stunning sequence showing the procedure of counting the votes cast by the Cardinals, then adding something to the burning votes so it can emit either a black or white smoke from the chimney. The color of the smoke signifies whether, we, Catholics have a new Pope or not.

Another highlight is the excellent casting of Hopkins and Pryce. Both veteran actors in their elements, playing off each other. Brilliant portrayal of opposing yet equally formidable figures each setting their unique mark as head of the Catholic Church. 

In some parts, it is a biography of Cardinal Bergoglio through flashback scenes, some in black and white, in his native Argentina. How he even had a girlfriend before becoming a priest, how he answered his priesthood calling, his guilt in not condoning the brutalities under a ruthless military regime. His style of preaching among the impoverished masses, preferring to bike to be more accessible to his flock, shunning the trappings of a Cardinal - a very down to earth cleric.

Yet there are no flashback scenes depicting Pope Benedict's past. But it is well known that he is a radically conservative, traditional priest/Cardinal who would spend hours reading dogmas, encyclicals and doctrines. In fact, he introduced several changes in some of the prayers we recite during the Holy Eucharist or the Mass and it is still in effect, today. Pope Benedict's 'retirement' was a very big, drastically shocking move but watching this movie made me better understand his painfully valid and difficult reason to 'quit' the papacy. 

Thus, we do have two Popes now and Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Gardener, City of God) does a great job in humanizing these two leaders of the Catholic Church. And as a Catholic, I am 100 percent confident in Pope Francis' ability to lead his flock in the right direction.  Amen.

The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected)

Dustin Hoffman, Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller,

Elizabeth Marvel, Grace Van Patten,

Emma Thompson, Judd Hirsch, Candice Bergen

NETFLIX

These days, I believe it is a good investment to have a Netflix account. Some good movies are now produced and released by this media streaming provider. All you need is a good internet connection and voila you can watch in the comfort of your home. Just need to find a good time to sit through a movie which normally lasts more or less 2 hours or so. I tend to be picky when it comes to choosing which ones to watch.

The name "Noah Baumbach" usually attracts me right away. A director noted for dramatic comedies with well developed characters and he has an impressive repertoire such as "The Squid & The Whale", "Greenberg" and "Frances Ha" to mention a few, all of which I have absorbed with enthusiasm!

In 2017, he released "The Meyerowitz Stories" on Netflix but it is only now that I managed to see it. The Meyerowitzs are a typical family whose members are estranged from each other, some have valid reasons, while some are just silly, petty reasons. 

The patriarch Harold (Dustin Hoffman) is a 4 times married sculptor and former arts professor. Stuffy and so full of himself, he is now with an alcoholic yet stable influence in his life Maureen (Emma Thompson). Danny (Adam Sandler), his once "musician" son from a previous marriage is in town to get his budding filmmaker daughter Eliza (Grace Van Patten) settled in Bard College, the same institution where Harold taught for 33 years.  Danny's plain sister Jean (Elizabeth Marvel) is also in town for support. Their half and more successful accountant brother Matthew (Ben Stiller) shows up to help in the sale of Harold's house and all its contents even some of his precious art works. 

Harold is aging and stubborn but determined to get a retrospective of his works exhibited in Bard College. Unfortunately, he suffers a mild stroke and is comatose before his main event. This leaves the siblings to interact with each other to assure the legacy of their father is preserved through the exhibit. This short period makes Matthew, Danny and Jean closer to each other. Their past and hidden grievances are aired, put out to dry and get resolved either amicably or through a long overdue fist fight. Self discovery as well as revelations surface, making them appreciate each other more.

These multi-dimensional characters are well acted by a good ensemble cast, headed by Dustin Hoffman, Adam Sandler (a serious non comedic role) and Ben Stiller. The narration unfolds like a dialogue driven play and/or a TV sitcom but never veering away from its main theme - a dysfunctional family who despite their flaws are solidly united by a bloodline. Yes, it is a common story in most movies but this Noah Baumbach managed mature family drama deserves our full attention, mostly for the brilliant performances of its excellent cast.

