The Matrix Resurrections (2021) - IMAX

A bit too talky for my liking. Didn't really take to the story or any of the characters either.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) - IMAX

Not too bad. There were moments I teared up. There were moments that I felt were a bit draggy. Two bits I just could not buy - as they veered into the same territory as when Clark Kent will not save his father from death in order to hide his identity in Zack Snyder's The Man of Steel (2013). But the pluses mostly outweighed the few negatives. And the epic-ness that this film delivers is something fans haven't really seen before on the big screen.

The French Dispatch (2021)

A visual treat. I think I dozed off somewhere during the second story,  and woke up during the animated car chase scene bit in the third. I liked the story with Benicio del Toro, Lea Seydoux and Adrien Brody.
 

Jungle Cruise (2021)

Adequately entertaining although (like most mainstream films of this nature), there is also quite a but of violence and destruction of property with little regard for consequences. The talents are fun to watch and I saw them more as their characters of Frank and Lily rather than as The Rock and Emily Blunt. Love the bits of corny dialogue.   

Eternals (2021) - IMAX

Went in with low expectations cos of all the negative reviews. The first ten minutes made me think that perhaps the reviews were right. Bits and pieces of dialogues that I felt were clunky. I couldn't get into Gemma Chan's casting.

I came out thinking this is one of the best from the MCEU. I like the levels of intelligence, even if it aims high but don't always stick. It asks questions like, if you enforce peace through mind control, is that good? It had moments where I went: Superman vs. WW! Superman vs. Flash! Amazo! Civil War! Love the Superman, Clark Kent and Alfred bits in the dialogues. The word "humanity" pop up in my mind - the same word that popped up when I watched Nomadland.

There's lots I like about this film. I probably like almost all the Eternals except I wasn't totally sold on Salma Hayek and Gemma Chan. Lauren Ridloff looks cool but that's about it (her character got the shortest end of the stick in terms of development, IMHO). But the other Eternals had me going... I'll like to see more. Love the "Indian butler". The sex scene was brief and pretty much in PG13 territory. The gay family unit bits were pretty PG (and nicely included) - so it was sad this got slapped with a M18 rating here in SG. Kudos to Disney for not chopping it off for a lower rating.    

Dune (2021) - IMAX

I was apprehensive about watching this 'cos I read it's 2hr 35min long. And I was scared it would be a very arty film. I was glad I cot this on the biggest screen. The pace wasn't that slow. This is generally a political thriller set in an imagined future. The world building in this was like WOAH! This is the kind of films that Oscar Best Pics are made of, IMHO. And there were times when I went - hey! That's Aquaman, Drax, Thanos and MJ all in the same film!

Army of Thieves (2021)

Not bad. Very different tone from Army of the Dead.  
 

No Time to Die (2021)

Went in with low expectations but was generally entertained. Front bit had a realistically challenged action sequence. Film also brought us to many places around the globe, which was nice. Didn't buy some of the sensibilities, and I thought the finale was a little Rick Flag from Suicide Squad #26 (1989). Loved the agent who only had 3 weeks training and the scenes she's in. 
 

Suk Suk《叔叔》(2019)

I felt a bit squirmish during the more intimately sexual scenes. I found this film overall, a bit too reflective for my current personal tastes. But the performances were sensitive. There were a lot of nice moments between different characters. There was dialogue that made me chuckle. I became interested in the story of these characters. And I do enjoy the sights of Hong Kong that slant more towards the realistic. There aren't many films that feature mature characters, much less those on the fringe of social norms. And I thought this one portrayed its characters with great sensitivity.  
 

Booksmart (2019)

Generally entertaining. Driven mainly by the performance of the two leads and some sharp dialogues. Characters are a little too teenage worldly for me, and there were a few bits where the energy kind of dipped. 

The Guilty (2021)

I liked this. Managed to stay awake though I was tired. 

Vampires vs. the Bronx (2020)

Light fluff with believability out the window mostly. Main focus is entertainment and the production pretty much nailed it with the casting of the three kids.

Everybody's Talking About Jamie (2021)

Mainstream fluff. But it may be one of the most entertaining + engaging films I watched this year. I like the parent-child focus. I like the performances from all the cast. I like that one of the supporting characters is Muslim (and she has a lovely singing voice too). I like that Vogue-like musical sequence where the teacher dragged the lead to the Principal's office. I love the lovely views of Sheffield. Some bits were kind of stretching believability. But overall, it's nice.

