Godzilla: King of the Monsters [IMAX/3D]

This film was the definition of bad writing, illogical plotting, over-acting - on top of bad acting! - and  terrible directing, but if you go in expecting all that, accept it and then embrace it, the monsters will make it worth it. The kaiju fights were spectacular, loud, exciting, dynamic - if only a touch messy (which could also have been aggravated by the 3D-induced dimming) - and actually satisfying. Take away the distracting humans and their nonsensical, boring storyline, cut the running time by 20% and it might actually give Pacific Rim: Uprising (not the original!) a run for its money.

Michael Dougherty directed and co-wrote Godzilla: KOTM and maybe they should have let Gareth Edwards, who directed the 2014 Godzilla, continued on the franchise. Dougherty, and his cinematographer Lawrence Sher, had some great shots, especially when they go wide, but otherwise, his penchant for extreme close-ups were bordering on comical and ridiculous. He ain't no Barry Jenkins.

And as the director/writer, there should absolutely be no excuse for the total disregard for logic and sensibility on translation from script to screen. Furthermore, it was inexcusable to execute, and edit a film, to the point where the suspense of belief becomes so stark that it takes the audience out of the experience.

There really was no reason why we should be interrupted from a massively entertaining kaiju fight to indulge in some hollow, over-wrought, predictable, badly written and over-acted excuse for human drama.

Which then brings us to the actors.

Kyle Chandler is a treasure, but it seems that his talent may be more suited to the small screen than the big. This was possibly one of his worse acting showcase ever. He deserves a Razzie for this. Absolutely over-acting in every scene and moment, with nary an ounce of believable emotion. Come on, this is the guy that gave us Coach Taylor! He deserves way better than this.

Then we have Vera Farmiga. She got lost after Up in the Air, was briefly shining again in Bates Motel, but after that series ended, she seemed to have gotten lost and misplaced again. What a waste of another talent here. Although Farmiga did not overact, and did her best with the material, her character was too thinly written for her to really sink her teeth into.

Lastly, of the main cast, was Millie Bobby "Eleven" Brown who simply reprised aspects of her Stranger Things character. Also, her character just make narrative - rather than logical - choices. Why?!

Asian superstars Ken Watanabe and Zhang Ziyi were relegated to supporting roles that served purely as expository vehicles. But the former at least had a more defined purpose, whereas poor Zhang was relegated to the now-ubiquitous, token China actor. Worse still, a scene with her and Chandler at the end of the third act was so painfully misogynistic that it actually felt rude - bordering on vulgar - and should put Dougherty on every feminist's blacklist.

And, are we seeing a trend here about the female characters in this film? Female actors take note.

Oh, and Sally Hawkins too (not going to say much here...cos spoilers). Just because Aisha Hinds is a colonel and leading the military charge does not make everything else right.

Bradley Whitford and Thomas Middleditch brought the laughs - more like sniggers - and Charles Dance brought some English villainous flare. The pay checks definitely helped.

But the stars of the film were really Godzilla and King Ghidorah. Godzilla definitely had more screen time here than in Edwards' original, and ironically that film's problem was it spending too much time with the humans. And King Ghidorah truly did look and feel scary.

The CGI effects were great and made it worth watching on the big screen. If it was filmed for IMAX it would have been even more spectacular. Coupled with Bear McCreary's propulsive score, the fight sequences really stood out. They were exciting and involved. But then, once we cut to the human drama sides, the large difference in film quality was even more painfully obvious. We really did not care for the humans.

So, in short, this film was not really worth the IMAX or 3D extra, but if you are looking for something silly and brainless but loud and entertaining, Godzilla: KOTM will be worth a watch. Do stay till the end for a post-credits scene!

Aquaman [IMAX/3D]

This film was so painful to sit through. It was bloated and over-stuffed with unoriginal directing, unimaginative sequences, bad CGIs, poor acting and casting, and an atrocious soundtrack. Not even Jason Momoa's charm could save this film. Sitting through all 143 minutes, one could not help but think how much more superior Black Panther was in terms of world-building and rules-setting for Wakanda, and now I really cannot wait for James Cameron's underwater Avatar to show them all how an underwater adventure should be done  (I could be wrong, but in Cameron we trust).

One of the biggest problem in this film, other than the fact that Amber Heard needs more acting lessons and has zero chemistry with Momoa, and that Nicole Kidman, Willem Dafoe and Patrick Wilson were all horribly miscast (guess even stars need to cash a paycheck), was the absolute lack of originality and imagination in James Wan's directing. Other than a very few moments that showcased his excellent grasp of horror, almost every single significant moment was a poor copycat imitation of another - usually superior - film. We had rip offs from: Tron, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, Descent, Pitch Black, Mission Impossible: Fallout, The Mummy, Indiana Jones, Skyfall, The Lord of the Rings, The Adventures of Tintin, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Pacific Rim, King Kong....and the list could go on. Even the closing credits felt like a rip off from Game of Thrones.

Then we have the action sequences. The hand-to-hand combats with Momoa were actually good, in particular the final face-off. But once the scope got larger, or it devolved into a standard Hollywood gun fight, it was just a mess. A messy, cacophony of images, bad CGI and furious editing. That epic battle at the end, so reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings, was boring, unimaginative and lacked the adrenaline-pumping excitement of something so grand.

Wan was like a spoilt, rich frat-boy with tons of money but no intelligence to spend it properly other than to realise his teenage comic/sci-fi fever dreams. Come to think of it, it was as if he was given the Book of Destiny by the Monitor and could only dream small.

It was so dreary and tiresome sitting through it all when visually there was nothing new or exciting. It was not like the screenplay itself was any more riveting. Three credited screenwriters, and it was, or perhaps because of, predictable and contrived with bits of juvenile humour thrown in to lighten things up. The dialogue was cringe-worthy and any exploration of character depth or nuance was as shallow as a puddle in the Sahara.

Poor Momoa. He has charm and does action well with a good comedic timing. But the film let him down and even he could not carry all 140+ minutes of this film. But boy, does he have nice hair. Definitely nicer than Heard's, who possibly has the worst red hair-wig/CGI since Marvel's Medusa from the Inhumans. 

Heard and Momoa had no chemistry, so on that front, their romance was a bust. Typical, expected, predictable and boring. You could see the creators trying to make her into something more than just a love interest, but ultimately they failed as Heard was simply there to support Momoa's Aquaman and drive the narrative and provide exposition.

Wilson was also badly miscast. There is no way Wilson can pass off as the younger brother of Momoa. Wan obviously let his sentiments for his frequent lead actor Wilson get the better of him. Other than it being s a distraction, Wilson's role was as cardboard as it got for a supervillain, And although there were obvious attempts to humanise him, neither the script nor the direction had the kahunas to delve further than a cursory brush off. Which makes one wonder why then a 143 minutes run time?

Then we had the prestige casting of Kidman and Dafoe who sadly were in it physically but not anywhere near even a tenth of what they can do. The bad CGI anti-aging did them no service, making both looked more like a Playstation game character than pseudo-real human beings. This ain't anywhere near Michael Douglas or Michelle Pfeiffer or Kurt Russell level of VFX magic from the MCU.