100 Dinge(100 Things)

4th German Film Week

SM Megamall

Toni and Paul are best friends since childhood. Together, they develop an app for mobile phones called NANA. It is like SIRI but it can be customized to suit the personality and preferences of the owner of the cellphone, working based on complicated algorithms. 

They rush in Paul's dilapidated car to present it to the wealthy owner of a famous software company named David Zuckerman (hint: slight resemblance to Mark Zuckerberg), along with a thousand other app developers who all aim to secure capital for their inventions.

Through some twist of fate, even if they are the last ones to present NANA, Zuckerman is so taken with their app that he immediately present them with 4 Million Euros for their app. Drunken party ensues with Paul & Toni celebrating their victory with the employees of their company. In a drunken state of mind, they both agree to a bet - they will get rid of all their possessions for 100 days and only get one item back, each day at midnight.

Next scene, we see both guys naked, their huge loft type apartments stripped bare. A big hangover still clouds their vision and judgement as they realize their employees emptied them of their precious belongings. Running naked across town to the storage area where their things have been placed is one of the funniest scenes I have seen in a while.

The film focuses on Paul & Toni trying to come to terms with a drastic change in their lifestyle. Toni is methodical, the salesman among them and is very conscious of his looks - taking pills for hair growth, wearing contact lenses because he hates wearing glasses. While Paul is the developer of the app and totally obsessed with his cellphone as NANA who dictates his every movement from buying the latest sneakers online, to even what he has to wear every day.

As we see how the deprivation of material possessions take a toll on their lives, (Paul is like a zombie without NANA while Toni's hair is unruly, has to wear glasses after infecting his eyes from week long contact lenses, OUCH!!) - they also come to terms with meeting realistic goals. Learning that friendship is more important than fancy rubber shoes or a well coiffed hair. Spending time with family and a potential love interest is way better than being obsessed with material things. 

The first part of the plot is engaging as we see how they cope with the bet, how they try to not 'cheat', the frantic race to win the bet. Middle part gets a bit murky with too many side plots distracting away from the main theme with the introduction of a love interest named Lucy for Toni. She is an interesting character with her own 'disability', having an enormous credit card debt, a victim of commercialism as well. 

The ending is rightfully predictable. Even as Zuckerman stole their creation, NANA, passing it off as his own, thus raking in profits, all is not lost for penniless Paul & Toni. A cunning twist manifests itself as sweet revenge. That was brilliant, I didn't expect that at all. A good way to end a comedy that went through many scenarios, naked butts et al, to essentially prove a very compelling point.

Green Book

Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali

"Inspired by a True Friendship"

Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen) is a rough bouncer at a nightclub which closes for renovations. He is then hired by Dr Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) as his chauffeur. The classical pianist and his band are embarking on a tour in venues in the deep South. The setting is in the 1960s when racial segregation is still very much the norm. Armed with the Green Book, a 'travel guide' which lists places/hotels where African Americans are accepted, they venture on a journey of self discovery that leads to their life long friendship.

The plot tackles racial segregation in its raw form. The 1960s was a very difficult era for African Americans and the mere fact that somebody had the temerity to come up with a green book is mind boggling to me. A sad yet interesting fact I only discovered by watching this film. This biopic presents an authentic portrayal of the period. It didn't matter that Dr. Shirley was a learned classical pianist who could speak several languages, the mere color of his skin was met with a lot of bigotry in the Southern part of the country. 

Tony Lip was quite an interesting character. A street smart Italian American living in the Bronx, he himself was kind of a bigot. But I'd say, his hatred stems mostly from ignorance or not knowing any better. By the way, he got his moniker because he could talk his way out of any kind of trouble. His tough stance came in handy when Dr. Shirley faced many forms of discrimination during the tour. Viggo Mortensen's performance was excellent, he truly imbibed his character.

