Transformers: Rise of the Beast

A fun, mindless summer popcorn, CGI-heavy, action-packed studio flick that sufficiently entertained without requiring too much, or any, thinking. Director Steven Caple Jr. may not have the directorial flare and action choreography finesse of Michael Bay, but the action sequences were exciting enough, not too messy and had minimal unnecessary slow-mo moments. But in particular, there was a bit more heart here than the last few entries in the franchise. 

The humans, Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback, had good character moments and their chemistry was genuine. It was a good choice not to push a romantic relationship between them which kept the film slightly more grounded. Both these actors are definitely going places (after their star making turns in “In the Heights” and “Judas and the Black Messiah” respectively) and hopefully this step into franchise territory will only introduce them to a bigger audience, better roles, and potentially awards contention. 

There was nothing much to talk with regard to the plot. Same thing as usual, find the McGuffin and save Earth from Evil. No big twists, no new revelations, except maybe now the good guys (robots) are actually animals? But apparently, we needed four guys to write the same old thing (and one for the story). Although, the ending did suggest a potential Hasbro shared-universe franchise could be coming our way. And undoubtedly a sequel is on its way. 

At just slightly over 2 hours, thisleast the CGI-assisted transformations still delivered a kick. That was the least we could ask for, and not another MCU debacle. 

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

It is time for Harrison Ford - and perhaps even Indiana Jones (in this iteration at least) - to finally hang up his whip and fedora. There was some nostalgic excitement as we watched Ford re-inhabit the role and Phoebe Waller-Bridge was a fun, dynamic addition (as compared to Shia LaBeouf’s character not the actor). However, James Mangold’s direction, though thrilling for the action sequences, lacked the flare, ingenuity and natural excitement of original director Steven Spielberg - yes, even with the previous Crystal Skull. 

One major issue laid in Ford’s age, because even as he continued to dish out quips - most do land, as did his banter with Waller-Bridge - his aging body just did not translate into adequate and/or believable action sequences. This was even despite all the de-aging technology, plot contrivances to put Indy in vehicular chases (or on horseback in one case) or simply conveniently explained away with a line or two of (eye-rolling) dialogue. 

And yes, the screenplay by all four (4!) screenwriters was mostly unimaginative and clunky. They seemed to be trying so hard to recapture the magic of the original that they forgot about character development and nuances. Indiana Jones was never just about the adventure, but also Indy’s relationship with Marion and his father, and a little to Willie and Short Round. And in this film, Indy’s relationship with his god-daughter just seemed superficial and in service of moving the narrative rather than deepening it. 

At least we still had John Williams scoring the adventure and the opening notes of Indy’s theme (and Marion’s too) never failed to just speed up the heart rate just that little bit more. 

The cinematography by Phedon Papamichael had some good moments, in particular in the third act where the nostalgic Indy adventure really kicked into gear. 

Waller-Bridge may be a good choice to continue the franchise, if they really wanted to, but we do have “Tomb Raider”, so maybe just, really, goodbye and good night to Indiana Jones.  

Asteroid City

Wes Anderson’s latest was so deliberately Wes Anderson-esque that it was bordering on self-indulgent and over stylised, with style and aesthetics taking priority over narrative and character development. This was no where near top tier Anderson, but at least it was a step up from “The French Dispatch”, though not much higher. One’s enjoyment of “Asteroid City” really depend on how much one enjoy Anderson’s schtick. However, undeniably, “Asteroid City” was one hell of a visual feast. It was sumptuously lensed by Robert Yeoman and impeccably designed by Adam Stockhausen, with another fun score by Alexandre Desplat. 

What worked well in this film, especially compared to “The French Dispatch”, was that it had a tighter narrative through line - its metatexual storytelling was fun but not too extreme - and a more cohesive cast that brilliantly bounced off each other even though, as usual, some actors got their “moments”. 

Jason Schwartzman was a brilliant standout. He really nailed the nuances and idiosyncrasies that characterised an Anderson leading man. His main scene partner was Scarlett Johansson and they had good chemistry together, and Johansson did fit in as an Anderson ensemble member. As did newcomer Tom Hanks who most likely replaced Bill Murray, who was not missed, so kudos to Hanks. Jeffrey Wright had one great scene, Maya Hawke and Rupert Friend had good chemistry, Hope Davis was sardonically blithe, Adrian Brody and Edward Norton seemed to be having fun, and Tilda Swinton was being Tilda. Others like Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie and Hong Chau were more extended cameos for a significant scene. 

But it was Jeff Goldblum and the kiddos that really stole the show. The former was just simply the highlight of the film, whereas the latter grounded it emotionally and prevented Anderson from getting overly meta and out of control. 