Kidman tried her best, but she was trapped by one of many bad, bad, ugly, kitschy, costume-designs of the film (oh...Wakanda!), horrid CGI, and plain bad writing. Granted the opening scene with her and Temuera Morrison was actually one of the best of the film, and she actually had chemisty with Morrison. Also, it was nice to see her kick ass, although obviously it wasn't her per se.

Dafoe really just snoozed his way through this. He was even more exciting back in the days when he was the Green Goblin.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as the second villain could have been so much more, but obviously we are building him up for the sequel..cue eyes-rolling.

The music was by Rupert Gregson-Williams, and it was so bad. Distracting, jarring, incoherent and inconsistent. Perhaps the only moment where it worked was at the end.

Truly, this film only had two parts that worked. The prologue and the finale. It was dis-spiriting that  even with the prolonged period of post-production, they still could not get the film right.

IMAX and 3D were not worth it for this film.

Stay for the mid-credits scene, but do we really want a sequel to this, though it might be inevitable.

The DCEU cinematic universe is in trouble and one can only hope Wonder Woman 1984 can save them...again. Go watch the Arrowverse Elseworlds if you want good DCEU entertainment. That had humour, action, pathos, excitement and character growths despite its much lower budget and TV-quality CGI.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald [IMAX/3D]

At over 130 minutes, this film was unnecessarily long. Someone should keep JK Rowling away from writing screenplays. Sure she has great ideas and stories to tell, but like her later books, she tend to sprawl and needlessly confound and confuse just to add padding. Other than some really good set pieces, a few exciting action sequences (and also a few messy ones), imaginative use of CGI/3D-technology (breaking out of the screen format was cool) and a great score by James Newton Howard, the film lacked the originality, spark and cast chemistry that led the first instalment to be such a delight. The cast expanded and we spent more time on Johnny Depp and Ezra Miller's characters - which were interesting unto themselves but they lacked depth and worthy companions to interact with - than the original foursome whose excellent chemistry fueled the narrative of the first. This film felt like a placeholder film, setting the pieces in motion, to the franchise and finale (maybe 5 films is too much...).

Eddie Redmayne remained the star of the show. Well, he and the Fantastic Beasts...the Nifflers are back too!...but a pity that Rowling and director David Yates, have pivoted the intention of the story from Newt Scamander to the deep mythos of Grindelwald and Dumbledore, and so Scamander's adventures took a backseat. Although, Redmayne remained the lead, but his scenes seemed perfunctory to the greater narrative, and only driven by his romance with the criminally underused Katherine Waterston.

The focus on Depp's Grindelwald and Miller's Credence could have been better if Rowling and company had spent their time developing them as characters. Voldemort had the benefit of five books (and films) before we spent an entire installment on him, The Half-Blood Prince. And so, it resulted in two main characters who were driven and defined by exposition rather than complexity.

Similarly, because the story line was spread out amongst so many characters, almost all the newer characters also seemed to be just as similar thinly scratched.

Zoe Kravitz's Leta Lestrange is a Lestrange (!! of Bellatrix and Delphine!!) but she nary got a purpose other than to drive a strand of narrative. Her supposed relationship with the Scamander brothers were just as vague as her supposed standing in the wizarding community.

Speaking of Newt's brother, Callum Turner turned in a fine performance as Theseus, and he was one of the few new characters who seemed more thought out, but still rather pedestrian.

Depp was good in his role as Grindelwald. Better than he has in years with a reined-in performance that sold the menace but mercifully left out the camp. A pity they played down his character's history with Dumbledore, although it was not like Depp and Jude Law had scenes together.

Law's Dumbledore - like in the Harry Potter books - is again a central figure in the story and a master manipulator of young, impressionable men. Maybe we should start spending more time with him as a real character rather than as a deux ex machina device.

Fan favourites Jacob and Queenie (Dan Folger and Alison Sudol) got decidedly less to do this time round, although Sudol seemed to be getting a rather juicy arc which will be interesting to watch. Although it was the strength and chemistry between Folger and her that gave teh first instalment so much heart (and levity...which was so lacking here).

And lastly, about Miller. Fashion's It-Boy of the moment can act (see: We Need to Talk About Kevin), but here he just appears lost, stoned and adrift. Those characteristics described his character but it did not make him an appealing, or even an interesting, character to focus on. Hopefully things improve with the big cliffhanger, reveal.

Back to the plot, like aforementioned, Rowling can plot a good yarn and she obviously cares about her characters and have a deep knowledge about them. But sometimes, the plots just get away from her and she relies too much on twists to hook the audience in, hoping that she could blindside them into forgetting about the other trivialities of logic and narrative holes.

Yates' direction was efficient and he has a good handle on the use of 3D, although his directing of complicated action sequences still need work. The opening sequence especially, albeit exciting was still a tad messy and complicated. I guess, in that respect, it did kind of set the tone for the rest of the film.

This film, for all its flaw, was a delight to watch in 3D and in IMAX. It really used the technology to its advantage. Only thing was if it was really worth the price. And if only solely for the 3D and Howard's excellent score blasting out from an IMAX theatre, it would definitely have got an A, but as a whole, it was an expensive and tiresome way to spend 134 minutes.

Ant-Man and The Wasp

This film is unlike any other previous MCU films and that is a double-edged sword for the audiences, it was more of a straight-up action-comedy rather than an action-comedic superhero film. For one there was no clear villain and the characters that served as the main antagonists were so badly written and fleshed out that they were really just time-fillers for the A-plot.

Regardless, AM&TW was an enjoyable film albeit its predictability, lack of emotional complexity (or even plot-complexity) and absence of any conflict of worth. But where it succeed was in its actors - the effortless charisma and easy chemistry of both Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lily - and the comedic chops of its supporting cast, especially Michael Peña, and Judy Greer, Bobby Canavale and Randall Park. It was fun watching the cast interact and that helped the 118 minutes move along.

Some of the action sequences by repeat director Peyton Reed were visually exciting and he definitely used 3D and VFX to good effect here. However, this film still paled to the first instalment which had heart, great laughs, and an effortless energy in the story-telling which was so lacking here. Edgar Wright's and Joe Cornish's influences are greatly missed.

Rudd is the star of this franchise. His effortless charisma helped connect the audience to his story. The only thing is that this film was marketed as Ant-Man and The Wasp, and although Lily is ostensibly the co-lead, her emotional arc is lacking despite doing lots more butt-kicking. And this had nothing to do with Lily who was equally charismatic on-screen and had good chemistry with Rudd. Maybe they ought to have a female writer amongst all five of the credited screenwriters. And this has nothing to

Peña again stole the film like in the first and he is definitely a side-kick worth recurring.

Michael Douglas added gravitas to the franchise and it is hard to tell if he is enjoying this role or not; and Michele Pfeiffer really needs a better comeback film ASAP after this film and Murder on the Orient Express. Laurence Fishburne deserved better.

And again, the music and cinematography here were both serviceable and forgettable.

One of the best scenes of the film was actually the mid-credits scene (and that is saying a lot). The post-credit scene was good for a chuckle.

IMAX was not really necessary for this, but 3D was fun.

In the end, AM&TW felt like a place-holder in the larger context of the MCU, but for what it is, it was an alright film - fun and entertaining enough for a summer, popcorn flick. If it did not have the Marvel weight hanging off it, this could have been a really good, almost Edgar Wright-esque action-comedy film.