Mahershala Ali from the House of Cards, Moonlight and the current True Detective series on HBO was great. His characterization of Dr. Shirley was spot on - from his deep voice delivering dialogue clearly, his strong screen presence, his finesse, his wisdom and his humility despite being a great pianist - it was very well acted.

I love this movie as it explores how two complete opposite individuals who come from different backgrounds forge a deep friendship based on respect, admiration and tolerance.

Destination Wedding (2018)

Winona Ryder, Keanu Reeves

"Check your Baggage"

Frank (Keanu Reeves) and Lindsay (Winona Ryder), two strangers on their way to a destination wedding collide with each other through constant bickering over anything and everything. 

Frank is the brother of the groom, while Lindsay was the ex-gf of the groom even though they both don't seem to be close to either of the marrying couple. It is never explained why Frank and Lindsay were invited, at all. Always bitter and highly egotistical, these two strangers have a lot more in common than they care to admit to themselves and to each other. 

"Before Sunrise" - it is definitely NOT even though it seems to copy the Richard Linklater masterpiece. This is the most dialogue I have seen Keanu Reeves deliver in his entire career. Heh. While Winona Ryder has aged well and tries her best to keep up with the pacing of both the dialogue of Keanu as well as the slow progress of the story line. She gets an A+ for her effort. I can only cringe at the thought of poor Winona putting up with Keanu's character irritating  and really disgusting gurgling sounds. Oy!

The setting of the film in wine county is lovely and certainly didn't add any of its charm to this highly disappointing reunion of Ryder and Reeves. Perhaps in some distant future, they can get together in an action film instead of a trying hard 'intellectual' romantic comedy. 

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

Amanda Seyfried, Lily James, Dominic Cooper,

Julie Waters, Christine Baranski, Hugh Skinner,

Josh Dylan, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Cher

Jeremy Irvine, Andy Garcia, Stellan Skarsgard

10 years later, the sequel to the popular musical movie Mamma Mia is back. This time, the story takes off 5 years later, when Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is preparing for the grand reopening of the Hotel Bella Donna. The small B&B on the Greek isle first opened by her mother Donna (Meryl Street). 

We find out Donna is no longer in the picture but no details or any mention of how she passed away is revealed. Through seamless flashbacks, a young Donna (Lily James) who just graduated from Oxford, discovers herself on the small Greek isle. Her aspirations, her romantic life dating three guys (one of whom is Sophie's biological father), her pregnancy then her decision to start a bed and breakfast to support herself. All of these situations are naturally filled with Abba songs.

The same cast (but some of them older) is present in full force, singing their hearts out, belting Abba tunes - some of them familiar songs while others are songs I've never heard before. The story shifts effortlessly between the young Donna and the present day with Sophie trying her best to keep the memory of her mother alive through the Hotel Bella Donna.

The plot is believable and works well with the songs they chose to represent each situation. Lily James is a refreshing presence as the young Donna, she does well to carry the entire movie on her shoulders and dare I mention, she sings way better than Meryl Street. 10 years is a long time difference for a sequel to come out, but the plot is simple enough, you can easily piece together the story. 

A couple of flaws - the casting of the younger men in Donna's life. They all look alike and I couldn't tell them apart and who they grow up to be. Maybe I wasn't paying too much attention in the first film so I didn't know the names of the characters Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard were portraying. I got a bit confused in the sequel. 

Now, Cher as Sophie's grandmother, What? Not credible at all, I don't how and where it is possible for Cher to be Meryl Streep's mother. Then Ruby (Cher) whole connection with the Andy Garcia character is just plain stupid. Probably just a silly excuse for Cher to sing "Fernando".  

I don't have an issue with characters bursting into song while acting. Clearly everyone knows this is a musical. I love most of the Abba songs and it was a good walk down memory lane hearing songs I grew up listening to during my childhood. It was also a good introduction to their songs which didn't fare well at the music charts.

Ocean's Eight

Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett,

Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter,

Mindy Kaling, Rhianna, Sarah Paulson

"Every con has its Pros"

So in this very PC environment, the age of the #MeToo movement, gender equality and feminism, the big studio honchos decided a remake of the Ocean's 11 franchise, but this time with an all female cast would be a good idea. 

