Purely Movies Reviews

Rating: 3.4/5 Review: "The Spirit of Ramayana" (103 minutes) "A passable Thai horror movie with an interesting concept but weak execution." As a low-budget horror movie, it has enough entertainment values. In the recent years, there are a few strong Thai horror movies with decent production values and there are many mediocre low-budget horror movies. The Spirit of Ramayana is somewhat in the middle. It may not look that polished but its themes and concept are intriguing enough. The story: The narrative is straight forward however its editing made the movie look messy and disjointed. It is a simple story about Mintra, a young dancer who is rejected for the main role because she cannot pull off an evil and sensual side. However, a spirit helps her to unleash her dark side. On paper, it sounds like a supernatural Black Swan. It lacks the emotional depth of Black Swan as the director seems only interested in churning out cheap scares. As the plot develops fur...

Rating: 3.5/5 Review: "The Exchange" (90 minutes) "A decent fast-paced Thai heist thriller that is marred by weak action choreography and shoddy editing"  It's a low-key movie. You can hardly find information about this online when you type in its English title. Perhaps you will have better luck finding information in Thai. My curiosity piqued when I couldn't find any English review on it. Should I take the risk in watching an unknown movie? I finally decided that it wouldn't hurt buying a cheap ticket (US$2.50) to experience it. I actually enjoyed the movie but not the experience. Sure the movie has its own flaws but it is not as distracting as the badly dubbed Khmer language. The dub is emotionless and does not fit the tone of the characters. I know Thai and Khmer are two different languages but I couldn't help by being distracted with the bad lip sync throughout the whole movie. On the other hand, the movie is fast-paced enough to hol...

Rating: 3.5/5 Review: "Dolittle 3D" (106 minutes) "A simple story that is enhanced by the great realistic CGI animals and decent immersive 3D format." To be frank, I didn't have any expectation for Dolittle because it's a January movie. We all know it's the month where studios like to dump their poorly-received movies. However with a hefty budget of US$175 million, it's really a surprise that Universal Pictures has little faith in it. With overwhelming negative reviews, it is indeed true. So is it really that bad? No, it's not if you are looking for harmless fun. Maybe it's better to watch it with a weekday ticket price instead of a weekend ticket price. Critics have complained that it is disjointed and it is clear why they said so. The movie is fast paced but for the wrong reason. Things come and go. I felt many scenes seem to be cut out. It's the same feeling I had with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. What Star Wars has t...

Rating: 4.6/5 Review: "Avengers: Endgame IMAX movie review" (181 minutes) This is surely the most anticipated movie this year. This is a non-spoiler review so it won't be very long. The ultimate question is: Is the conclusion worth the wait? Those who have invested 10 over years on every Marvel movie should have no doubts watching this on big screen. I personally find Endgame a little disappointing as it felt safer compared to the brutal Infinity War. The story: It is a direct sequel. And that's all a reader should know. There are some surprises along the way and it ends in a satisfying way. Audience should know that it is a 3 hours movie so they SHOULD NOT expect an action-packed thrill ride like what Infinity War is. It takes its time with characters and therefore it is reasonable to call it an action drama that delivers an emotional and nostalgic ride. Although it does feel a bit long, I found it consistently engaging. Music by Alan Silvestri is a bit lacki...

Rating: 4.3/5 Review: "Alita: Battle Angel IMAX movie review" (122 minutes) This is Robert Rodriguez's biggest movie yet and costs a staggering US$200 million. It is easy to see why. The sets are massive loaded with CGI and even many characters are CGI. Alita: Battle Angel has everything a Blockbuster has; action, romance, drama, CGI, epic music. Robert's direction is confident despite him handling a large-scale movie for the first time. As this is based on the manga, it suffers the cram condensation of a few volumes. The story: The start is surprising as it has no big opening action scene (we are used to seeing a big opening action in most Blockbuster). The sets may be big scaled but the opening feels intimate in terms of emotions. We see Dr. Dyson (Christoph Waltz) finding and rebuilding a female cyborg, Alita (Rosa Salazar). The first 20 minutes are engaging as we discover Iron City from the eyes of Alita. From then on, the pace quickens as we are introduce...

