'Venom' (2018)

  I was aware of the negative hype surrounding 'Venom'. However, I went into the film with an open mind as I always do (unless it's a horror movie, we all know horror movies are horrible). I didn't think it could be as bad as I heard it was. I mean how bad could they mess up a comic book movie these days. 'Venom' wasn't bad. It was much much worse than bad. The script/storyline and the overall flow of the movie was so poor I felt pity for Tom Hardy by the end. That man needs a hug.
Hardy plays Eddie Brock, a hard nosed reporter always digging for truth. Eddie tests his luck when he goes against Carlton Drake, a powerful billionaire scientist with a dark secret. While investigating Drake's corporation, Brock accidentally comes into contact with alien samples collected from a recent space mission in Drake's lab. And as fate would have it, venom infects Brock's body. What ensues is fusion of Brock and Venom trying to figure out who they are while the fate of earth hangs in the balance.
  There was a lot of potential with the character of Venom. Tom Hardy does his best to make this movie watchable. However, the script if so badly written and storyline so predictable that not even Hardy's charm could save this mess of a movie. Don't waste your time on Venom, go watch Infinity Wars again instead if you're in mood to watch a comic book/superhero movie.

IMDB-7/10
Metascore- 35/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics-30% Audience- 88%
Yong's Rating- 1/5
 

Jurassic World (2015)

 Have you ever wondered what it would've been like to visit Jurassic Park if John Hammond's vision came to fruition? Well, now you can. Some 20 years later, the park is finally open for business. And it looks like business is not booming as when it first opened. People have grown tired of the novelty of seeing dinosaurs. In order to draw new visitors to the park, the scientists use genetic engineering to come up with new hybrid species of dinosaurs. Faster, stronger, and bigger is what seems to attract the crowd. The newest coming attraction turns out to be much more than the park asked for.
 Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard star in the newest chapter of the Jurassic Park franchise. The two are refreshing addition to the franchise. They share a very good on screen chemistry. Chris Pratt has great charisma and he seems perfect for his role. I've always had a soft spot for 'Jurassic Park' in my heart. We all know the two follow ups to the original 'Jurassic Park' were very disappointing. So, I had my doubts about 'Jurassic World' at first, but I ended up enjoying it. Watching it on IMAX also didn't hurt the overall experience. 'Jurassic World' is one of those film made perfect for the big screen experience. So if you get a chance to watch 'Jurassic World' on the IMAX screen this summer, I'd suggest you go. I'm sure Mr. Hammond would approve.

IMDB-7.7/10
Metascore- 59/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 70%, Audience- 87%
Yong's rating- 4/5 stars.

Selma (2015)

'Selma' is a powerful and emotional look into months of heated battle for voting rights in Selma, Alabama during 1965. Dr. Martin Luther King and his supporters gather in Selma to show rest of the country the injustice of voting rights in the south for blacks through non violent protests. The violence, hate, ignorance, and horrors of racism that ensue during the months is all chronicled in the film. It is raw and powerful. You also get a glimpse of look into Dr. King's personal life and the burden his leadership position placed on his family and his personal faith. The acting in this movie is just wonderful and it is well worth seeing for anyone interested in the topic or Dr. King.

IMDB-7.5/10
Metascore-89/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics-98%, Audience- 87%
Yong's rating- 3.5/5

'Interstellar' (2014)

 I've always enjoyed Christopher Nolan's films for its originality and thought provoking storyline. His new film did not disappoint. It was the best movie I've seen in the theaters this year. True, I didn't get to go the movies as much as I would've liked this year, but I'm still giving the nod to 'Interstellar'. It has everything you look for in a well made film. It makes you smile, think, stare in awe, gasp, and even tear up a little.
 Set in the future, earth is running out of resources to feed its population. Staying put would mean starving to death. In order to ensure the survival of the species, the only option is to venture out into the unknown to find a new home. Matthew McConaughey plays an astronaut turned farmer who is given the burden of finding a new home for humanity and his family.
 McConaughey, Hathaway, Chastain, Caine, and rest of the cast all give a powerful performance. I was entertained by the science and theories involved in space travel. It was like watching sci fi channel on steroids. Whether or not you buy in all the science and sci-fi theme in the movie, the core of the film showcases humanity's capacity to love and the will to survive when pushed to the edge.

IMDB- 8.9/10
Metacritic- 74%
Rotten Tomatoes- 73%
Yong's rating- 5/5

Magic in the Moonlight (2014)

 I think deep down even the most pessimistic of us out there would like to believe there's some magic left in the world. The important question is, how far are you willing to go to let yourself be completely immersed in it. In the latest Woody Allen film, he explores how love can affect even the most cynical of us. Colin Firth plays a famous magician with the speciality of debunking fake mystics. When he is asked by a close friend to help him debunk a young American girl (played by Emma Stone) who is about to swindle a wealthy family of their fortune, he agrees to prove that there is no such thing as real magic in the world. His interactions with the young, beautiful American makes him question his dark view of the world and makes him wonder whether there is some magic in the world after all.

