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Kevin from Work (2015)
About As Fun As Going To Work
Much like someone who's just gotten a new job, this series started out on an okay footing (not great but not bad either) and looked like it had potential. Promise, even. But much like one's working life, time strips away all the fun and optimism. I'm now past 5 episodes and have discovered that the supporting characters are either unbearably infuriating or gratingly annoying. Whatever I felt for Kevin's character right now has been reduced to pity. Pity, because he is surrounded by incredibly dysfunctional and highly unlovable characters that would fit in better on a trashy reality TV show, the worst of whom is his extremely inconsiderate hipster-cum-airhead mooch of a sister, Roxie. As a main character, Kevin himself is unmemorable, with no discerning or unique personality traits aside from being the nice guy who gets pushed around way too often. Essentially, his character lacks depth and likability.
It requires a certain finesse to have that much craziness yet still be funny... and this show hasn't gotten the formula right. The script and dialogues need an overhaul, pronto. I'd be surprised if this series lasted any longer than 2 seasons.
Mortdecai (2015)
Mortifying
Oh Johnny Depp, how far you've fallen. Despite my love for quirky and colourful characters, I found it hard to love Mortdecai. Depp's portrayal was absolutely frightful. From the mannerisms and all the way down to his faux English accent, Mortdecai was simply painful to watch. Flamboyant is fun, but Mortdecai was way past flamboyant and at the point of being crackers and completely irritating.
Although an unpopular opinion, I've enjoyed Depp's take on quirky characters like Jack Sparrow, Sweeney Todd, and Barnabas Collins. However, with Mortdecai, Depp looked like he either tried too hard or didn't even bother trying anymore. I'm starting to suspect he only got the role because he could pull off a handlebar moustache.
Storyline was amusing enough and granted, there were some pretty funny moments, but nothing memorable enough to make you want to watch this twice. Gwyneth Paltrow's character, Johanna (Mortdecai's wife) was a little more bearable, but probably because she had less screen time than Depp. Again, it was their grating faux English accent that was so horrible, even the Asian guys in the movie were more intelligible. I had to watch the movie with the subtitles on because I could barely understand the words that were coming out of Depp's mouth.
The only saving grace of the movie were Paul Bettany and Ewan McGregor. I think McGregor could've probably done better as Mortdecai, if his previous role in Down With Love is anything to go by.
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015)
Grey Matter Not Detected
This movie was simply awful. It's so awful that I now can't decide which I hate more, the book or the movie. Although the movie brought the book's characters to life, they were characters that were already hollow and distasteful, so actually seeing them on screen was an even bigger turn-off than reading about them in the books. On top of that, there was no chemistry between the two leads. I guess Jamie Dornan did a marginally better job than his female counterpart (Dakota Johnson) but being a decent actor in a crappy movie isn't really something to be proud of. Dakota Johnson, on the other hand, seemed to choose to portray her character from 2 alternating angles -- one minute she's obtuse, then another minute indifferent (almost bored, even). It's no wonder Christian Grey preferred spanking her, if only to evoke some sort of spirited or passionate reaction. If I were to ever know a person like Anastasia Steele (as she was portrayed by Dakota Johnson) in real life, I'd be inclined to think she was a little slow.
My overall impression of the movie was that it tried too hard to be some form of classy softcore porno with unending sexual suggestions callously injected into almost every scene and dialogue. How does one try so hard yet fail so miserably? The movie trudged along too slowly then went around in circles without actually going anywhere.
What were they thinking?!
The Cobbler (2014)
One of Sandler's Better Works
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie, considering how much I've started to hate Adam Sandler over the past few years. The last watchable movie he made (in my opinion) was Click and since then, everything he's written, directed and/or produced was annoying and just pure garbage. The Cobbler is simply proof that when Sandler takes the backseat in the writing and production department, magic can happen.
The Cobbler is listed as a comedy but Sandler's character, Max Simkin, is a fairly serious guy. Bored by his humdrum life as a small-time business owner and as a tradesman, Max Simkin is understandably unenthusiastic about anything. The one thing that keeps him doing what he does is his devotion to his elderly mother who depends on him and Sandler played this side of his character beautifully. Then comes that fateful day when he discovers the magic behind the old shoe stitching machine his father left him and soon, Max rediscovers happiness and excitement in his daily life, from just being able to step into someone else's shoes and be another person for just a day. Of course, in typical fashion, he makes some tactical mistakes and triggers an avalanche of nasty events while pretending to be someone else.
It's nice to see Sandler make a rebound from the horrible movies he's been doing these past few years and tone down the craziness into something pleasant to watch. While this movie wasn't particularly spectacular, it is quite memorable and the plot is engaging enough to keep you interested in seeing what happens at the end.