The Five Best and Worst of 2018 Best 1. Bumblebee This was a pleasant surprise for the live-action Transformers franchise. Michael Bay's first Transformers still has a place in my heart but his other movies became more tired. Bumblebee is a refreshing new start that the franchise needs. Action, emotions, great CGI, music and 3D. This is what a blockbuster needs. 2. A Quiet Place It is a surprise hit in 2018. I never knew I would enjoy this so much. Apart from the intense trailers, I didn't know what I would be expecting. However it turned out to be intense horror thriller with uneasy sound design and surprisingly emotional. It is one of the best horror thrillers in years. 3. Ready Player One The colorful movie is packed with action, cameos and nostalgia that it is hard not to be entertained by it. With so much things happening, it is a joy to watch Steven Spielberg work his magic on the big screen. This is a feel-good journey that you would want to watch....

Rating: 4.6/5 Review: "Aquaman 3D movie review" (143 minutes) As the latest movie to the DC movie franchise, Aquaman has upped the scale in visuals and non-stop action. Director James Wan, famous for his horror movies, shows that he has the action mindset and he delivers. Although the 2 hours and 23 minutes movie may become exhausting, it is still massively entertaining. The story: As an origin story, it has nothing new to offer the audience. James Wan smartly integrates the flashbacks with the present day so it will hold the audience's attention without becoming draggy. He throws in whatever a big-budget movie should have; non-stop action, romance, loads of CGI, grand set pieces, loads of characters, battle and fight scenes and more. As time passed by, it is clear that he is ticking off everything in the checklist. There are even chase scenes. After a while, it becomes exhausting to watch but I still can't take my eyes off the beautiful visuals. The chemistry...

Rating: 4.8/5 Review: "Bumblebee 3D movie review" (114 minutes) First of all, I enjoyed all of Michael Bay's Transformers movies especially the first one. The first one still has a special place in my heart. When The Last Knight was released last year, it was met with negative reviews and even I felt it was increasingly becoming a tired franchise. But I didn't mind seeing a conclusion to the Bayformers franchise. The hopes were dashed when it didn't do very well in box office and instead, a prequel was announced. Bumblebee was announced as a soft reboot and once Travis Knight was brought in as the director, I thought the franchise could become fresh again. And I wasn't wrong. Although Bumblebee brings nothing new to the table, its characters and heartfelt drama have made this movie a rousing and emotional journey. The story: Bumblebee is small-scaled compared to the others in the franchise and director Travis is smart to use this to his advantage. This...

Rating: 4.7/5 Review: "Avengers: Infinity War 3D movie review" (150 minutes) It is understandable that almost the whole world was anticipating for this and it shows in the box office results. The real question is whether this is worth the wait for 10 years. In my own opinion, my feelings were rather mixed after leaving the cinema. The story: There is almost no plot in this. The heroes are literally moving from one place to another with a quest to defeat the most powerful villain ever seen on big screen in the Marvel franchise. With all the individual movies leading up to this, it makes sense for the directors to drive straight into the action and witty interactions between the different characters. The end product is an immersive action-packed adventure that rarely stops to breathe. That is the strongest aspect the directors have brought to this movie. Though the runtime seems long, it felt like a breeze because the heroes are racing against time to find a solution. ...

Rating: 4.6/5 Review: "Black Panther IMAX 3D movie review" (135 minutes) "Marvel and director Ryan Coogler has jump-start the year with a great adaptation of Black Panther. The plot may not be very fresh but its political and culture views, bolstered by great acting, makes this a mighty watch."  Black Panther is not only the first big-budget movie released so far but it is also the first Marvel blockbuster for the year. And it has definitely amp up the expectations of the blockbusters coming soon in this year. Black Panther may be marketed as an action adventure movie but it delivers more than a generic superhero fare. Aside from some thrilling action scenes and a fast paced plot, Black Panther is intelligent and political. I am not saying Marvel does not create intelligent movies (Captain America: Civil War is one of the smarter movies), it is just that the engaging politics stands out in this. Director Ryan Coogler also did not shy away from creating an i...

