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Name: Orphan First Kill
Director: William Brent Bell
Release Year: 2022
Score: 6/10

Orphan: First Kill (2022), directed by William Brent Bell, is a satisfactory prequel to the earlier Orphan (2009) that delves upon the many secrets of Esther's past that were mentioned in the original movie. It's more of a black comedy than a horror film, and the tonal shift that occurs around halfway through the movie is a bit abrupt, but for fans of the original Orphan (2009), it is a serviceable return to the mythos.

The plot follows Leena Klammer, played by Isabelle Fuhrman, a 31 year-old woman who has a rare bodily condition that gives her the appearance and physicality of a 10 year-old, as she escapes from a psychiatric asylum and adopts the identity of a missing American child to assimilate into a new country and household. Being an experienced con-artist, her ultimate goal is to rob the wealthy family blind and disappear into the greater American backdrop. However, complications arise when she falls in love with her adoptive father, as she struggles to maintain the facade of an innocent loving daughter despite her true insidious nature.

Straight off the bat, the first 45 minutes of the film are extremely cliched, as if William Brent Bell is just going off a checklist for standard horror tropes (e.g., forced POV shots to hide killer with weapon, flickering lights to induce horror atmosphere). Although it was well-executed and shot, half of the 99 minutes running time could have been condensed into 20 or 30 minutes by cutting the many unnecessary developments (e.g., Leena's escape from the asylum).

The strengths of Orphan: First Kill (2022) is when it leans into the inherent campiness and absurdity of its material, which happens in the second half of the film. The film abruptly changes tone from cliched horror to black comedy, which was initially jarring and against expectations, but in hindsight created a better film. When the core of the film is having a sociopathic woman trapped in the body of a young girl that falls in love with an older married man, having the wife, played by Julia Stiles, find out of Leena's deception and false impersonation of Esther, and go to great extents to protect her fabricated perfect American family dream, is a fun watch. Both female leads are constantly finding ways to one-up each other for their respective agendas, and it's like watching a twisted version of a Tom & Jerry episode, which would have been a great popcorn flick for the most part.

A strong second act was unfortunately followed by an underwhelming climax, but I would argue that for fans of the original Orphan (2009), Orphan: First Kill is a passable prequel to Esther's lore. It's not particularly scary (I wish it leaned more into the horror elements of the original), and it's not particularly funny either (the whole movie should have been the expanded second act), but the unique concept of Esther's character and the dynamic with her equally sociopathic adoptive mother makes for some acceptable but forgettable fun.

-Genie

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Ouch, that's gotta be a lot of rings lost

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Name: Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Director: Jeff Fowler
Release Year: 2022
Score: 7.5/10

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022), directed by Jeff Fowler, is pure, unadulterated, exhilarating, fan-servicing, non-stop excitement and fun. It's just so entertaining, maybe because I love the franchise and the property, but it had me feeling like a child again in all the right ways.

The plot follows Sonic the Hedgehog, voiced by Ben Schwartz, who is finally settling in to his new home on Earth, albeit in a lonely fashion. When Dr. Eggman Robotnik, played by Jim Carrey, returns from his exile on Mushroom Planet, Sonic and his new friend Tails the Fox, voiced by Colleen

O'Shaughnessey, race against both Dr. Robotnik and Knuckles the Echidna, voiced by Idris Elba, to recover the Master Emerald from its hidden spot on Earth.

The performances are fantastic. Jim Carrey absolutely kills it in his over-the-top performance as Dr. Eggman, and even in moments of extreme cringe (e.g., when he randomly starts flossing), Carrey commits to his character, and it pays off in bucket-filled mayhem and entertainment. The CGI for the non-human characters has improved dramatically from the first film, which was already a monumental step-up from the disastrous first trailer.

The dialogue and script is a bit heavy-handed at times, which was one of my major criticisms of The Bad Guys (2022) as well. I believe that for the target audience of young children and teens, you don't need to spoon-feed them messages of strong friendship or the importance of loyalty or even staying true to yourself.  In my opinion, any good form of media is able to reflect the author's emotional intentions without needing explicit explanation, and at times, Sonic the Hedgehog (2022) slows down to give us this unnecessary hand-holding.