At a tight 105 minutes, “Asteroid City” was a fun, delightful watch, gloriously stylish with a simple, but effective, mix of drama and comedy, wit and pathos.  

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse [IMAX]

A gloriously exuberant superhero action film that effused with chaotic energy, crackling comedy and some heartfelt tenderness. The animation was thrilling and exciting, with each spider-verse innovatively designed to be distinctive yet identifiable. This was one animated film where the animation itself was a crucial driving engine propelling the narrative and the vibes of the film, so kudos to the directors - all three of them. Their vision truly brought out the comic-book aesthetics and unstoppable page-turning quality that reminded us of a really good graphic novel/comic; that and also Daniel Pemberton’s heart-thumping score which really accelerated the fight sequences/large action set pieces. 

The story itself was simple enough, now that the multiverse has lost its novelty, with the twists as expected as they were. The film could have been a bit tighter and did less fan service. It was a  Marvel/MCU Easter eggs galore that although entertaining and tongue-in-cheek, did make the film 15-20 minutes longer than it needed to be. 

What really worked was Gwen Stacy, and by extension Hailee Steinfeld, as the co-lead. Steinfeld’s voice work was on point and carried the necessary emotionally pathos and drama. Other standouts included Jake Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Karan Soni, Daniel Kaluuya , Issa Rae and Oscar Isaac. 

Shameik Moore as Miles Morales got the wisecracking banter and patter down, but he somehow lacked the vocal gravitas and depth to emote the necessary drama that the second and third act required. 

And like almost all MCU films, our primary villain lacked dimensions and character. His motivations are as nebulous as his animation, and his development was equally flat. Hopefully the third entry can remedy that. 

Yes, the film ended on a cliffhanger. Even at 140 minutes long, there was no conclusion which seemed to frustrate most of my audience who possibly did not know that beforehand. However, it did build up expectations for the finale, both to its detriment - if it falls short - or to its unparalleled success - if it exceeds. And hopefully with its track record thus far, this might turn out to be the best Spider-Man trilogy of them all. 

Watching it on IMAX was brilliant and there were no stingers at the end.  

The Little Mermaid

A winsome, feel good reimagining of the classic animation buoyed by a perfectly cast Halle Bailey and a superbly on-point Alan Menken (his score was on overdrive), this was an absolutely fun and engaging live-action Disney remake that successfully rode the wave of nostalgia for the adults, but yet also very likely to leave an indelible mark on this new generation of young ones. 

The four classic songs, as always, remained highlights with Daveed Diggs’ Sebastian stealing the spotlight with a brilliantly updated version of “Under the Sea” (choreographed with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre!) that was so much fun and a definite high point. But of course, we started first with Bailey’s powerful and soulful singing through “Part of your world”, instantly transporting back to the days of my youth. The next scene stealer then belonged to “Kiss the Girl” - omg, just please kiss the girl!!! Lastly, we had Melissa McCarthy hamming it up as Ursula (with a bit of extra backstory potentially laying the grounds for a backdoor villain origin story á la “Maleficent”) and doing a terrifically scary rendition of “Poor Unfortunate Souls”. 

The new songs, on the other hand, mostly did not work. Prince Eric’s new solo, “Wild Unchartered Waters” had some of the most forced rhyming courtesy of Lin-Manuel Miranda, and melodically, Menken made it a belter, but Jonah Hauer-King, though decent, did not do it justice. Perhaps, considering this, they should have cast a singer/Broadway star? Miranda’s other contribution, “The Scuttlebug”, fared better, but will also depend on how one feels about a sudden inclusion of a rap in a Disney musical, and also of Awkafina’s rapping. “For the First Time”, on the other hand, was better written, beautifully expressing Ariel’s emotion and state of mind, and sung so passionately by Bailey that it was hard not to empathise with our little mermaid. 

Acting-wise, Bailey was great as the love lorn ingenue, but less convincing in the more serious moments. Nonetheless, it were the former moments that really sold the story especially in the first two acts. McCarthy was hammy but boy, they did Ursula dirty with that makeup. Hauer-King was easy on the eyes and he had chemistry with Bailey, but he does not leave much of an impression. And Javier Bardem was absolutely miscast. Voice-acting wise, Diggs was a winner, Awkafina’s mileage depends on how much one can tolerate her voice though at least her screen time was not too much, and Jacob Tremblay was a perfect Flounder (his CGI counterpart less so). 

And yes, the CGI was highly distracting (and sometimes distressing). This was, undoubtedly, no “Avatar 2” which has set the standard so high for all future underwater films. However, in this case, even the above-water, land-based scenes were badly CGI-ed. 