Cruella (2021)

Logic might be stretched a bit but I really liked this. Helped that I went in not reading much a bout teh plot. The two Emma are very good in this one, IMHO.
 

Mulan (2020)

Pretty much a female empowerment movie. Love the visuals. Entertaining enough in a generic way. I kind of take to the villains. Having the dialogue in English kind of made watching it feel icky - like watching a dubbed movie in which the dubbing kind of takes a huge chunk out of the entertainment.   
 

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) - IMAX

It was entertaining enough, if not generic during certain moments which segues a little into being boring to me. That said, lots about this film and character motivation don't make sense when I think hard about it. But I like the performances from Simu and Tony (tho I think Wenwu's role feels kind of short changed in the story department). Action choreography is top notch and the fighters move as if in some exquisite dance. Liked that the Asian characters don't speak in broken Mandarin (often a cringer in many non-Chinese films from the West). That opening sequence fight between Wenwu and Li is nice, and I like Fala Chen in this one. Tsai Chin shines in the one scene she's in. But I think Xialing basically gets the short end of the stick in a movie where there are too many sub-plots or such.  

Attack the Block (2011)

Fun and nice!

Free Guy (2021)

Light fluff that's generally entertaining enough but doesn't have much depth to offer. Reminds me of The Truman Show and The Matrix.

CODA (2021)

Very family affirming movie, in a good way I guess. Like the scene where we get to see things from the father's perspective.
 

Vivo (2021)

Nice! And one of those rare times when I actually found the kid characters likeable.

Pray Away (2021)

Informative, I think. But watch it with the bias awareness switch turned on.

The Suicide Squad (2021) - IMAX

Mixed feelings about this. Felt just a bit long. Liked seeing the John Ostrander cameo. Love seeing recognizable Belle Reve faces like John Economos and Flo Crawley. Starro is kind of spot on. Two movies in and Rick Flag still feels kind of bland (altho the character comes across much better in this movie). Fathers and daughters. "Peacemaker, what a joke." Waller can be a real bitch (and like Flag, so much better in this movie, but still doesn't really win me over the way the Ostrander written Waller did in the comics). Overall, it's nice for a comic geek like me. I just dunno about all the ultra violence and gore. And beware of cute things.

Onward (2020)

Nice!

The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)

Just a bit too long for my preference, and some bits really took the easy way out plot wise - even for a family friendly pic - in particular the bit towards the end with the mom. That said, it did have lots of neat ideas and I generally think it was okay. 

Blood Red Sky (2021)

Not too bad. Resolution of the pic didn't look too good at bits. Wonder if it's due to the internet connection.
 

Kingdom: Ashin of the North (2021)

I'm not sure I like this one that much. The darkness didn't jibe with me that much, along with some logic issues I couldn't link.
 

Black Widow (2021) - IMAX

Not too bad. I was mostly entertained and would rate this as one of the more satisfying super hero films I've caught.

The Tomorrow War (2021)

Was okay. Not too bad as far as shallow mainstream blockbusters go. The future sequences come across as very video gamey. I liked how the dots join up towards the end. The parent/child thing added something nice I guess. J.K. Simmonds rocks!
 

Shadow in the Cloud (2020)

I didn't really buy into the story or the characters. The trailer definitely did a great job selling the film. At least the film was short enough and moved effectively during the action sequences.
 

In the Heights (2021)

I couldn't get into this from the get go because I'm not a fan of musicals. What kept this film going is its strong kinetic energy. The actors are great. The talents playing Sonny and Abuela really brought those characters to life for me. The visuals are fantastic. Being shot on location really helps, IMHO. I also like the dancing on the wall sequence. There were some great lines. But I also didn't jibe with the fairy tale positivity and optimism as these came across as shallow for me.     

 

Roh (2019)

I'm unsure what to make of this. There are bits which make absolutely no sense but are right at home in a horror. The visuals are nice, IMHO, and the editing and the sound design help to up the scare factor. I'm unsure what the message is, but I just get the vibe that I should take a step back and look at the bigger picture. A pretty dark film (with aspirations to have deeper meanings?) which I don't think a mainstream crowd will appreciate a lot.   

