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Rain Town (2023)
I really wanted to like this more
Rain Town tells the story of a Malaysian family in Taiping. Some good cinematography showing the beauty of the location. The potential elements of a good story are there - the domineering, ultra controlling father, the patient self effacing mother, feckless younger son, kind daughter, and broody doctor to be eldest son. But something is missing. The characters are a bit too clichéd to be believed. The actors are talented but the script doesn't allow them to develop the characters in any depth and the tone just doesn't ring quite true. Nevertheless, I do hope the director will persist and continue to make movies to develop the Malaysian film industry.
The Diplomat (2023)
The best TV series of 2023 to date
What a great show! If you liked the West Wing, you'll love this. Even if you didn't, you'll still love this. Keri Russell is triumphant in her role as the US ambassador to the UK. She's better in this than in the Americans. The supporting cast are wholly excellent and all of them give great performances, with Rufus Sewell and David Gyasi being particularly outstanding. The dialogue is whipsmart excellent and the pace keeps humming along. Excellent plotting keeps you guessing and waiting to see what Keri Russell does next in her role. The plot twists are breathtaking and I really cannot wait for season 2!
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
Really wanted to like this
The first Black Panther was fabulous and I really wanted to like this one. But despite the great actors, it's clear that Chadwick Boseman left a hole too big to fill with his untimely death. I caught myself looking at my watch half an hour in - not a good sign. It feels strangely bloated and far too long. It felt like it needed a really good edit to bring it down to less than two hours. The blue people felt like they belonged in a different movie like Avatar? Strangely, I did not care much about the characters that much this time around - maybe we've had too many superhero movies. A little disappointed.
Around the World in 80 Days (2021)
I wasn't sure if I would like this but I'm glad I watched it
Pretty entertaining stuff and I've always liked David Tennant and he's well cast as a 'round peg in a square hole' Fogg. The anti-woke complainers seem stuck in a previous century. Ignore them and enjoy this.
Black Widow (2021)
Probably the best MCU movie to date
Well developed lead characters, great action, and good plot. Scarlet Johansson and Florence Pugh have great chemistry whenever they are on screen together. I'm only sorry that we won't be seeing the Black Widow character in future.
The Good Fight (2017)
Season 5. Got their mojo back!
Entertaining and interesting this time around. Makes you care again about the characters after the relative blandness of the previous two seasons. Diane (Christine Batanski) is excellent as usual.
Les Misérables (2012)
Magnificent!
If you persevere through the opening act, you will be amply rewarded for your patience. True, Crowe's singing does not match those around him but the other performances are good enough that his miscasting does not stay with you for too long.
Tom Hooper's use of close-ups gives you an intimacy that would never have been possible on stage. Anne Hathaway is a revelation. She has performed the definitive "I dream a dream" and has set the standard to which all others will now be judged. No matter how many times I listen to her rendition, I always feel a lump in my throat. Despite the short time that she is on, she steals the scenes that she's in and truly deserves an Oscar for best supporting actress role.
Hugh Jackman is superb and fits the role of Jean Valjean perfectly. In truth, excellent performances abound - Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Barks - to name but a few.
If there is only one film that you would see this year and even if you don't enjoy musicals, I would say that this is the one that you should see - no question.
Life in a Day (2011)
Making the ordinary extraordinary
Many of us struggle to experience something beautiful and extraordinary in our lives, trying to do things which allow us to feel a little special in the midst of our daily lives. What this film shows us is exactly the opposite - that the extraordinary in our lives lies in the midst of our daily activities, if we can just allow ourselves to accept and appreciate our lives without any preconditions. We also discover through this film that many others also share our hopes, fears, humanity and prejudices.
I salute those who have shared their most intimate moments and private experiences with the rest of us for in having the courage to allow themselves to be seen, they have shown us that it is possible to live through life's difficulties and still persevere - such is the resilience of the human spirit.
You see the Japanese father and his young son living in an abject mess and wonder why. Then you see them offering incense in remembrance of the deceased mother and you get that lump in your throat. There are many other poignant moments - a young man telling his grandmother that he is gay - you can almost hear her struggling for the right things to say on the other end of the 'phone.
This film is also about connection and what it is to be human. Despite the sometimes blurry images, it succeeds extremely well - you care about the people sharing their stories - because they are real people with authentic stories, and not from the fevered imagination of a Hollywood scriptwriter.
Make sure you stay to the end to watch the final clip.
It is probably the best movie I have seen this year - quite a masterpiece of experimental film making.
If you only see one movie this year, make it this one.
The Tourist (2010)
Inconsequential but mildly entertaining fluff
I guess that Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp must have had a few spare weeks in their schedule and nothing better to do than to make a bit of money on the side in this rather pointless meandering movie. I'm a big fan of Jolie and will watch any movie she's in. Not only is she a wonderful actor but also absolutely gorgeous to boot. To misquote Dr. K, my favourite reviewer, I could watch her reading the phone book dressed in overalls and not be bored.
But - dear oh dear, what a shame to waste her talents on this - I just hope that she puts what she has earned to good use. The plot is rather lame and if you can't spot the likely outcome after the first 15 minutes, then you have probably left your brains at the ticket booth. The scenery is stunning. Ms. Jolie is always perfectly beautiful but her costumes seem a little overwhelming. The lack of chemistry between her and a haggard looking Depp is rather unfortunate and a result of poor casting. He just isn't her type, no matter how hard she tries to pretend that he does.
Watch only if you have nothing better to do on a rainy afternoon and want to kill some time. But be prepared to have zero expectations.