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom [IMAX/3D]

The latest in this never-ending franchise, helmed by Spanish director J.A. Bayona, proved that a good director can always be let down by a hamfisted and over-ambitious script, and also by leads that lacked chemistry together. Christ Pratt is an enigmatic lead actor: he has the charisma but not the acting chops; Bryce Dallas Howard - this time with sensible footwear - has still not found another breakout role since her The Village days.

The first and third acts were good, with great action sequences and moments of gorgeous cinematography and imagery (by cinematographer Oscar Faura), but it was really the second act which was the film's Achilles' heel. Writers Collin Trevorrow and Derek Connolly were over-ambitious in their attempt to intellectualise the film/franchise, but the execution and outcome was ultimately one of caricature over-simplicity. The pseudo-philosophical approach into ethics and morality was briefly broached but never bravely explored which then left the question of why even bring it up in the first place.

There was a strong dissonance between the producers and the creative forces on what they wanted this film, and the franchise, to be. And in the end, it was the final product that suffered which ended up being unsure if it wanted to be an all-out summer, popcorn, blockbuster flick or an intellectual summer, sci-fi thriller.

However, to Bayona's credit, and taking the preposterous and contrived elements out, there were some great scary and tensed moments reminiscent of his superb directorial breakout in The Orphanage. Similarly, all the rain-soaked settings showed us that Bayona still excelled out in the elements after his terrific work in The Impossible.

And like in The Impossible, Bayona showed that he has an ability to cast and direct his child-actors. Then we had a young Tom Holland, and now in JW:FK, Isabella Sermon will be a young actress to watch out for (Squirrel Girl anybody?).

Pratt should be thankful he was cast as Star Lord as the franchise is really not working out for him (but after Avengers: Infinity War he seemed to be losing the popularity vote there too).

Howard remained, as in the first film, a damsel to prop up the masculinity of Pratt's character.

The score was again by Michael Giacchino, and also like the first film, was a disappointment as it was again highly incongruous with the action on screen.

There is a great concept hidden within the story of this entry and perhaps the best way to explore it is to get away from the franchise and its baggage. Either that or totally embrace its horror/thriller/sci-fi roots.

IMAX was great this film, but not so much the 3D. Stay to the end for short end-credits sequence.

Avengers: Infinity War [3D/Atmos]

Well, that was...over. Avengers: Infinity War was a fun film but it was not necessarily the best film in the MCU. However, kudos to the Russo brothers for carrying it off and delivering a superhero / Marvel film that serviced the fans and was also a good summer/popcorn tentpole blockbuster. With such a large cast, they did actually manage to give the fan/crowd favourites the most screen time but yet not neglect the others.

Sure, they were a couple of scenes where logic fails (which was to be expected) and some moments that dragged on longer than necessary (inevitable with a 149 minutes runtime), however, one important aspect that A:IW had was an emotional weight that held the narrative together. The story had consequences. There was a cost and heroes do die, although the Russo brothers - and Kevin Feige - could have been more cruel and brutal, and also creatively braver. Maybe in the sequel.

Speaking of which, for once - and possibly due to the pending sequel - the MCU has developed a complex villain who is more than just a simple, one-directional evil-doer. Thanos commanded the screen and attention, and Josh Brolin nailed the emotional depth and sane-madness. This film could have been considered as Thanos' story more than The Avengers'.

On the other hand, one of the biggest downside to this VFX extravaganza was - sort of ironically - the lack of grandeur and spectacle. No one scene or action sequence stood out tremendously (this ain't no LOTR and Battle of Helm's Deep). And although there were a few hero moments - the introduction of fan favourites especially - the film failed to embrace its comic legacy: the full page (or even double-paged!) spread, often cutting off WOW moments a second earlier than it should. Such a shame.

In additional, a general sense of sameness - and oldness - pervaded the film which just made the film rather unexciting on a visceral basis. Also, with all MCU films after Joss Whedon's Avengers, the banter never lived up to that standard. Taika Waititi's Thor: Ragnorak came close, and surprisingly Chris Hemsworth's Thor carried it through here, but Mark Ruffalo's Hulk was a disappointment.

Narratively speaking, the Russo brothers are efficient storytellers, but they are not really the best. The juggling of multiple scenes within the same time frame could have been done better with less interruptions in flow and continuity. Again, see Lord of the Rings. Maybe there will be an extended cut? The audience are carried on along a ride, but it felt more like a cruise in the delta rather than a boat ride down the rapids or across an open ocean.

That being said, A:IW sure was a fanboy pleaser! The crowd I watched with whooped and cheered enthusiastically. The film really does set up for a sequel which will truly be even more highly anticipated!

As for technically, unfortunately Alan Silvestri's score remained uninspiring and Trent Opaloch's cinematography was just serviceable. If only Marvel could invest more into these aspects of film-making. Imagine what a Roger Deakins' MCU film would look like, or how an Alexandre Desplat-scored MCU film would double down on the emotional heft.

3D was fun but not really necessary.

Refreshingly, there was only one post-credits scene, but it sure is a doozy! Bring on 2019!

Pacific Rim: Uprising [IMAX/3D]

This was an entertaining, albeit highly silly, ridiculous and narratively incoherent, piece of fluff film that felt a lot more like a high-budget, Sunday morning entertainment  à la The Power Rangers or a live-action Voltron wannabe. It lacked the visceral action, visual panache, characters/actors chemistry and high-stakes value that made the original Guillermo del Toro film so memorable and, retrospectively, exciting (despite its also clunky plot). The over-pandering to the Chinese audience was also intrusively blatant and really affected the overall enjoyment. That is what you get when Wanda bought over Legendary.

The plot made sense in a very loose sort of way. This was one of those films where you just got to check your brains and logic and sensibility at the door, and just go with the flow. Take things as they come, accept the plot contrivances for what they are, and then it will be much more enjoyable. Don't question the logic. That is the simplest way to enjoy this film.

The presence of four credited writers was also clearly felt through. It was a mish-mash of tone and ideas that director Steven S. DeKnight tried to rein in, but ultimately failed.

DeKnight lacked the vision that del Toro has, but he still made this sequel unique in his own way. For one, everything is much brighter here. But with the brightness comes the glaring inauthenticity of the Kaijus and the CGI landscapes. The action sequences lacked clarity even in the daylight - which was something that del Toro mastered with the autueristic fight sequences in the dark. And with those lackluster sequences, it is hard to root for the heroes.

The one good thing DeKnight did was keep the pacing up. It was fast, things happen, and story ends. All in a sweet 111 minutes. No fuss, no muss, but also not much of an adrenaline kick.

There was humour in this film, mostly courtesy of John Boyega who, after stints in the Star Wars universe, offered audiences another glimmer to his wry sense of British humour which was so apparent in his breakout hit Attack the Block. However, in this instance, the humour, though present, mostly fell flat-ish. This was mainly because of his scene-partners. He had no chemistry either with Scott Eastwood or Cailee Spaeny.

Eastwood, he is an irony. He is perfectly cast as the pretty, all-American hero but yet his "acting" leaves much to be desired - and DeKnight sure loves to zoom up on his face! - although in this case, the leaden acting actually suited his poorly-written character. Oh well, just enjoy his face.