But despite its faults, “The Little Mermaid” had enough charm, nostalgia and feel goodness to surf through its over 2 hours run time (135 minutes) to bring smiles, laughters, drama, tension, romance and just a jolly fun time!  

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

James Gunn's final MCU entry was a fun but overlong - 2.5 hours! - chaotic and messy film. Its cast obviously had great chemistry together after many films and specials together, and there was a lot of heart it, some a bit too manipulative, but, hey, Gunn and the Guardians have earned it at least. However, with a screenplay that focused on the heart, writer/director Gunn forgot about the brain, and there was only that far one could carry a story on heart alone if the logic gaps start getting too big and blatant, and brings the audience out of the story.

Nonetheless, most of the laughs - more chuckles, some LOLs - and the finale heartstrings tug were deserving, and remind us that the misfits of the Guardians were truly the heart of the MCU Infinity Saga; and Drax and Mantis were a new pairing that working (firmly established since their Christmas special). Although Drax's mileage is heavily dependent on how much one enjoys Dave Bautista's performance and Drax's characterisation.

Although, importantly, GOTG3 did Adam Warlock nasty! It was an absolute waste of Warlock the character and Will Poulter the actor. This was not the Warlock from the Marvel comics - far from it - and although Poulter seemed like he was having fun in the role (more than what we could say for Elizabeth Debicki who seemed bored and regretted signing on to the MCU), there was just not enough of him and his wry comic timing. But Poulter at least made the case that we deserve an Adam Warlock standalone movie.

Other than Poulter, the other standouts were our primary villain the High Evolutionary, played by Chukwudi Iwuji, who chewed the scenery with delightful, egomaniacal glee, and the voice acting of Bradley Cooper as Rocket as the emotional core of this instalment. 

Chris Pratt was just being Chris Pratt (again); Zoe Saldana seemed like she is finally glad to be done with this role; Karen Gillan has a dry, sardonic humour that was wasted under all that prosthetics/makeup/CGI.

After Vol 1, Gunn's music choices seemed forced and fan service-y, and the needle drops here continued to be so. They felt inorganic and less tongue-in-cheek, and more in place to fill up the silence rather than contribute to the story. It might have been better if composer John Murphy had the chance to score the film more fully. However, at least, our closing song - spoiler - Florence + the Machine's "Dog Days are Over" was a definite banger and fun highlight of the whole film.

The CGI for GOTG3 was also definitely a step up from Ant Man 3, but there were still moments where the artifice really stood out. Maybe Marvel really need to slow down their production to allow their VFX artists more time to improve their craft.

As per usual, stay tune for mid and end-credits stingers! 

 

Suzume ( すずめの戸締まり)

I will say it here first: there is a high chance that Makoto Shinkai's latest animated film will get into next year's Oscar race, pending if Hayao Miyazaki's new film will get released in time too. 

However, as the first film, since Miyazki's Spirited Away to compete in the Berlin International Film Festival, it will not be a stretch to imagine that non-Japanese viewers will embrace this fantastical yet surprisingly grounded animation that was not only laugh out loud funny, but also achingly emotional and tender. However, Japanese viewers - or even those who had suffered some sort of natural disaster - may find the subject matter a bit too close to heart. The emotional trauma to losing a loved one to earthquakes and tsunamis may be still too raw.

Suzume could be Shinkai's most matured work and definitely a step up from Weathering with You. It may not be as saccharine and emotional as your name., but it was more emotionally complex, dealing with grief and love, self-identity and purpose, and generational/emotional trauma. 

Story-wise, Shinkai's writing and directing was also more assured and surprising. On paper, the plot would be nonsensical and beyond fantastical, but yet in the execution it was not only believable (as all good fantasy ought to be within its realm of mystery and world-building) but also relatable and grounded. The first act was different from the second, which in turn, was also different from the third. However, they were all tied together coherently by Shinkai and his protagonist - Suzume - as we followed her on a journey from the west to east of Japan visiting not only multiple significant sites in Japan's storied history of natural calamities, but also in Suzume's journey of self-discovery and reconciliation with her past. 

The animation was top-notch with perhaps one or two moments of computer CGI that seemed a little out of place. However, it was the little touches of normalcy and reality that really helped the animation to feel seamless in its fantasy storytelling. Everybody, please give it up for the stool and the cat(s)! 

The music was by Shinkai's frequent collaborator Radwimps and composer Kazuma Jinnouchi, and as usual was a significant part of the storytelling. It pumped up the action and moved the emotions but never excessively or manipulatively. 

As with almost all Japanese animations, repeated viewings would surely bring more details and nuances to the fore, and I can't wait to re-watch this soon!