Reviews

There's a lot of screaming.

"The Northman" presents a modern take on the timeless saga, resembling a contemporary interpretation of Hamlet. With meticulous set design and striking costumes, the film creates a visually immersive experience, though the fight choreography is less than seamless.

It weaves a tale rich in love, magic (I think), betrayal, violence, vengeance, more betrayal, romance, mythology, and tragedy, with the actors delivering their lines with the eloquence of poetry on stage (it's not an exaggeration, sometimes they rhyme when they speak).

Alexander Skarsgård delivers a sincere and passionate portrayal of the revenge-driven Prince Amleth, while Gustav Lindh breathes life into his character Prince Thorir despite having so little to work with. A subtle plot twist adds intrigue midway through, though it doesn't significantly alter the course of the story.

Overall, "The Northman" offers an enjoyable cinematic journey, particularly when approached with the mindset of experiencing a grand theatrical epic. Perhaps if Fjölnir and his new family had more depth, it would be more of a dilemma for Amleth to exact his revenge; but they were either bland or stereotypically bad. Would probably not revisit this anytime soon, but I'm glad I watched it anyway.

As a viewer who stumbled upon this film on Netflix, I approached it with moderate expectations. The initial half-hour sets a promising tone with its fast-paced and engaging narrative, but unfortunately, the momentum gradually dissipates as the story progresses.

Visually, the film offers a refreshing departure from the typical Malaysian horror fare, with its higher production quality and occasional creative CGI. However, there are moments when the CGI feels overly indulgent, detracting from the overall experience.

The Netflix-like vibe, reminiscent of popular series such as Stranger Things, adds a contemporary appeal, and the characters are generally well-crafted, with understandable motives. Special mention goes to the actor who portrayed the intentionally annoying character convincingly.

Despite these strengths, the film ultimately falls short due to its lackluster ending. It left me with a sense of dissatisfaction, failing to deliver a resolution that matches the promising setup.

Watching this felt like riding a roller coaster; if the roller coaster was slow and goes in a straight line, upside down, the entire time. I appreciate the filmmakers for trying to incorporate some history and culture but it doesn't make the story line any better. It has potential, but the lore feels incomplete, the ending feels incomplete. The inclusion of the main character Olivia's artsy recurring nightmare scenes is a highlight. Additionally, the cinematography occasionally succeeds in capturing the urban charm of the Philippines.

I guess the scariest thing about this film is the hospital bills.

The series follows a consistent formula:

1) Rick and his group discovers a potential home, 2) encounter challenges (walkers or humans or both), 3) engages in a fight and are forced to depart, 4) eventually the formula comes full circle, and the gang seeks another safe place to call home.

The formula feels like a video game; each season is a level featuring a boss battle towards the end. Once our protagonists prove victorious, they relocate, and the cycle continues. Surprisingly, despite the expected pattern, the series remains engaging. There are always new characters, and everyone's life is consistently at stake; no one is safe, not even the main gang.

There are slow moments within the series and the quality declined for awhile, especially towards the later seasons (viewers would remember the bad CGI deer and that random ugly trash wasteland backdrop); but it's still a pretty good show and I'd binge it again.

Ava Robbins, a vlogger known as "Van Girl", vanishes under mysterious circumstances from the public eye following a deer-related accident, only to reemerge post-hiatus as "cabin girl," seemingly happy to trade her van lifestyle for a serene cabin existence. Nevertheless, Ava's once-upbeat influencer life takes a dark turn as she encounters paranormal hauntings and a very human threat in the form of a shady stalker. Her gradual spiral into paranoia makes her hostile towards those around her, until the pieces finally fall into place after the one hour run-time.

It's slow, a little boring and difficult to root for Ava, especially for the first hour; but the good music and cinematography of nature in the small town makes it bearable. Best to watch with low expectations and without any spoilers!

As the title suggests, it feels like a Pitch Perfect spin-off made for the Modern Family (Haley x Andy) fans. I'm sure that's not the only reason it is created, but it is the only reason I'm watching it.

Is it a necessary addition to Pitch Perfect? No. As a standalone spin-off, it is mediocre at its best. The covers are not fantastic but they're okay, the original songs are okay as well.

Did I enjoy it? Yes, it's oddly endearing, it feels like a good fanfiction. The storyline is very predictable, the conflicts are equally predictable in a way that is so bad it's good. The main cast does a good job creating chemistry. I won't watch it again, but I don't regret watching it once.

Hopefully they'll stop milking this mediocre storyline. Nothing particularly interesting happens, it's difficult to sympathize or even care for any of the characters. If they survive, good, I guess. If they don't, whatever. A few reoccurring characters from the previous movies made a small cameo so viewers can act out that Leonardo DiCaprio meme where he points at the television and makes a surprise Pikachu face.

Oh, and there's a manic pixie dream girl character in there, it's giving early 2000s vibe without the early 2000s charm. No harm watching if you're bored but don't expect anything refreshing.

The movie was unnecessary and a little disappointing especially to those who were fans of the first movie. The humour is unimaginative and stale and it feels like something from 2009. I watched it for the sake of nostalgia and even with the fantastic cast, nothing can save the terrible plot and storyline.

The characters do dumb things throughout the movie and it's just difficult to watch.