Spaeny was clearly set up to be a Kick-Ass-esque Chloe Grace Moretz. Let us just say that being a poor version of Moretz is a compliment.

Rinko Kikuchi was absolutely wasted. She should not have came back. Her presence made Charlie Hunnam's and Idris Elba's absence profoundly felt.

And then we have a slew of Chinese actors, who - to be honest - are in this film because the Wanda Group now owns Legendary.

Cinematography was capably handled by Dan Mindel, but like aforementioned, the film lacked the visual panache of the original which was lensed by Guillermo Navarro. Music was suitably rousing and provided by Lorne Balfe.

Pacific Rim: Uprising was an entertaining film, but it tried too hard to have continuity with the now-superior original, and was definitely not worth the price of IMAX or 3D.

Black Panther [IMAX/3D]

Black Panther was one of the most unique superhero film by Marvel. Was it the best? Not necessarily (that honour still belongs to The Avengers), but it definitely was unlike any other of the franchises in the MCU. Surprisingly, its closest cousin would be the first Thor film. Both films had a Shakespearan core amidst the political intrigue and a son learning how to lead. However, Ryan Coogler's Black Panther stood out - heads and shoulders above - from Kenneth Bragnah's Thor in that it was superhero feature that had decidedly minimum focus on the superhero power/features. Instead the strength of this film was its focus on truly well-defined characters anchored by strong performances of its actors, and its elegant dive into heavy themes of political and social responsibility, cultural identity and self vs country.

It definitely also helped that Black Panther did not look/feel/sound like a typical, cookie-cutter, MCU film. Coogler's directing filled the screen with a vibrant. kinetic energy that excited the story and propelled the narrative and his own team of trusted creatives helped tremendously to create a distinctive vision: from the beautiful sets (by production designer Hannah Beachler), the absolutely stunning cinematography (by Mudbound's Oscar-nominated Rachel Morrison - a new favourite), an authentic and befitting score (by Ludwig Goransson), and sumptuous costume design (Ruth Carter).

Yes, the story by Coogler and Joe Robert Cole, could have been tighter. There were a few unnecessary moments that dragged on for a minute or two longer than they should, however, those scenes do allow the film to breathe despite the changing of pace. But at least for once, in the MCU, we have a story line that made sense, a villain with an understandable motivation and no damn mystic cloud of obscure origin and power. Phew!

It was also a wise choice to not have many scenes/moments of superhero feats, but instead with the introduction - and audience's acceptance - of Vibranium, we ended up with more of a James Bond/Kingsman-esque spy thriller filled with gadgets. Oddly enough, that made it more grounded in reality, and together with the topical themes of race, culture and politics, helped to make the film a relatable experience.

Coogler's Creed experience showed here and his one-on-one fight scenes were tremendously exciting to watch. It felt visceral and fluid with a constant movement that never distracted. Coupled with Morrison's lensing, that first fight was truly memorable and the second one contrasted distinctively. There were only two big action sets and that felt sufficient. They were both cool and showed off enough of the world and Black Panther to be relevant, and neither overwhelmed the story. Although Coogler's directing of a large cast action scene was not as visually exciting as his smaller ones.

Nonetheless, again and again, it comes back to the point that this film had a true sense of voice and identity unlike previous MCU films. It brought something new to the franchise, much like how James Gunn's first Guardians of the Galaxy jolted the MCU with its comedy.

Chadwick Boseman reprises his role as our eponymous hero and he had the gravitas of a king, but also the uncertainty of a young prince thrust into a position by circumstances. He does have the screen charisma to command an audience's attention, but unfortunately his frequent scene partner was the luminous Lupita Nyong'o who acted circles around him with seemingly minimal effort. Although, at least, they had chemistry together.

That then brings us to the other truly great thing about this film. Its strong female cast and point of view. The triple threat of Nyong'o, Danai Gurira and Letitia Wright, were a total delight to watch. They were smart, strong and independent women unbeholden to the men. They were badassess kicking ass and stealing their scenes effortlessly. Gurira was brilliant but hopefully she does not get typecast in the future, but boy, does she rock! Wright, of Cucumber and Humans fame, has grown up and she thankfully she brought along her delightful British wit and comedy. Give me a show that pairs her Shuri up with Ben Wishaw's Q.

Michael B. Jordan was a great choice to cast opposite Boseman. Jordan was physically imposing and that physicality helped to induce fear and establish that our titular hero is not safe. On top of that, however, Jordan's scene with Sterling K. Brown showed a humanity beneath the veneer and helped shaped him beyond a one-dimensional being.

Martin Freeman was one of two main Caucasian actor, and he was funny. Although inevitably, he was given a hero-moment. They just could not avoid that, could they? The other white guy was Andy Serkis, and it is always odd seeing him out of mo-cap. He continued his story line from Avengers: Age of Ultron and was necessary as an audience surrogate into Wakanda.

Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker and Daniel Kaluuya rounded up the named main cast. Kaluuya was the only one miscast. This poorly written role - and honestly, not well acted too - ain't gonna do much for his Best Actor campaign.

Morrison's cinematography was simply gorgeous. And it does help that Coogler gets to create a brand new world and he has Africa as his playground. Stunning vistas, beautiful wide-angled shots mixed with a Tron-like epic fight, Blade Runner-esque setting and intimate, closed-up action sequences that showcased the action. Morrison is a cinematographer to watch out for.

Goransson's score had moments where it sounded almost like any other MCU films, but listening closely, you can hear the African beats and rhythms beneath the big soaring strings and bass. And the focus on the constant drumming and percussion over the one-on-one fights highlighted the tension of those scenes as well as pay homage to the authenticity of the story.

And as per usual, stay back for a mid-credits scene and a post-credit teaser.

Black Panther was a MCU gamble by Kevin Feige et al that paid off. So well. And perhaps with this in their pocket, Marvel will be more willing to allow its directors to have their own vision. Who still does not wonder how Edgar Wright's Ant Man would have been like (think Baby Driver meets Hot Fuzz...dream!).

Thor: Ragnarok [IMAX/3D]

Not a simple feat, but kudos to director Taika Waititi for bringing us not only the best film of the Thor franchise but also one of the best entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Thor: Ragnorak was a superhero space/fantasy that effectively weaved the current wave of 80s nostalgia, from the homage to the old school Star Wars trilogy to the retro electronica and cyberpunk synthesiser beats, into the current fabric of technology-enabled, explosion of colours, sounds and CGI effects. It was not only a rollickingly exciting and fun ride, but it was also downright funny with many laugh out loud moments and excellent comedic beats by everybody in the cast. Perhaps, the weakest part of the film was the plot, and not surprisingly, the villain. The basic storyline was thin, basic and stretched out to fill the spectacle, but at least in this case, the fillers more than made it up to distract from the A-plot.

Finally, since Joss Whedon and the first two Avengers, Marvel has got writers – Eric Pearson, Craig Kyle and Christopher Yost – who understand banter; not only good, naturalistic banter but also funny ones. And although there were a number of clunky lines, most of which were to underscore dramatic moments, they did not induce too much eye-rolling only because the delivery (mostly) by Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddlestone, Jeff Goldblum and the treasure that is Cate Blanchett, was deliciously campy and they sold it for all its hammy over-the-topness.