For this reason, the film slows down immensely in pace during it's second act, which coincidentally featured the most screen-time for the humans. This only padded out the film's already long 2-hour runtime. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) was at its best when there was a focus on the heroic trio of Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles, so I am hopeful that the confirmed third film will focus less on the humans and more on expanding the deep lore of the Sonic franchise. Also, that final fight scene with Super Eggman and the trio was SO incredible, it makes me want to rewatch the film in 4K definition to fully appreciate the scope and beauty of that sequence.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022) is a highly recommended film for fans of the property, as well as any film-goer that needs to take their younger siblings or children to watch a movie. It's an adrenaline-pumping, thrill-a-minute ride of fist-pumping childhood delight.

-Genie

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Name: The Lost City
Director: Aaron & Adam Nee
Release Year: 2022
Score: 6/10

The Lost City (2022), directed by Aaron & Adam Nee, is a fun but uninspired romantic-comedy that is surprisingly very sexually-charged. It's part Raiders of the Lost Ark, part Long Shot, and just wholly forgettable.

The plot follows romantic-novelist Loretta Sage, played by Sandra Bullock, who is kidnapped by media mogul and artefact collector Abigail Fairfax, played by Daniel Radcliffe, and it's up to her clueless but sincere cover model Alan Caprison, played by Channing Tatum, to venture into the Lost City of D and rescue her.

Everything about the movie is so simple, and I am glad for it. The movie doesn't pretend to have a grand artistic vision, nor does it attempt to build upon the genre of romantic-comedy or action-adventure or exploration films. It just borrows the tropes of the films that it is inspired by, and updates them for a modern audience with modern effects. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just plays it super safe.

The movie was also surprisingly very sexual, which was weird because I know of many students aged between 10 - 13 that would have watched this film in cinema and been bombarded with a plethora of intercourse innuendos and dick jokes. To be fair, I'm sure that any conscious parent would check the movie classification for these kinds of things to avoid any unwanted exposure, but I was caught off guard by how forward some of the lines and scenes were.

Personally, I think chemistry between the leading stars in a romantic-comedy film is especially important, as the selling point of the genre would be the development of relationships. In The Lost City (2022), rather than having chemistry with one another, Bullock and Tatum carry the movie with their own individual charms and star-power. As their respective characters, they were perfectly cast, but their relationship on-screen is not at all endearing nor exciting in any genuine emotional performance. It's just saucy.

Overall, The Lost City (2022) is a fun update of classics before it, but it treads familiar waters, which makes it largely bland and forgettable.

-Genie

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Name: Morbius
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Release Year: 2022
Score: 3/10

My first red post of the blog. Stay clear of these movies.

Morbius (2022), directed by Daniel Espinosa, should never really have been released. It's not fun, the action scenes are bland CGI blurs, the script is beyond cringe, and it's not even self-aware enough to poke fun at itself. It also has the worst post-credit scenes ever seen in a superhero movie. You would think after multiple delays and reshoots that Sony would just shelve it, but it truly is a disaster of a film.

The plot follows Dr. Michael Morbius, played by Jared Leto, a medical prodigy who has a lifelong debilitating condition that isn't really explained or expanded upon, but it makes him very frail and unable to "enjoy" life like others. Dr. Morbius only has one real friend, a fellow debilitated patient Lucian "Milo" Crown, played by Matt Smith, and they build a friendship based off their connection as "Spartans" (the few against the many). When an unethical and unorthodox experiment goes horribly wrong and transforms Dr. Morbius into a living vampire, the film follows his enjoyment of newfound physical freedom whilst struggling to maintain his humanity.

There's not much to praise about the film. Jared Leto and Matt Smith really try their best to bring about any sort of depth or flavour to their bland 2D characters, and their performance is the only factor that holds the movie together. Whereas Leto's performance as the Joker in Suicide Squad (2016) was criticised for being too outlandish and not menacing enough, his portrayal of a pained scientist desperate to find a cure to his condition and unhappiness is more nuanced and grounded. The script does neither him nor Smith any favours however, with straight goofball lines reminiscent of Raimi's Spider-Man villains (without any of the self-referential fun) delivered with straight faces and a seemingly genuine performance, as if it isn't the cringiest thing they have ever said.