The Five Best And Worst of 2017 Best 1. Dunkirk This is the top movie of 2017 because it was a pleasant experience in cinema. Watching this in cinema was not an initial intent however the strong reviews caught my attention. It is Christopher Nolan's best. It is short and sweet without dwelling on much. Han Zimmer's thrilling score levitates the movie to a whole new level. 2. Blade Runner 2049 It is another surprise hit for me as I did not intend to watch this in cinema too. The long runtime was partially the drawback for me but I was pleasantly surprised that I was engaged throughout the whole movie. Aside from Dennis Villeneuve's strong direction, Han Zimmer's score is on another level. 3. Thor Ragnarok Last year has been a great year. I did not expect to enjoy the third outing of Thor that much. The first one is so-so and the second one is an improvement however none of them stood out in my memories. Thor Ragnarok is definitely one of the most ...

Rating: 4.2/5 Review: "Justice League 3D movie review" (120 minutes) "Despite the heavy criticism, I enjoyed Justice League very much due to Zack Synder's style. It is not a perfect movie; the short runtime and rushed development but if you are willing to overlook the flaws, you will get a pretty enjoyable movie." The most anticipated superhero ensemble is finally released and heavily criticized. By now, I am convinced that critics are biased against Zack Synder. Not that I think he is the best director, he does know how to create an entertaining movie. The criticism is the usual; ugly visuals, lack of character's development, chaotic action. I could at least try to understand the harsh criticism on his poor direction on story and pacing. But I am appalled when the critics start tearing him apart on his visual direction. I think he directs visuals well; he is almost a painter for movies. And that is what Justice League is about. Zack is known for hi...

Rating: 4.7/5 Review: "Thor: Ragnarok IMAX 3D review" (130 minutes) "Thanks to director Taika Waititi's confident direction, one of the best Marvel's effort is a colorful hoot to watch." To be honest, I didn't have high expectations for the third installment of the Thor franchise. I still find the first Thor one of the weakest Marvel movies. Thor: The Dark World is an improvement by showcasing more of the epic scope of the God's world. When the trailers for Ragnarok were released, I didn't know what to expect: the trailers show that it is a colorful, light-hearted CGI fest. Light-hearted is not something we have come to associate with Thor. The early reviews began to worry me more when some reviews state that it is the funniest Marvel movie to date. Even funnier than the goofball Guardians of the galaxy. So I went to the IMAX cinema with an expectation of just to be entertained. Imagine my surprise that I enjoyed it a lot. After walking ...

Rating: 3.5/5 Review: "The Lego Ninjago Movie 3D movie review" (101 minutes) "It becomes less fresh due to the cliche and straight forward theme of a relationship between a son and a father. However it is saved by great detailed animation and some neat action scenes." When the first Lego movie was released, I had doubts on whether the translation from a toy to a movie worked. Surprisingly, the movie worked well; it is fast-paced with wacky sense of humor. The second movie, The Lego Batman Movie, dipped in quality but nonetheless an entertaining and light-hearted animation. The Lego Ninjago Movie is the third movie in the growing Lego movie universe and the second Lego movie this year. It is still as fast-paced as the others. But my interest seems to wane after the third movie. It is still entertaining and humorous but the straight forward themes are not as fresh as they were in the first Lego movie. The story: It is a very straight forward and cliche plot...

Rating: 4.3/5 Review: "American Made film review" "An entertaining and fun well-made film boosted by great direction and acting." Doug Liman and Tom Cruise paired up together again for a fast-paced and colorful biography on Barry Seal. American Made may not have the blockbuster action but it holds up on its own firmly with the help of a great direction by Doug. Tom Cruise is definitely the main highlight of the film and he is what made it so entertaining. The story: The pace is brisk; it takes the audience on a crazy ride from the start and never slows down. Though it never felt boring, sometimes I felt that it could have slowed down for some development. After the film ended, it seems that Doug and Tom had a clear mind on just keeping the audience as entertained as they can be. It cuts to the chase and never dwells on anything such as emotions. It moves quickly from event to event. Advantage is that I was not bored at all. Disadvantage is that it felt li...