From the get go, Waititi established the tone of the film and we know this was not going to be like the dreary, bleak and gloomy Thor: The Dark World, but will be more like James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy. And the result was even better. Waititi brilliantly balanced the comic with the drama, the funny with the action and he managed to get such good reaction shots from all the cast members. A supercut needs to be done! The blooper reel for this will be one hell of a laugh riot!

On the other hand, Waititi’s pacing of the film could have been be a bit tighter especially in the slightly bloated second act. Beyond the spectacle of the gladiator fight between Thor and <spoiler alert> Hulk </end spoiler>, the time spent in Sakaar did not justify how much we ended up knowing about it. In other words, if the audience were to spend almost half to two-thirds of the running time in a new world, more could have been to establish the world. Not even Goldblum could ham it up sufficiently enough to obfuscate the fact that Thor would eventually, somehow, get the upper hand. And there was only that much petulant Hulk one can tolerate before he gets annoying like every other petulant child on screen ever.

Similarly, we all know that Blanchett's Hela will eventually get defeated, but it is the how that we are interested in. And although getting to the final showdown was exciting, the actual climatic fight was just way too brief. 

In the same vein, although Hela had a proper backstory with a clearer sense of purpose and villainy, her scenes were also one of the weakest mainly because Blanchett did not have much of a worthy opponent to work against. Instead, she was saddled with exposition, but hey, at least she looked great - that hair! that makeup! and she has got lipstick! - and gamely camped it up although her accent was distractingly inconsistent.

Hemsworth has really grown into his role as Thor. And by "Hemsworth" I mean Chris, not Luke, who has a cameo as an Asgardian actor playing "Thor" (with Matt Damon as "Loki" - priceless!). Anyways, Hemsworth definitely has the comic chops - also evident in his scene-stealing role in Ghostbusters - and Waititi used it here to great effect. The writers and Waititi have found Thor's voice from Whedon in The Avengers and brought it out to the fore. Not only that, Hemsworth also has a gift for physical comedy and that coupled with his comedic timing, really brought the funs, laughs and levity to the film - and the MCU franchise.

Hiddlestone, on the other hand, needs a new schtick. His version of Loki is finally getting stale. However, he gives damn good reaction shots. As an actor, Hiddlestone has not been getting much of a showcase. 

Blanchett, as mentioned above, is a treasure and she elevates the simply-sketched Hela just by being her. A pity she was not given more scenaries to chew. Instead, we have Goldblum who gleefully chewed his way through every moment. Even in the end-credits scene.

Tessa Thompson was a valuable addition to the MCU and she exuded verve and sass as she banter and battle.

Mark Ruffalo was also similarly lots of fun, although his Banner/Hulk was shortchanged narrative-wise. Not unexpected since this was a Thor film and not The Incredible Hulk. But it would be very interesting to find out more what happened to them since the end of Ultron.

Benedict Cumberbatch has an extended cameo and served to mainly tie up the various Marvel universes together. A pity his cloak did not get a role. Fellow brit, Idris Elba also had less of a role here other than to act as deus ex machina-like plot device. 

The score was by Mark Mothersbaugh and Marvel may have finally got a score that was memorable (not a soundtrack a la GOTG) and also a possible ear worm for the franchise.

The 3D effects were quite well done, but not entirely needed. Similarly, watching on IMAX was just for the pure fun of a BIG screen and BIG sound. As per usual, we have a mid-credits scene which undoubtedly is setting up for Avengers: Infinity War and a end-credits scene (as hinted above).

Thor: Ragnarok has set a new benchmark for the MCU (and superhero films) and will be a tough act to follow. It managed to reintroduce - and rehabilitate - an established character and even improve on it, but yet still retaining the essence of what made the character a hit. Hopefully. Black Panther will establish itself as a totally, and tonally, different genre and breakthrough as another hit for Marvel.

Blade Runner 2049 [IMAX/3D]

If nothing else, this was a singularly stunning, breathtakingly gorgeous, absolutely beautiful piece of film. Just give Roger Deakins his Oscar now! As for Dennis Villeneuve, the man is now five for five since his 2010 breakout film Prisoners, and he will surely be in the running for Best Director again this year. His film in itself - prior viewing of the 1982 original not necessary, but does inform the experience - was a surprisingly simple, yet layered noir/science fiction story that was effectively told despite its length (163 minutes) and also, ironically, satisfyingly unresolved. Ryan Gosling stood out and may get a nod but he is in danger of not breaking out of his comfort zone.

The IMAX experience was really worth it here. Not only as a canvas for Deakin's sumptuous cinematography, but also for the excellent sound design and mixing. So far, only this film, Dunkirk, Mad Max: Fury Road pioneer Avatar has really, properly utilised the capabilities of IMAX.

Villeneuve's directing was sure-handed and he managed to maintain the high standard of sci-fi storytelling he is known for - see Arrival and Enemy - with the sensibility of a blockbuster. The science fiction never corrupts the narrative and there was constantly a strong sense of character in his lead (Gosling). And like in Arrival, the story had the plausibility of being grounded in reality.

Hampton Francher and Michael Green co-wrote the screenplay and they might also get a nod for Best Original Screenplay. At 163 minutes they had a lot of time to craft out their characters and it did not disappoint. Even their villains had depth, Jared Leto in his hubris and Sylvia Hoeks in her loyalty.

The story took its time. With the first act introducing the audience to the new world and laying the seeds of the A-plot and the central conflicts/themes of the film, i.e. what makes us humans? And what makes us more than human? What defines humanity? Then came the second act where we inched towards the truth and more truths - or truths - are revealed. Then came a short third act where revelations are made as we hurdled towards the fourth and final act of resolution. But a resolution for whom? Definitely not us as the audience, as the world of Blade Runner persists.

Gosling, as handsome as he is, and as talented as he is, seemed to be channeling the same persona that he inhabited in his last films. A touch of Drive with some La La Land and a dose of The Place Beyond the Pines. The last film that he was truly, truly, heartbreakingly great in was Blue Valentine. Nonetheless, he stood out here and ably carried the show throughout. He embodied a character that we cared for, root for and ached for. So kudos to him.

Harrison Ford brought some gravitas to the screen but there is a reason why Ford does not have many awards - or nominations - under his belt. Although as a fan of the first Blade Runner, it was great to have Agent Deckard back and at least Villeneuve and co did not only bring him back just for fan service.

Unfortunately this film did fail the Bechdel Test. The one moment where two women interacted - Robin Wright, looking and acting very Claire Underwood, and Hoeks, channeling Alexandra Reid - they were discussing about Gosling. Ana de Armas played the only other female character that was somewhat outside of the A-plot, and she brought a tenderness to the film, helping to carry some of the emotional weight off Gosling's shoulder.

However, Deakins is the real star here. The long run time was partially because so many of the scenes were just too beautiful to leave on the cutting room floor. His colours, use of light, lines and proportions. Absolutely stunning. A whole masterclass in composition, lights and shadows can be done with this film.

The score was not as defining as Vangelis but Hans Zimmer and his protege Benjamin Wallfisch had created a soundscape that paid homage to Vangelis electronica-tinged score but yet also supported the grandiosity of Villeneuve's vision and Deakin's cinematography.