-SPOILER- I was pleasantly surprised at the plot twist regarding Jimmy's true identity and was wondering how I had not seen it coming until the big reveal was a few seconds away. I guess it's safe to say that Max's (mis)adventures drew me in and distracted me from the obvious, which is great. Looking back, I appreciated how they gave Jimmy just enough screen time to solidify his position as a character that's central to Max's world, but not so much as to raise suspicion and give the secret away before it was time.
While all was well and good, what the movie lacked was a bit of direction, in the sense that there wasn't much history or explanation given about how Max's family and the other tradesmen's families came to acquire their unique 'gifts'. A little clarity on this aspect would have gone a long way and would have added a lot more depth to the characters.
The Maze Runner (2014)
Formula that's done to death
Such a shame that the talents of the young cast were wasted on such a shallow film that spent too much time pretending to be something else. I scored this a 5 out of 10 because the cast was pretty good but sadly, the storyline was anything but. Ever since the popularity of The Hunger Games, it seems that movie studios are keen on the whole sci-fi + dystopia combo but honestly, it's done to death.
In The Maze Runner, I felt as if the story led me to believe I had gone down a rabbit hole when I had only been on a wild goose chase. The attempt at creating a mysterious and conspiratorial air didn't quite achieve the desired effect with audiences, probably because too much time was spent on it that when we ultimately reached the great reveal, the outcome was a tad disappointing and slightly underwhelming. I get that surprise twists are all the rage, but I was left feeling boggled and unclear about certain parts of the big reveal.
This movie is definitely a forgettable one but while you're watching it, that's not to say you won't be rooting for the protagonists. You may feel for the characters and be drawn in by the cool action sequences, but all in all, watching this movie is highly likely a one-time affair.
-POTENTIAL SPOILER-
The concept of a maze that constantly shifts/alters is awesome and it felt like the movie could have been so much more. Would have been nice to maybe see Thomas experience the frustrations of trying to get the lay of the land as a new Maze Runner instead of being the clichéd hero who miraculously saves (almost) the whole colony in just a few days.
St. Vincent (2014)
Grumpy Old Saint
People who are inherently good don't always do the right thing. The person who inspires you the most might gamble, pay for the company of a woman, and have a mouth that's filthier than a sailor's... but the few good things that a person does can speak volumes about the true character that lies hidden underneath. This movie is a wonderful embodiment and showcase of that reminder that we should never judge a book by its cover, no matter how roughly hewn it may appear to be and that the strongest friendships can form amongst the most unlikeliest of people.
In a nutshell, young Oliver and his newly single mom Maggie (played by Melissa McCarthy) move to a new neighborhood and have the (mis)fortune of being the new neighbors of Vincent (played by Bill Murray), an aging boozer with money problems, a few attitude problems, and a general disregard for a certain quality of life for himself. Thanks to Maggie's demanding job, Vincent ends up agreeing to babysit Oliver for a couple of bucks an hour after school and despite Vincent's cynicism and utter disregard or consideration for almost every other human being, Oliver actually enjoys spending time with Vincent and his cat. Vincent, however, just does the bare minimum to keep the kid alive. As the two spend more time together, a bond forms and they discover that the other has impacted his life more than they'd realized.
Expect lots of giggles from the effervescent Bill Murray, who effortlessly proves why he's such a lovable and in-demand actor even after so many years. However, if you're looking for surprise twists in the plot, prepare to be disappointed because this film was designed to be a predictable feel-good movie with a happy ending from the get go. What you can expect though, are plenty of chuckles that ultimately culminate in tears as the movie moves into the predictable turnaround moment where everything that's wrong in the world becomes right once again.
Aside from Bill Murray's Vincent, another character to look out for is Naomi Watts's memorable Daka Parimova, Vincent's "lady of the night" whom he might or might not have gotten knocked up. Some might say her take on the Russian prostitute might have been a little over the top but the whole point of the movie is to be over the top -- Vincent lives life recklessly and does as he pleases as the mood strikes him, which often gets him into trouble with all sorts of people. At some point in the movie, you'll discover why he's allowed himself to sink to varying levels of low and you will get an idea of what exactly it is that he's trying to distract himself from with his reckless and irresponsible antics.
The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014)
Food for the Soul
About once a year, a simple and unassuming movie with a universally appealing theme comes along to melt even the iciest of hearts. This year, The Hundred-Foot Journey is THAT movie. The sets and backdrops are tasteful and artistic; the characters feel real and you'll grow to love them; the food is simply mouth-watering. Most importantly, audiences will surely feel like they've come home to a place where good food and family go in hand in hand -- neither is worth anything without the other. Papa (played by Om Puri) steals the show with his commanding on screen presence, clever lines and his wonderful take on the character of aging patriarch.