You know, that heist movie with an ensemble cast led by George Clooney, which was itself a remake of the 1960 film with the same title which starred Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr among others. Back then, they were popularly known as the Rat Pack.

It (Clooney's 11) worked NOT because it had an all male cast but mostly due to the interesting story line, sleek cinematography, numerous twists and turns. Plus the premise that a bunch of misfits can pull off a heist in a Las Vegas casino and get away with it was an added bonus. 

Now back to Ocean's 8 - the ensemble cast composed of talented actresses in their own right failed to capture our attention as much as the original film did. The plot lacked a certain something for us to be fully invested in a group of women who decide to pull off a jewelry heist during the famous Met Ball. That annual fundraising fashion event held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume institute in New York City. 

The heist is led by Debbie (Sandra Bullock), the estranged sister of Danny Ocean who just came out of prison after serving her 5 years. It seems that jail did not reform the ex convict as she gathers a bunch of eccentrics to plan the stealing of a 150 Million US$ necklace. A piece of jewelry to be worn at the Met Gala by an floozy actress named Daphne Kluger (Anne Hathaway). 

The twists and turns were not riveting enough and also the motley crew characters were not engrossing personas. Too bad the great cast couldn't salvage this average heist movie. Perhaps next time, they should think twice, even thrice before they venture into a spin-off of an already well loved franchise. Such a pity to waste such talented actresses, really.

Survival Family

Eiga Sai 2018

Japanese Film Festival

Greenbelt 1, Cinema 2

A family of 4 - a couple + their teenage children embark on a journey of survival as Japan and later it seems the entire world experience a power outage, which also affected computerized and battery enabled products. 

In a highly industrial country like the land of the Rising Sun, power plays a major part in everything which affects the citizens' daily life. From cars, trains, airplanes to water supply, elevators in high rise buildings even the biometric machine to enter office buildings. Nothing is operational, turning lives upside down as they come to grips with a reality mired in darkness and chaos.

What started as a power interruption soon extends for days even months, thus the Suzuki family decide to travel to the countryside (to the hometown of the mother) on their bicycles with very bare essentials to tie them over. Hordes of people walking on expressways, most of them biking to distant places, anywhere but Tokyo which has been transformed into a ghost town. 

Yet I have to say, it is only in Japan that you will see people being so calm and accepting of such a bleak situation. No looting, no erupted violence - well it wasn't shown in this film, anyway.

The Suzuki family with an office worker dad, a housewife mom, a bratty daughter and an aloof son  - soon enough bond together during their 'road trip'. In a society where everyone have their noses down and busy with their smartphones, it was refreshing to see a family actually talking and doing activities together without any distractions.

It is mostly a light comedy which aims not to take the serious occurrence too seriously. The Suzuki family encounters well meaning strangers on the road, fleeting moments as they eventually part ways. They eventually settle in this gorgeous coastal town sans electricity but plenty of activities like weaving, gardening and actual conversations with each other to occupy their time.

 A good film that shows us how we tend to be too dependent on technology and its effects on modern society. Aloofness, lack of bonding moments, lost of face to face communication taking a toll on our lives. It could have been set in any country and we would all be able to relate to our dependence on technology, nowadays.

P.S.

The global power outage lasted for two and a half years and it was blamed on solar flares or an approaching comet. 

Wonder Woman (2017)

Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, 

Robin Wright, Connie Nielsen, 

Danny Huston, David Thewlis

"Power. Grace. Wisdom. Wonder."

I grew up watching Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman in the 1980s. A tough woman fighting crime and just doing good for mankind. I never knew about her back story, the who, the how and the why she was a superhero. Well considering that this was back in the days when google didn't exist so information wasn't readily available in one click. So I was really invested in this film because it explores her background and how she became a superhero. 