This film might even challenge Kingsman as the most stylish film of the year!

Blade Runner 2049 may be a modern day sci-fi classic. And a damn gorgeous one at that.

Spider-Man: Homecoming [IMAX 3D]

As a second reboot, Spider-Man: Homecoming had a lot stacked against it, but what Marvel/Sony had wisely chosen to do was to steer away from the over-trodden origin story and instead focused on the growing pains of a being (super)hero. And also casting Tom Holland in the lead. With Holland, the MCU had hit another gold mine in casting like what they had with Robert Downey Jr. That being said, the film itself, unfortunately, was a mid-tier entry in the MCU. It was fun, enjoyable and entertaining - everything one would expect from a Marvel-film and a summer popcorn release. However. for all its quips and maniacal energy, it lacked the kinetic and effortless humour of Ant-Man, The Avengers (both parts) and Guardians of the Galaxy (part one only), and also the thrilling excitement and adrenaline-pumping actions of the first two Tobey Maguire/Sam Raimi's Spider-Man movies and Andrew Garfield/Marc Webb's first The Amazing Spider-Man.

Jon Watts' direction was apt and competent, but his storytelling felt simplistic and lacked urgency. Partially it could be the invisible strings of the Marvel Studio at work as the film worked best when the story was simply focused on Peter Parker instead of trying to tie it neatly into the vast, money-making franchise that is the MCU. Perhaps because this is a co-production with Sony, but that integration had never been more apparent and jarring. Watts will likely be invited back for the sequel since he did complete the film without being fired (see Rouge One and the young Hans Solo film).

The army of credited writers could have also been a factor in the haphazard nature of the film. With so many voices, it was not surprising that the screenplay did not come across as entirely coherent.

Watts' ability was also lacking in the action sequences. There were not any big, exciting fight scenes nor were there any little, fun sequences (who could forget Maguire deftly saving his lunch in his first film? Or the epic, train sequence with Doctor Octopus?). So that was a real shame.

Luckily, we had Holland. For one, he looks and acts appropriately like a teenager. More so than Maguire or Garfield. Outwardly, he was a perfect balance between Garfield's dorky likability and Maguire's bumbling earnestness. He could also pull off the snarky, snippy, motor-mouth quips that the comic-book Spider-Man is known for. The show is built around him and revolves around him and it shows. However, his chemistry with the rest of the cast was weak at best and this was also perhaps due to the shadows cast by his predecessors. Holland and Marisa Tomei's Aunt May felt more like an Aunt-Nephew relationship than a close knitted one that it is supposed to be, unlike Maguire and Rosemary Harris or Garfield and Sally Field; Holland and Laura Harrier (as love interest Liz) did not had much chemistry, unlike Garfield and Emma Stone; Holland and Jacob Batalon (as best friend Ned) kind of lacked the depth and over-familiarity that was so strong between Maguire and James Franco. Maybe the next film, they can focused on rounding out Peter's character.

Michael Keaton's Vulture/Adrian Toomes was the rare superhero villain that was actually genuine sympathetic. Sure. Keaton can be scary as hell, but at least Watts et al tried to make his character less flat with proper "motivations" and purpose that was not all about death and destruction. That one scene in the car between Keaton and Holland was the best piece of acting from both parties and in the whole film.

Of the young cast. only the other big-named star - Zendaya - stood out. Mainly because of her character's enigma and nonchalant attitude.  And her character does not really revolve around that of Parker.

RDJ in small amounts is good.

Jon Favreau's Happy is the new Agent Coulson, the (cheap) glue to the franchise.

The other best casting was that of Jennifer Connelly aka Karen aka "Suit Lady" aka Mrs Paul Bettany aka wife of Vision aka wife of J.A.R.V.I.S. How meta!

Music was by Michael Giacchino and his output has been getting disappointing. Previously an exciting and innovative composer, now most of his recent scores had been for franchises and they have been generic and uninspiring.

The mid-credits scene was a great nod to the character involved. And the post-credits scene was a great gag/laugh.

3D was fun, as expected what with the web-swingings; IMAX was great but not really necessary.

Here's hoping Holland doesn't lose his way (remember The Impossible, The Lost City of Z and Billy Elliot).

The Mummy [IMAX/3D]

Generously speaking, The Mummy would have made for a good TV-movie and be better appreciated as a standalone film in itself rather than as a reboot of the Branden Fraser's 1999 hit.  Even Tom Cruise's innate charisma could not save it from its poor writing, mundane blandness and generally bad acting. However, having said that, there were four really, really great action sequences that were a lot better than anything in Wonder Woman, so there's that. But still, Penny Dreadful this ain't.

The potential of this Dark Universe, monster vs monster franchise is surely there, but director Alex Kurtzman and the whole team of writers basically just gave us a tone-deaf version of what could have been great (again, see John Logan's Penny Dreadful). And it all starts from the miscasting of Cruise. Or better put, the mischaracterisation of what a typical Cruise-character should be. To his credit, Cruise has an insane amount of charisma, but it plays much better when he portrays a character in-charge rather than as a passive stumbler of luck and contrivances.

Then we have the female companion. Annabelle Wallis was badly miscast. She and Cruise barely had any chemistry and she was utterly unbelievable as whatever her character meant to be. To make things worse, she was really a few steps back in the evolution of Cruise's female partner, i.e. a damsel in distress that needed Cruise to save. What happened to the strong, independent women like Cobie Smulders in Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, or Rebecca Ferguson in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, or Emily Blunt in Edge of Tomorrow?

Next we also have the miscasting of Russell Crowe. Boy, is Crowe really desperate for work? Too many elements in this film distracted from the promise of an exciting premise.

Jake Johnson replays the wise-cracking sidekicks that often occurs in Cruise's films, but it was unfortunate - and blind of Kurtzman, et al - that Cruise's character was named Nick when Johnson is probably more well known for his role as Nick in TV's New Girl.

Lastly, we have the poor Sofia Boutella. So pretty but such a bland character.

The film ran for 107 minutes but yet felt as long as Wonder Woman need. The Dark Universe franchise has so much potential that I really do hope we get to see more of it. But better.

IMAX and 3D not necessary.

Ghost in the Shell [IMAX/3D]

We really do live in a time where we have so many choices in how we choose to consume entertainment and ideas. Unfortunately for Ghost in the Shell, what it chose to explore had already been done once, when the idea was still new and fresh, by the original anime and manga, and more recently and more superbly (and in depth) by TV's Westworld, Humans and even Dollhouse. 

Therefore, where it could - and does - succeed was in the technological (and monetary) front. However, there was only so much that souped up CGI can do to entertain and distract from the weak and uninspired plot. The screenplay was by Jamie Moss, William Wheeler and Ehren Kruger and it spent too much time building the world and neglecting the characters, such that when it finally got to the characters, the audience already felt disconnected. But even then, they could never really fleshed out the complexities and the morality of the tech, nor the complexities and moralities of their lead character.