In a nutshell: a laid-back family movie that may be a little clichéd or predictable (as is expected with this sort of movie), but still a pleasure to watch and it will definitely go into my list of favorites.
The Other Woman (2014)
A vapid and underwhelming shell of a movie
I never had high hopes for this movie but I didn't expect to be so sorely disappointed either. Considering that this movie centered around some form of female empowerment and was mainly about not letting a philandering man get away with adultery, the movie reeked of a shallow plot and an even worse script. I can overlook the uncommon nature of 3 women bonding over an unusual shared circumstance -- they're all in love with 1 man who's been cheating on all of them (he's married to 1 and the other 2 are his mistresses) — because hey, it DOES happen in real life, but what was highly unbelievable was that these 3 women became best friends almost overnight and became somehow, impossibly, connected on some deep spiritual level by just getting drunk together and plotting revenge on the same target. I use the term 'impossible' and 'unbelievable' because there was almost no believable character development to speak of. Sure, the spotlight was on Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann but the great injustice was that their characters had little to no substance. What constituted their characters' personalities in the movie were clichéd and ultimately, revolved around the cheating man. I mean, if you're going to make a movie about female empowerment, it might help to give their characters a little depth in areas of their lives where the man is not necessarily involved.
Worse still was how they included Kate Upton's character in the movie without ever really including her. Watch the movie and you'll get what I mean about her prop-like status. I find this to be somewhat outrageous because even in a female-centric movie like this where Kate Upton played one of the 3 scorned women, she was reduced to standing by the sidelines and was only given attention when her bosom and/or butt was needed to fill a scene.
One of the biggest disappointments of the year. Struggled to even finish this and found myself frowning throughout the entire ordeal.
Utopia (2013)
Dark & Brutal. Love It!
I've only watched 2 out of 6 episodes so far, but I'm compelled to write a glowing review about this series. Never has the pilot of any series drawn me in as quickly and as deeply as Utopia's has. The transitional style from scene to scene is quite unlike any of those you're used to seeing in mainstream dramas -- oftentimes they are a little abrupt and even a little disjointed, but it works, and given how dark the story is, it is all done by design. Also, the choice of soundtracks may seem a little oddball but it is honestly BRILLIANT.
I love how the plot and the script progresses at a slow enough pace that doesn't completely fob off viewers. I've watched one too many thrillers that drag out the mystery and suspense for way too long, eventually resulting in an uninterested and frustrated audience. It's amazing how the plot reveals bits of vital information that help you connect the dots and make you go, "Oh, so that's what it is!" Then, a few seconds later, you realize that you still don't see the big picture... and you are intrigued!
A fair warning to those who are too easily unsettled and squeamish: violence and brutality are some of the key themes in this series, but if you ask me, squirming through all those scenes are completely worth it.
This series isn't like anything you've seen before, so describing its details without giving too much away is quite difficult. All I can say is that if you enjoy the really dark stuff and are looking to be shocked, this is the show for you, but hey, don't take my word for it, watch it and find out for yourself.
WARNING: It's dangerously addictive and you WILL get sucked into the intrigue.
Grown Ups 2 (2013)
Grown Ups 2: Not Meant For Grown Ups
There isn't much left to pile onto the towering pile of bad reviews for this movie, probably because this movie wasn't made of much to begin with. If you're wondering just how bad and disjointed this movie is, imagine having 10 people work on separate filming projects without communicating with one another before splicing everything together and voilà, you get Grown Ups 2. Frankly though, this steaming pile of crap is nothing short of what one can expect when Sandler is allowed to write anything (think Jack & Jill). Not only has the quality of his script-writing officially crossed over into the zone of non-existence, but his acting is equally as bad too.
I've read reviews/comments posted that those who hate this movie obviously do not get what Happy Madison is all about. WRONG! I hated every minute of this movie (especially those with closeups of Sandler's poor acting) but I loved their past works such as Grandma's Boy and Deuce Bigalow. THOSE movies are fun and mindless entertainment that were actually hilarious as hell (and still are)! Grown Ups 2 on the other hand, isn't for those who are seeking mindless entertainment; it's for those who'd like to effectively find a way to destroy brain cells and commit self-torture.
I wish I could write a more technical review of this movie but all I can do is just fling dirt & feces at it because this movie, quite frankly, is a flimsy house of cards; all it takes is a gust of wind to bring it crashing down. Reviewers (myself included) are not exaggerating when they claim that the movie progressively gets worse because it really does. Halfway through the movie, I left to take a shower without bothering to even pause it, then came back 20 minutes later wondering how on earth it was possible for the movie to have gotten twice as awful during my absence. You have been warned.