At a young age, Diana (Gal Gadot) was already quite fierce. The daughter of Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) an Amazon warrior and Zeus himself, she was of privilege stock. But this didn't keep her from watching other Amazon warriors practicing their warrior skills, led by her aunt Antiope (Robin Wright). Their little paradise like world called Themyscira filled with only women is suddenly 'invaded' by German troops who were chasing an American pilot named Steve Trevor (Chris Pine). He just happens to be a spy and somehow thinks he can stop the German army from winning the war.

Having grown in an all female environment, Diana is both curious and intrigued with the pilot. But once he mentions about a war, she becomes more interested as she was raised to believe that Ares, an evil demigod is out to destroy the world so she decides to accompany Steve to find so called villain to stop his evil intentions.

She soon joins Steve in his fight to stop the Germans in developing an vital tool that will annihilate the entire opposing forces. For a woman and an Amazon warrior, she is quite fearless yet at the same time she displays a certain vulnerability that makes her quite an endearing character to root for. 

Gal Gadot is a mesmerizing figure to watch as Wonder Woman. She is quite beautiful and has this twinkle in her eyes that adds to her charismatic superhero image. The innocence as well as the bravery of Diana is well manifested by Gadot in her first leading role. Her chemistry with Chris Pine is believable enough for a romantic interest without resorting to silly love scenes which can sometimes just ruin the entire love story angle. She carries the entire film on her worthy shoulders and although there are certain flaws in her acting, we are all willing to let it slide as she is the Wonder Woman, after all.

The setting is the first World War so there are enough fight scenes befitting a conflict. Action sequences are also a plenty and they are all executed well. The plot develops at a good pace with the usual theme of good vs evil  prevalent in superhero movies with an unexpected twist that leads towards an exciting, action filled conclusion. 

An entertaining movie with just enough relevance and gravitas to elevate it above the other superheroes movies, that simply rely on bombastic computer generated effects to draw a  crowd.

La Noche qui mi Madre mato mi Padre(The Night my Mother killed my Father)

Pelikula: Spanish Film Festival

Cinema 1, Greenbelt 3

This comedy which unfolds during 'business' dinner has all the right elements of a good film where situational humor is used instead of slapstick or silly antics from its characters.

An actress past her prime plan is to convince a popular Argentinian actor to be part of a new project. Her scriptwriter boyfriend and his ex-wife who is a producer is also part of the dinner ensemble. When the actress's ex-husband shows up with his new girlfriend, things spiral out of control and her play is interrupted. Or was it really a ploy and part of her plan? All sorts of twists and turns develop and it is these situations which really add sparkle to this comedy.

The cast of veteran Spanish actors, all perform really well. Their combined acting skills do contribute to a successful comedic romp with a 'modern family' type of setting. It is mostly dialogue driven, the plot moves at a fast pace and then slowly eases down to a believable conclusion. This comedy could have easily gone wrong with too much hysterics but thankfully it didn't!

What a Wonderful Family!

Eiga Sai

Japanese Film Festival

Cinema 2, Shang Cineplex

This comedy tackles the various reactions/effects stemming from the announcement of the matriarch of the family that she wants a divorce from her husband of almost 50 years.  A statement which she uttered when her recently retired husband asked her late in the evening what she wanted for her birthday given that he totally forgot she turned a year older.

Divorce is a serious matter for any couple but this film presents us with a lighthearted and funny scenario for all those affected by the impending uncoupling of a married couple in the twilight of their years. Their grown children with families of their own, the neighbors even the whole community is abuzz with the news. 

I guess it is common in Japanese society for the woman to take a back seat to her husband. To attend to his every need, prepare his meals, do his laundry aside from taking care of the household and rearing children. 

I read that divorce among older Japanese couples is also a growing trend. Women who have devoted their lives towards caring for their families suddenly want their freedom from their tedious chores once their children have families of their own and move out of the ancestral home. 