Save for a couple of moments of beautiful visuals and stunt choreography, director Rupert Sanders told a boring and predictable story - interspersed with beautiful shots - that tried to explore the deeper meaning of life, free will, identity and self but only barely scratched the surface. Other than a great prologue and opening sequence, there barely were any other set pieces that lived up to that standard. In that regard, it was such a disappointment where with the budget afforded, Sanders' vision could not even compare with HBO's Westworld or the Alex Garland indie-sci fi Ex Machina.

If you ain't got substance, at least have some style: see any-period Michael Bay or late-period Wachowskis. Sadly, neither was present here.

Scarlet Johansson must have felt the pressure of not only carrying the show but being accused of participating in the oft-quoted whitewashing, because she distinctively felt distanced from her character. That could have been an active choice on her part, and Sanders, as part of character development, but the alienation that Major felt was often not represented by Johansson.

And to be honest, her character being white does make sense in the context of the film, as her creators are white and she is a reflection of the underlying white supremacy. Now, that could have been the story.

Furthermore, if anything, what we should be more offended about is trying to pass Hong Kong off as Japan.

Damn it Hollywood, not all Asians (and asian cities) are alike!

As for the supporting cast, Juliette Binoche was so wasted. Pilou Asbaek was great in the role as Batou, but he and Johansson had no chemistry (as platonic partners). And poor Chin Han spots a ridiculous mullet. But at least we had "Beat" Takeshi Kitano to lend some gravitas.

Music was by Clint Mansell and Lorne Balfe, and it was rather distinctive that the score had two voices. The opening credits was great but the music through the film was often distracting.

This could have been a great TV series. The concept lends itself to be told in an anthology series. With the length afforded by TV and the prestige that now comes with it, so much better stories based on the franchise can be told.

IMAX and 3D were not necessary at all.

Rogue One [3D]

Rogue One was essentially an extended prologue for the original Star Wars - now with the subtitle A New Hope. And by golly! Disney and director Gareth Edwards sure ain't gonna let you forget that. And that was just one of the many problems plaguing this film.

Rogue One was also a space-set, heist film, but one without the thrills and the excitements. There never really was any risks of failure to make us care or worry about the heroes. However, most importantly, in a heist film, the core characters also absolutely lacked chemistry. There was close to zero emotional weight to the characters and it all felt highly impersonalised.

For a film that we already knew the ending, they sure took a long time (133 minutes) to get there. And that journey spanned many, many quick scenes that did not allow the story to breathe. It felt as though Edwards just wanted to rush through all the (character, emotional and narrative) build up to get to the big climatic battle. Which then was upstaged eventually by the final, shorter one at the end.

Edwards and co-writers Chris Weltz and Tony Gilroy delivered another fan-service film to the Stars Wars franchise that dug deep into the pre-existing mythology. But unlike J.J. Abrams' Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens, where we at least cared and were curious about the journeys of Rey, Poe, and - to a lesser extent - Finn, Rouge One failed to even connect the audience with its lead: Felicity Jones' Jyn.

Jones' dismal, perpetual-pout acting and general lacked of expressions was a terrifyingly stark contrast to her strong, Oscar-nominated performance in 2014's The Theory of Everything. The absolute of chemistry with Diego Luna definitely did not help too.

Speaking of Luna, perhaps he is just more comfortable acting in his native tongue.

Alan Tudyk's android was the rare bright spark; Riz Ahmed was under-utilised but his character was written so lazily and messily it wasn't much of a shame.

Poor Mads Mikkelsen gets stucked in another thankless role in a big franchise after Doctor Strange. 

Only perhaps Ben Mendelsohn looked like he was enjoying himself hamming it up.

And there was so much cultural misappropriation throughout this film. Frankly, it was rather insulting. Donnie Yen and Jiang Wen were clearly there to appeal to the Chinese market, serving no purpose other than to sprout oblique wise words. And provide humour. And poorly shot/choreographed kung fu.

Then we have the worst culprit of having the rebel extremists dressed up looking a lot like Middle Eastern terrorists shooting and blowing things up. Sure, we are in a desert, but we are also in another planet, do they have to look like that?!?! Jones even had her scarf up around her head in one scene. Carrie Mathison anyone?

Lastly, we have Michael Giacchino's overbearing score. Unfortunately, this might be one of his worst composition. The music was just too much. It seemed to want to force you to feel only in a certain way.

3D was definitely not necessarily.

Let's hope the next standalone will be better.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them [IMAX/3D]

A fantastic film! Fun, funny, exciting and wondrous. It's been a long time since a film had me in such childlike awe with its world building. Well done David Yates, J.K. Rowling, James Newton Howard and Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterson, Dan Fogler and Alison Sudol! IMAX, 3D is definitely the way to go!

Doctor Strange [IMAX/3D]

First up, Marvel Studios has got some fancy new credits...

Doctor Strange was a thoroughly enjoyable film and a distinct departure from the usual MCU fare with a lot more (effective) humour and minimal bombastic action. And as per usual, Marvel scored in its casting, not only of Benedict Cumberbatch but also Tilda Swinton, regardless of her character's supposed skin colour.

The biggest problem, as with almost all MCU films, is the villain. Another wasted actor in Mads Mikkelsen, although by the end of the film, you do sense that Marvel is trying to correct that. Nonetheless, the MCU is still failing when it comes to character development as compared to the Marvel/Netflix franchise.

You know, I will pay good money to see Cumberbatch and Mikkelsen act on the small screen over 10 - heck! even 5 or 6 episodes - together! Sherlock Holmes vs Hannibal Lecter. One can only dream.

Director Scott Derrickson did a great job in visualising the multi-dimensions, but unfortunately it was not entirely original. Inception did it 6 years ago. Derrickson just multiplied it by 10. And with all that motion going on, the action choreography was a mess. 3D definitely did not help things on that end.

Although the 3D was absolutely great to give the depth and feel of dimension(less) in certain moments, and that really helped to sell the premise. However, other than those scenes, 3D was not really useful.

Screenplay was by Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill, and they definitely got the tone of the humour and paranormality right. Although I do suspect the key to selling the humour this time round was the undeniable Britishness deadpan comedic delivery by Cumberbatch, Swinton, Benedict Wong and Chiwitel Ejiofor.

Unfortunately, what they did not get right was giving Mikkelsen a more solid motive. Or Ejiofor a more genuine emotional/character arc.

And that climatic end. Go watch Doctor Who's Series 9, Episode 11: Heaven Sent. That is how it should be done. Smart, emotional and with a wallop!

Cumberbatch brings a hint of mischievousness to his Doctor Strange, but he does sell the origin story from arrogant, but inwardly cowardly, neurosurgeon to saviour of lives, Master Doctor Strange (lol!). He is a different sort of Doctor Strange from the comics but Cumberbatch makes it his own.

Swinton was a coup for MCU. Without her, I cannot imagine Marvel selling the role of The Ancient One. Swinton really is a class of her own and she imbued The Ancient One with so much wisdom but yet strength, mystery, tenderness and yes, humour. Swinton and Cumberbatch had great chemistry together and it was palpable. The film changes when they both share the screen together.

Rachel McAdams was the standout and with recent breakout performances in Spotlight and Southpaw, and being the only saving grace of season 2 of True Detective, McAdams is on a roll. This film definitely showcased her comedic timing. She should consider that next and dip her toes back into rom-com for a bit. A good rom-com can also be Oscar potential.