A Quiet Place Part II (2020)

Not too bad. I wasn't as blown away as I was by the original (which I probably watched with fewer expectations). I still like the characters. The opening was nice in getting us reacquainted with the characters and setting up the second film. I also appreciated this film didn't do too much of a heavy recap of what happened in the last film. Newcomers may be a bit lost during a few bits, but will probably still be thrilled by this sequel.
 

Tenet (2020)

Surprised and glad it wasn't some arty intellectual film that I could not engage with. I basically don't understand the science or physics behind the story world, but this basically follows the pattern of a mainstream big screen blockbuster with characters I mostly root for. I love Priya. :)  

Luca (2021)

Apart from some suspension of disbelief, I really liked how beautiful this film looks and the heart behind the story.
 

Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)

I've mixed feelings about this. The genre's not exactly my fav. The message of hope feels kind of unrealistic to me. But it's a very beautiful looking animated film. And I kind of enjoyed the mainstream elements of the pic. 

Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021)

Entertaining enough in a generic way. I kinda feel sorry for the bad guys cos it looked like their hearts weren't really in the job. It's nice to see some other strong woman instead of just the main lead. That was a really a high point for me, apart from the lead who looks lovely on screen. Don't expect logic to hold too tightly on this one, but I did end up caring for the characters.

Army of the Dead (2021)

Enjoyed it more than I thought I would but... sometimes the characters make illogical decisions so that the audience can get their entertainment. There's quite a bit of focus to make you feel for the characters, and the 2 hour 28 minute run time doesn't feel as long, but but the occasional lapses with logic kind of repels me slightly. Very Aliens in some of the fight to survive sequences.  
 

Nomadland (2021)

Nice! I imagine this would look great in IMAX. Love the story. Love the direction. Love the performances. Love the score. Love the cinematography (so beautiful!). Small moments in the film made me tear.

My Octopus Teacher (2020)

Was okay. Beautiful underwater cinematography. Did give me a better appreciation of the world under the sea than Aquaman did.
 

Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)

Not too bad for a mainstream blockbuster pic. Watched on IMAX - and it looks good on the big big screen.

The New Mutants (2020)

Kind of a slow start. Didn't really take to it and was dozing off quite a bit. Characters also didn't really engage as much as it could have (I think). The pace did pick up towards the end. There were some nice interpretations of the source material, but I felt the tone went more towards meek indie art film than something more mainstream.

The Forty-Year Old Version (2020)

A bit lengthy but was all right. There were bits I loved, but I didn't fully share the same sentiments regarding the sellout. I mean, a girl's gotta eat. No?

Soul (2020)

Not too bad. Love the bit when the main character's mum wanted him to get a full-time job.

Minari (2020)

Nice!

The score was sickeningly manipulative. The scenes sometimes have double meanings. Pace was slower than I expected. Almost all the characers were good, and so too were the performances. Pretty deft direction, IMHO. 

Supernova (2020)

Very talkie film but it's held up by strong performances and the occasional gorgeous shots of the Lake District. It's a slow film, so it won't be for all. The film does dig deep, so it can be fulfilling for those who like this kind of things. IMHO, prob more suited to the mature crowd as maturity may afford a deeper appreciation. Altho the story centers on a gay couple - and this would make for a fine addition to the library of stories about gay people - this story connects because it can happen to any couple who have been in a long and loving relationship - regardless of gender preferences, etc.

Little Big Women《孤味》(2020)

Arthouse drama that is probably not for the mainstream crowd.  It has its teary moments, and the performances are top notch. Generally, I liked it.

PASKAL: The Movie (2018)

Narrative does come across as kind of clunky, with the beginning feeling rushed and shallow even if I'll give it kudos for at least trying to have some setup. The scale of the production for something from Malaysia is, IMHO, pretty good for an action thriller. Recommended to watch on a big screen. I thought the actors playing the hero and villain were great to watch and invested in their performances, even if the villain's part is kind of the usual simplistic.

Supervized (2019)

 Is okay.

Wolfwalkers (2020)

 Nice!

The Invisible Man (2020)

IMHO, this one needs to be watched in a cinema or in a space without light and audio intrusions. Liked that it gave the hero the context of an abused wife. To the extent that I was pretty much forgiving of the holes in logic. Until the end, which I didn't really buy into. Which exposed this basically as a "more concern about delivering thrills above all else" type of film.