The action scenes are also some of the worst I have ever seen in a superhero film. Much like the final fight of Black Panther (2018), the characters are just CGI shadows rolling over each other. The punches more often than not don't land, and when they do, they don't land with any gravity, because it's so obviously fake. It says a lot about a film that is based off a superhero property when I was challenged to suspend my disbelief concerning plot developments and the powers of Morbius and Crown. At one point, even in scenes that were obviously shot to evoke horror tropes, Morbius (2022) was laughable and ironically funny.

If you manage to somehow watch the entirety of the film without swapping to something else, you are gifted with THE worst post-credit I have ever seen in a superhero film. Firstly, why does MCU Adrian Toomes get transported into the Sony-verse, when he started out in the MCU to begin with? Sure, all the Raimi villains go back with Tobey, and all the TASM villains go back with Andrew, so why does Michael Keaton's Vulture go to another multiverse? Secondly, why does Adrian Toomes then go and meet Morbius, IN HIS MCU CHITAURI GEAR, AND PLOT TO KILL SPIDER-MAN? MORBIUS DOESN'T KNOW WHO SPIDER-MAN IS YET AHAHAHAHAHAHA plsdeletethismovie.

If you want to watch this movie for the memes, sure. Other than that, please don't waste 1.75 precious hours on this steaming pile of cinematic poop.

-Genie

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Name: The Bad Guys
Director: Pierre Perifel
Release Year: 2022
Score: 8/10

The Bad Guys (2022), directed by Pierre Perifel, is a fun and beautifully animated film that surprisingly tackles complex social themes despite a predictable and linear plot.

The plot follows a crew of "bad guys", consisting of Ms. Tarantula, Mr. Shark, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Wolf, and Mr. Snake (as seen in their respective order in the GIF above). After a heist gone wrong, The Bad Guys are forced to pretend to be "good" to not only avoid imprisonment, but to also redeem their failures in the previous robbery. During their deception as pious individuals, the crew confronts their self-image, societal expectations and insecurities as they learn that being "good" is not so "bad" after all.

The film is so much fun. Much like how Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) is animated in the style of a retro pop-art comic-book, The Bad Guys (2022) has gorgeous hand-drawn animations that feel straight out of the source material (a hilarious graphic novel series by Aaron Blabey). The fight scenes are detailed and flashy, the gags land their punch and don't overstay their welcome, and the script is quirky and zany.

The chemistry between the crew is also a major highlight of the film. Whether it is the rivalry of Mr. Wolf (played by Sam Rockwell) and Mr. Snake (played by Marc Maron) that evokes classic buddy-cop film tropes, or the Ocean's Eleven callbacks to heist stereotypes with Ms. Tarantula (played by Awkafina) as a eight-legged hacker and Mr. Shark (played by Craig Robinson) as a foolproof master of disguise, The Bad Guys (2022) really is a love letter to Soderbergh's Ocean series and Tarantino's Pulp Fiction (1994).

The final highlight of the film is the complex social themes that it chooses to tackle. The Bad Guys crew are heavily discriminated by society for their outwardly appearance (as predators), which creates within each of them a deep resentment and distrust towards a society that has abandoned them on such superficial grounds. In turn, this reinforces the harmful stereotype that being "bad" is their only life choice, as it is all they have ever known, which makes opening up to one another and being virtuous so challenging and foreign to them. The Bad Guys (2022) doesn't shove this message down your throat, which I really appreciated, maybe because I was too busy appreciating the animations.

If anything, the plot is fairly linear and predictable, which some may see as a point of detraction. However, I believe that for what it accomplishes, the relatively simple plot of The Bad Guys (2022) allows for greater focus on characterisation and interpersonal relationships, which is also one of the major highlights of the Ocean series.