Mikkelsen. Wasted under all that make-up. At least it was less than Christopher Eccleston.

Michael Giacchino scored the film and there were moments, especially in the first act, that you think Marvel has finally gotten it right (see: The Marvel Symphonic Universe if you don't know what I mean), but eventually it just fell back into its usual MSU.

Similarly, nothing exciting from cinematographer Ben Davis except for some great landscaping shots of Kathmandu.

IMAX was not really necessary.

Mid-credits scene makes me really excited for Thor: Ragnorak. Post-credits scene tells me I can wait for Doctor Strange 2.

The BFG [3D]

A magical, family-friendly adventure fairy tale that will sure to delight children and the adults unfamiliar with Roald Dahl's classic.

For those who grew up mesmerised by Dahl's creations, this film is a potent mixture of nostalgia, masterful directing by Steven Spielberg, superb acting by Mark Rylance, magical music by John Williams and gorgeous cinematography by Janusz Kamiński, that will entertain and amaze through the 117 minutes.

Captain America: Civil War [IMAX/3D]

A near-perfect superhero film that ties veryclosely with Joss Whedon's The Avengers as the best Marvel film thus far. Minor points deducted for over-enthusiastic fast cuts and weak bantering during the opening action sequence which was initially worrying, as well as a lack of any dramatic consequences or indepth thematic exploration to the "Civil War". However, major kudos to the ultimate fight - and easily every fanboy's climatic scene - in the end of the Second Act where the bantering improved much more, the brilliant inclusion of Spidey (the Russo brothers at least got his wise-cracking right) and Black Panther (can't wait for his own movie!), a strong Third Act which had traditionally been Marvel's weakest point and the lack of an under-developed villain (another weak point) was refreshing which made the story stronger and more grounded.

The Russo brothers follow-up to their excellent Captain America: The Winter Soldier was a solid winner, mixing humour, action and drama effectively over the brisk 147 minutes run time. There was sufficient easter eggs to make fanboys happy, yet exciting enough for the casual MCU movie-goer. Most things worked and the brothers do have an eye for action and ensemble drama, but with such a big cast it was clear that they did not get a good handle on the voices of all the characters. And some vital ones were sorely left under-developed (looking at you Wanda and Vision). This has, and looks like to be remain, always been the MCU's films biggest challenge. Unlike the comics and even the Netflix series where the secondary characters have been given time to be more better realised.

<mild spoiler> This Civil War was a departure from the comics and it seemed more in tune as a platform to introduce Black Panther and Spider-Man, and segue into the Inifinty Wars rather than a standalone Captain America movie. Hence, it lacked the pathos and dramatic consequences that made the comic series such a standout. Which similarly also was a waste for Marvel to make a "serious" movie. The potential thematic, moral and political discussions could have been fantastic. Instead, we end up with what was essentially an ego contest <end spoiler>

There were no big sets or large action sequences this time round which was good as it really helped to keep the drama/tension close to the characters. However, perhaps it is the 3D, the action sequences consisted of many fast edits and quick cuts - especially the hand-to-hand combats - which rather dilute the tension. Although when CGI kicked in, it paradoxically became more intense.

Speaking of CGI, that hilariously bad CGI of a young RDJ was terrifying! Definitely ain't no Michael Douglas!

A quick run down on some characters:

Chris Evans has embodied Steve Rogers although he looked really pretty this time round especially during the more emotive scenes.

Robert Downey Jr similarly is Tony Stark but his growth as a character seemed all over the place.

Sebastian Stan is sort of a blank here which is disappointing considering his brilliant turn in The Winter Soldier.

Elisabeth Olsen's wavering accent is back.

Scarlett Johansson seemed bored with her role already.

As does Jeremy Renner.

Anthony Mackie and Paul Rudd, on the hand, seemed like they were having fun, especially the latter who constantly drew laughs.

Emily VanCamp has zero chemistry with Evans - bring back the excellent Hayley Atwell!

Paul Bettany broods well but he his hampered by his makeup which does not allow the brooding to show.

Tom Holland is a dead ringer for a young Tobey Maguire and he makes me excited for Spider-Man: Homecoming.

So does Chadwick Boseman for Black Panther and Civil War (Avengers: Age of Ultron) is really making Wakanda a damn interesting place to check out.

Don Cheadle should just be glad he got to be around and wear a suit of armour.

Lastly, I am looking forward to seeing more of Daniel Bruhl in the MCU - he does villianous creepiness well.

This was a great film to kick-off Phase III of the MCU. It was fun and exciting, and like I said, that climatic superhero-on-superhero moment: worth the ticket price alone! IMAX was great but 3D may not be necessary here - this ain't The Jungle Book. Hopefully Marvel can keep up the momentum all the way till Benedict Cumberbatch's tricky Doctor Strange.

Stay till the end for the mid-credits and end-credits scenes!

The Jungle Book

A superbly, immersive 3D experience with amazingly photo-realistic animals that made this film utterly engrossing and a pure delight to watch! The voice cast were spot on and Jon Favreau's direction, with Justin Marks' script, layered the film's inherent child-friendly appeal with a dark, yet never overly bleak or scary, overture that made it as much fun for adults as it will definitely be for children.

The 3D-technology deployed here was astounding. It was never distracting and extremely immersive. Never since Avatar has 3D been so well utilised. Coupled with the most photo-realistic CGI tiger since Life of Pi, and multiplied it by 10 - or 20! - and you will be forgiven for thinking that you were not watching a NatGeo wildlife documentary.

Favreau's action sequences were fun to watch and the chases through the jungles really showcased what technology can do to amplify's audience engagement and entertainment. The only biggest nitpick was the final scene where the action happened in the night and the darkness, coupled with 3D, made the action difficult to follow.

The story was a classic and needs no introduction. Although there was nothing really original in this re-telling, it retained the heart and emotional core without becoming too sappy or didactic. And Idris Elba's Shere Khan was a brilliant villain - an antagonist that you could really root against.

Favreau and Marks retained some of the original cartoon elements and the throwback were fun. The musical elements felt organic to the story without being too whimsy - and honestly who does not enjoy Baloo singing "The Bare Necessities". Although Christopher Walken's King Louie's "I Wanna Be Like You" was slightly jarring in the beginning. And it was a wise choice to not have Scarlett Johansson's Kaa to sing "Trust In Me" until over the end credits.

Neel Sethi as Mowgli was perhaps the weakest "cast member" and seeing him does sometimes bring you out of the jungle. Otherwise, the whole voice case was brilliant. From Ben Kingsley's stately and aristocratic Bagheera, Bill Murray's bumbling yet heartfelt Baloo, Lupita Nyong'o's tender and motherly Raksha Elba's villainous Shere Khan, Johansson's terrifying seductress and Walken's oddly egocentric King Louie.

Cinematographer Bill Pope had many gorgeous images although it sometimes became hard to see what was CGI'ed and what was real - which really stood to highlight the amazing CGI here. The music by John Debney stood out too. Equal parts majestic, awe-inspiring and frightening but yet subtle although not enttirely memorable.

At 105 minutes, this simple and heartfelt story moved along steadily and will easily hold the attention of the young ones. Coupled with the immersive 3D it might even feel too short for some. And watching it on IMAX definitely enhanced the experience.