They find themselves stuck in a loveless marriage with a person with whom they have grown apart from, find they have nothing in common anymore and want to go seek greener pastures. It doesn't necessarily mean that they will go have relationships with other men. It might simply mean that they can do whatever they want without the restrictions imposed upon them.  It must be liberating to finally pursue their interests, their suppressed hobbies and enroll in a new craft like painting or creative writing. Anything that would give their self esteem a much needed boost.

Alright so I got carried away hehe.  Back to the film, the entire cast is believable in their portrayal of the different family members. The setting is a middle class residential area with local flavors like a neighborhood bar serving its loyal customers sake and ramen. Plot is filled with comedic scenes, crazy loud family gatherings amidst a quaint locale.  As to whether they do get a divorce, well you have to wait till the conclusion and then form your own opinion as to whether it was the right or wrong decision. Heh!

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men tell no Tales

Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem,

Geoffrey Rush, Kaya Scodelario,

Brenton Thwaites, Orlando Bloom

AMC Plus Cinema, Pacific Place HK

After a tasty buffet lunch to celebrate Mom's birthday here in humid HK, we decided to watch a film ... any film for that matter. It has to be said that I rarely view movies within the dark confines of a cinema theater, nowadays.  

Not only was it a treat, this particular film was being shown in 3D with special vibrating seats to boot. This is my very first time to wear 3D glasses because (1) I have the impression it would make me dizzy (2) I prefer the traditional sans special effects type of entertainment.

But there is a first time for everything so bring it on! I have seen all of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and they are definitely popcorn movies. The term refers to films that are fun to watch but not particularly good, they are usually riddled with special effects and offer a pure form of escapism. In short, they are entertaining and don't require much brain cells activity.

By this 5th offering of the franchise, Johnny Depp can portray the irreverent Captain Jack Sparrow in his sleep. Probably under the influence of alcohol too just to make sense of the numerous shenanigans his character goes through.

The common elements of this franchise are still applicable here ... the numerous cast, the comical sequences of Jack Sparrow making a fool of himself (the guillotine and bank vault scenes were a hoot!), the jokes, the explosive special effects both on land and in the unforgiving waves of the vast ocean, the murky narrative with several side plots involving curses and mysterious spells all meshed to create a chaotic maritime adventure and the pirate parlance in various accents.

For me, I found it way easier to grasp the story line in this installment. A complex full blown and well drawn out tale of revenge and redemption unfolding in a span of 129 minutes. 

I enjoyed it and I conclude by saying that wearing 3D glasses wasn't as bad as I expected even though a close up visual of Javier Bardem as the decaying Capitan Salazar was terrifyingly nightmarish. I had to close my eyes from time to time. 

The seat vibration though was thankfully quite mild and it did its part of preventing me from falling asleep.  Well this isn't necessarily due to the film per se so I'd attribute it to still being quite full from the delicious buffet lunch.

P.S.

We did stay behind to wait for the short teaser/preview of the next movie after the very long credits. Well just for the heck of it because I'm clueless about its significance or how it fits into the whole franchise. 

Captain Fantastic

Viggo Mortensen, George Mackay,

Samantha Isler, Frank Langella

"He prepared Them for Everything

except the Outside world"

You will be wrong if you assume from its title that this is a superhero action filled movie. Instead, you will be mesmerized by this indie film with an unconventional plot with well developed characters that shall tug at your heartstrings. Well if you are so inclined because I admit not everyone can identify nor agree with the way these characters live their lives.

Ben Cash (Viggo Mortensen) lives in a deeply forested area (somewhere in the Pacific Northwest) where he has set up residence with his wife Leslie and their 6 children whose ages range from 6 to 18 years of age. Each morning, he awakens them with the sound of a bagpipe, then they have combat training where they are taught survival skills like hunting, weapons training, mountain climbing. 

During the evenings they all gather around a camp fire to read books about quantum physics and novels from radical thinkers like Dostoevsky, Karl Marx and Nabokov. The children are well versed both in survival skills as well as intellectually albeit their views are derived mostly from extremely left wing ideologies. Something which their parents have instilled in them since birth, no doubt. 