Rating: 4.1/5 Review: "Transformers: The Last Knight 3D film review" "Transformers: The Last Knight has painfully become a typical standard Michael blockbuster fare. However the excellent and immersive 3D made it a lot more entertaining." One sequel after another, Michael Bay refused to back out from his beloved franchise. Although the transformers franchise is one of my best guilty pleasures, I can't help but wonder how will it be like if another director take reins of the Transformers universe. As much as I like Michael's directing style, I prefer to see him taking up other projects. It is already crystal clear that he has nothing much left to add on to the already tired franchise. The story: The ridiculous and implausible plot seems to get a lot of flak. It scored an all-new low 15 percent on rotten tomatoes and the general audience didn't seem to like it either. If this replaced the second installment of Transformers, I am sure this would b...

TV reviews Rating: 4/5 Review: "Legion TV review" Rating: 3.8/5 Review: "Marvel's Iron Fist TV review" The only similarity is that both TV series are based on the characters of Marvel. Each has a different treatment. Legion may based on the superhero genre but its whimsical presentation is a rare but engaging style. Throughout its 8 episodes, the creators and directors do not bother explaining anything that does not make sense. It is akin to Christopher Nolan's inception where the reality is hard to separate from fantasy. It is a confusing but engaging way of getting the audience's attention. I admit that at times, the series veers toward the ridiculous boundary of fantasy. The style is portrayed in an indie film style. Small and intimate. There is a slow start before unleashing a torrent of emotions and stunning visuals from episode 4 onward. For a TV series, the visual treatment is definitely amazing. It draws your eyes to the screen....

Rating: 4.3/5 Review: "Wonder Woman 3D film review" (141 minutes) "DCU has delivered a solid solo superhero film, Wonder Woman, that does not only have spectacular and rousing action but has an intriguing character depth and clear-cut plot." The fourth adaptation based on the DCU franchise is a great solo superhero film. Although the previous films, Batman V Superman and Suicide Squad, did not receive stellar reviews, I enjoyed them as guilty pleasures. I must say I was pleasantly surprised that Wonder Woman got the stellar reviews DCU finally deserves. With all the hype of a female directing a big-budget superhero film to the first female superhero hitting the big screen after a very long time, is it worth all these? Wonder Woman does deliver a solid blockbuster entertainment. On top of that, director Patty Jenkins adds in an intriguing layer of character depth to Wonder Woman so that the film does not only feel superficial. The story: As an origin story...

Rating: 4.3/5 Review: "Power Rangers film review" (124 minutes) "Forget what you know in your childhood, the satisfying PG13 reboot does a decent job in introducing the world of Power Rangers to the new generation."  The classic Power Rangers is my childhood memories. But its cheesiness is not something a big-budget film strives to be. Nowadays a film has to look and be serious and gritty. Some of the recent examples are Fantastic Four and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. Power Rangers 2017, made for the younger generation, is the next in the line that received a serious make-over. It is not necessary a bad thing as the plot and character's development are definitely more relatable to the generation now. The latest incarnation of Power Rangers may not be as fast-paced or light-hearted as its original but it is able to stand on its own without comparison. The story: The opening scene sets up in a PG13 fashion. Grim and dark, the dying rangers swear their l...

Rating: 4.4/5 Review: "Logan movie review" (137 minutes) "Logan is an satisfying finale that will bring a tear to your eyes. It may not have the scale of a superhero blockbuster but its layered character development is what makes this film one of the best superhero films."  The third and last installment to the Wolverine trilogy is an satisfying ending. It may not be a CGI fest compared to the X-Men franchise but it holds the attention with its character's development and intense and brutal action scenes. The tone may be jarring after the last few CGI fest that includes The Wolverine, also directed by James Mangold. After the massive success of Deadpool, Fox decided to bank on Wolverine's mature themes and brutal violence. There may be the gimmicky violence but James is more interested in developing the characters that will tug your hearts at the end. It is only March but Logan is a strong contender for one of the best film this year. The story: W...