Therefore, despite unsurprising plot twists, The Bad Guys (2022) still shines in its strengths to overshadow any lingering criticisms of the film, and I highly recommend both children and adults to watch this fun movie.

-Genie

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Name: The Incredible Hulk
Director: Louis Leterrier
Release Year: 2008
Score: 6.5/10

The Incredible Hulk (2008), directed by Louis Leterrier, is criminally underrated, as it is the closest we have seen to an accurate live-action portrayal of the Hulk.

The plot follows Bruce Banner, played by Edward Norton, who is a scientist that is irradiated by gamma radiation in a freak military accident. When his heart-rate exceeds 200 BPM, the mild-mannered Dr Banner transforms into the green monstrosity that is the Hulk. In a pursuit for an antidote, Banner evades the U.S. military and their ambitions to weaponise his condition, whilst reconnecting with his former flame Elizabeth "Betty" Ross, played by Liv Tyler.

As a film, The Incredible Hulk (2008) has many positives.

Firstly, it is paced very tightly, and there are rarely any lulls in the action and tension with awkwardly timed jokes or exposition that overstays its welcome (Joss Whedon, please take notes).

Secondly, the Hulk actually feels menacing and monstrous, and Bruce is a sympathetic character that doesn't feel like a vessel for the Hulk, but an equally interesting expression of anger and self-determination.

Neither of these qualities are seen from the current portrayal of the Hulk by Mark Ruffalo, who is used as a one-dimensional smashing machine that occasionally offers comic relief.

Thirdly, the action is some of the best from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) at the time of writing. Each time that Bruce transforms into the Hulk and rampages, the camera closely follows each punch, slam, stomp, and thunderclap from the Hulk, giving the monster's brute force an unparalleled sense of force and gravity. In comparison, modern MCU movies have action sequences that feel like well-choreographed dance pieces or slapstick (e.g., Black Panther).

However, the film has glaring flaws.

Firstly, the script is awful and cringe. The worst offenders are all scenes with Emil Blonsky, played by Tim Roth, and General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross, played by the late William Hurt. The film's star-studded cast is not given much to work with, when they have to deliver lines such as "I don't want to control it. I want to get rid of it!" or "Give me a real fight!". Some lines just don't transition as well from comic-books onto the silver screen.

Secondly, the romantic relationship between Bruce and Betty is forced and unrealistic. Edward Norton and Liv Tyler try their best to muster up as much chemistry as possible to sell their feelings for one another on-screen, but it really doesn't make sense. Betty Brant already had moved on with Dr Leonard Samson (super cool easter egg to comic-favourite Doc Samson) when Bruce mysteriously reappears in her life and they runaway with each other. Furthermore, it really diminishes Betty's character to damsel-in-distress and shoe-horned lover, much like Mary Jane Watson in the Raimi Spider-Man trilogy, which is a far cry from the complexity of Bruce's and Betty's relationships from the comic-books.

I really love that they nailed the look, feel, and action of the Hulk, but the superficial relationships and plot bring down what could have been a great movie.

-Genie

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Name: Iron Man
Director: Jon Favreau
Release Year: 2008
Score: 8.5/10

And so begins my rewatch and reviews of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and what better way is there to begin than with the birthplace of arguably the biggest Hollywood franchise in history?

Iron Man (2008), directed by Jon Favreau, is widely loved by both critics and fans alike (94% and 91% respectively on Rotten Tomatoes), and it is easy to see why this is the case.

The plot follows Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr, who is a privileged young genius that inherits his father's weapons-manufacturing conglomerate. After returning from a humbling near-death experience, Stark decides to turn over a new leaf and use the resources of his company for peaceful purposes, which is met with heavy opposition from his war-mongering associate, Obadiah Stane, played by Jeff Bridges.

Much like how Tony's arc reactor magnetises the leftover shards from piercing his heart, Favreau meticulously balances the realism of war politics and dodgy "humanitarian" companies with exciting comic-book flair and ridiculousness to create a hearty and passionate love letter to the character of Iron Man.