Early on, it is revealed that Leslie has been confined in some institution for bi-polar/depression by her parents who don't approve of her decision to live off the grid. Tragically, she kills herself so Ben must bring the grief stricken children out of the wilderness for her funeral. Something Ben is determined to stop as Leslie expressed in her will, she be cremated and her ashes flushed down the toilet. Yes, quite eccentric but that is how they roll. Heh!

The film turns into a long road trip to New Mexico where we see how difficult it is for the kids to adapt to the outside world where gadgets, pop culture and everything they have openly been taught to reject is now glaring at them up close and personal. 

Culture shock manifests itself and each of them react differently to their discovery of the 'real' world. It is an eye opener too for Ben as this experience raises troubling questions about his parenting style and how this alternative lifestyle might affect the future of the closely-knitted clan.

Viggo Mortensen, a very gifted actor who thinks out of the box and doesn't conform to the Hollywood type (which is a good thing, mind you!) is perfect as the authoritarian hippie whose radical views are extreme yet also has a soft heart when it comes to his family. The young actors portraying the children are very credible too. 

The cinematography is vibrant from the lush greenery of the wilderness to the colorful hippie-like attires of the characters. Running at almost 2 hours, it could benefit from some clever editing but its out-of-the-ordinary narrative was refreshing. Highly recommended!

Bridget Jones' s Baby

Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth,

Patrick Dempsey, Gemma Jones,

Jim Broadbent

"Old Flame. New Fling. Big Problem."

After almost 2 decades, beloved Bridget Jones is back. She is now 43 years old, less chubby yet still her goofy adorable self. Now working as a TV producer, her career is thriving even though she is still very much single.

Renee Zellweger reprises her role as the charming Bridget complete with the British accent and dry humor without missing a single beat. Bridget is in a dilemma when she finds out she is pregnant and is not sure who her baby daddy is. The two 'culprits' are either Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), her ex-flame with whom she hooks up at a friend's wedding and Jack Qwant (Patrick Dempsey), an American billionaire she meets at a music festival. 

The film goes through great lengths to keep the audience guessing who is the father of Bridget Jones's baby. We are kept entertained with the corny (for want of a better word) and funny (mis)adventures of dear Bridget. She does her best to keep the two men in her lives separate from each other but we all know that eventually they are bound to cross paths and understandably, chaos ensues. 

All the lead characters (Colin Firth, Renee Zellweger and Patrick Dempsey) are older both physically and mentally yet they still retain the charming qualities which endeared them to us their avid fans from way back when the franchise first started. The movie and the novels on which it was based inspired many single chubby (or otherwise) ladies to never lose hope.  

It was refreshing to see these characters again even though the story veered towards the absurd and sometimes ridiculous scenarios which Bridget always finds herself in. The feel-good predictable conclusion is a fitting happily-ever-after ending for this much loved character.  

Belle Familles(Families)

French Film Festival 2016

Greenbelt 3 Cinema 

When Jerome makes a side trip to Paris (before he heads to London for a business venture) to visit to his family, he learns that the sale of their ancestral mansion has encountered a bureaucratic problem between city hall and a potential buyer. 

Jerome who has lived and worked in Shanghai for a decade is accompanied by his Chinese fiancee whom he wishes to introduce to his family. But soon enough, his involvement in the sale of their house entails him to stay much longer than he expected to as he discovers the secrets attached to his childhood manor. In the process it affects his business trip, his relationship with his fiancee as well as his filial duties.

This farcical comedy boasts of a great ensemble cast (I'm familiar with a few of the actors as I've seen them in other movies) who portray a myriad of high strung characters who act out a very energetic and fast paced story line. 

It is a typical French milieu with the provincial town of Ambray providing the picturesque setting to a complex narrative about  family secrets, strong childhood ties, nostalgia and also throw in an unexpected romance to the mix. All the ingredients needed to make it a watchable movie without any nagging existential questions clouding your mind.

It is an entertaining but somewhat predictable movie that is so French that you can't help but think of the hashtag #BourgeoisProblems!