The greatest example of passion, and arguably the most iconic aspect of the character, is the attention to detail Favreau pays to each occasion that Tony suits up into Iron Man. The sequence of close-up shots of gears whirring into place, followed by arc shots of the armour being slotted into their positions around Tony, and the final medium shot of the full costume before the visor clangs down, is cinematic art, and I cannot deny that it was just as exciting to watch again as it was over 13 years ago in cinema.

In my opinion, all superhero movies have to manoeuvre this tightrope between overblown and mindless blockbuster fun with real sympathetic struggles for the protagonist, which are inherently difficult to characterise and write for any "super-human".

However, much like the Raimi Spider-Man trilogy before it, Iron Man (2008) succeeded in elevating the comic-book medium with a flawed but grounded character in Tony Stark, whose larger-than-life but benevolent lifestyle is embodied in a flashy and amazing hero in Iron Man. I believe that this can be attributed to the plot, the pacing, the camera-work, the visual and sound effects, and Favreau's directing capabilities. No doubt that RDJ was born to play Tony Stark as well.

Overall, an outstanding film, and a very high bench-mark set for the MCU.

-Genie

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Name: Better Days (少年的你)
Director: Derek Tsang
Release Year: 2019
Score: 8/10

Better Days (2019), directed by Derek Tsang, is heart-wrenching.

The plot follows Chen Nian, played by Zhou Dongyu, who is a student in her final year of high school in China. Nian is heavily burdened by a culmination of factors: the pressure to succeed in the Chinese National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao), the physical and emotional toll of being a subject of extreme bullying and harassment from fellow students, and the desire to escape from her constrictive hometown and non-existent family relations.

Coming from a background of working in the educational sector, and constantly being in an environment with children, I was able to relate with Tsang's depiction of an academic environment that actively encourages children and young adults to resort to whatever means necessary to not only succeed but squash the competition in the process. It is heartbreaking to see how much Nian has to tolerate, and confronting to consider the culture where this behaviour is commonplace and normalised.

The characterisation in Better Days (2019) is simply superb. The highlight of this film is the relationship and connection between the characters of Chen Nian and Liu Beishan, played by Jackson Yee.

Beishan is a small-time street thug who scrapes by a hollow living by working with his gang. This changes as his relationship with Nian deepens, as both characters discover purpose and the consequences of chasing their respective dreams: for Nian, breaking free from her financially and socially impoverished lifestyle with her academics, and for Beishan, protecting and nourishing her dream.

I think it is beautiful that both of these characters were able to heal something broken within the other. Nian gave Beishan something to live and fight for, and Beishan gave Nian a sense of security and consistency that had missing her whole life.

One minor criticism I had of the film is the predictability of the narrative. Although I understand that melodrama can help elevate some emotional moments, in a film with already strong characterisation and a realistic and relatable setting, the melodrama steers the plot in a foreseeable manner.

Overall, Better Days (2019) is a beautiful movie with a powerful message that is both confrontational and timeless. My personal highlight is the moving romance between two characters that have everything to gain and nothing to lose, and learning how to heal with one another.

I wanted to thank my twin, not only for recommending me this fantastic movie, but for giving me the idea for this blog and for encouraging me to start. To get these feelings and words out and preserve them on this page is strangely liberating, and I hope it will be a productive way to share to others on a subject that I love. Thank you again.

-Genie

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Better Days Trailer #1 (2019) | Movieclips Indie

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Welcome to my movie review blog : )

I've always been a big consumer and an even bigger fan of digital media in all of its forms, whether it be movies, TV shows, music, video games, and podcasts.

I've been encouraged by some of my closest friends and families to do something productive with my hobby, so I guess this blog is a space for me to convey my thoughts and opinions on the content that I consume so frequently.

The reviews I post will not be super-extensive, unless I feel very strongly about that content, in which case a separate TLDR post will be uploaded concurrently. They are designed to be digestible and quick reads that can maybe help you decide what to watch next instead of browsing through Netflix for another 20 minutes.

I will also feature a rating out of 10 at the very beginning of every post, for those that want to quickly scan for something.

Thank you again to my friends and family who prompted me to start this avenue for my thoughts, and praise be to God for blessing me with this opportunity 🙏.

-Genie