IMDB-6.9/10
Metascore- 54/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 50% Audience- 56%
Yong's Rating- 3/5 Stars.

'X-Men: Days of Future Past' (2014)

  'X-Men: Days of the Future Past' continues where 'X-Men: First Class' left off. The audience find our heroes in a grim future world where both humans and mutants are targets of dangerous killing robots known as Sentinels. (When will the future learn creating giant all-powerful robots are never good idea for mankind.) Facing certain extinction at the hands of the Sentinels, the X-Men devise a plan to change the course of history by traveling back in time and making sure the Sentinels are never allowed to go into production.
 The core cast from 'First Class' returns for this film. Along with cameo appearances from cast members of the previous X-men franchise. The returning cast is very likable and the more you get to know about them, the more they grow on you. 'Days of the Future Past' has all the action that you want in a summer movie along with a good storyline. Which is always a plus. Even if you aren't fans of the previous X-men movies, I think there's still something there for you to enjoy. If you are a fan, then you've probably already seen this and had a good time doing so.

IMDB- 8.6/10
Metascore-74/100
Rotten Tomatoes-  Audience- 95% Critics- 91%
Yong's Rating- 3.5/5 stars

Blue Jasmine (2013)

Woody Allen's 'Blue Jasmine' is a look into a woman at her ends. Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) has lost everything. We are introduced to a woman who has lost her youth, family, fortune, and reputation. And by looks of everything, her sanity is not close behind. When Jasmine's life comes crumpling down on the east coast, she moves to the west coast to start over with the help of her sister (Sally Hawkins). It's not an easy transition for a New York socialite to get accumulated to the lower middle class life style in San Francisco.
'Blue Jasmine' showcases Cate Blanchett's powerful performance with her portrayal of Jasmine. It's sure to get her several nominations come awards season. The side storyline of Jasmine's sister, Ginger is worth noting, but did not really capture my attention. As a film on a whole, its ideas have been examined in many of Woody's other films. 'Another Woman', 'September', and 'Alice' come to mind. All portray a high class woman dealing with self identify and a life crisis. 'Blue Jasmine' may have some lighter moments, but it is one of Woody's darker film. Don't expect to watch this to get that warm happy feeling. I will admit, I didn't think this was one of Woody's better movies, but as with any Woody Allen movie, there's always something there worth watching for.

IMDB-7.8/10
Metascore- 78/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics-91% Audience-83%
Yong's Rating- 2.5/5 stars

'Pacific Rim' (2013)

You can't help but feel the love Guillermo del Toro has for his craft in every one of his films. And 'Pacific Rim' is no exception. Its always a joy to watch the universe created by Guillermo del Toro's imagination. 'Pacific Rim' should be a clinic for making a perfect summer popcorn flick that is both fun to watch and with enough substance to not question your intelligence (hope Michael Bay was taking notes). A movie filled with giant robots and alien monsters fighting to take over control of earth somehow doesn't seem so ridiculous when guided under the direction of del Toro.
When a mysterious portal in the middle of the Pacific Rim opens up, creatures spring up from another universe with the sole intent of destroying everything in their sight. In order to combat these monsters, given the name 'Kaiju', mankind turn to giant monster fighting machines refer to as 'Jaegers'. As the intensity and the frequency of the Kaiju attacks increase, the slim hope of survival of earth rests solely on the Jaegers and the pilots who control them.
'Pacific Rim' is action packed fun perfect for the long summer days. I personally enjoyed Idris Elba's performance and his motivation speech is sure to pop up on motivation clips for future generations. If anyone's going to cancel the apocalypse, it might as be Stringer Bell.


IMDB-7.9/10
Metascore- 64/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 71%, Audience- 85%
Yong's Rating- 4/5 stars

World War Z (2013)

I loved the world created by Max Brooks' novel, 'War World Z'. It told the oral history of what came to be known as the zombie war. The collection of personal accounts of survivors were haunting and memorable. The film version was not quite what I imagined. I felt this movie had the potential to be so much more considering its kick ass source material.
Brad Pitt plays Gerry, a former UN investigator who is called back to duty when the world is faced with the zombie chaos. Gerry accompanies a scientist in search for patient zero in order to better understand the disease and find a way to stop it from destroying humanity. The journey is filled with action and drama. And yes, a lot of zombies. This film takes on a very fast pace. Once the zombies start coming, it just takes off. I was more interested in seeing the build up to the origin of how the zombie disease began and how things got out of hand. Instead what I saw was a sprint to find a cure. It was disappointing. I got to say, 'World War Z' has one of the most aggressive zombies I've ever seen. They are very angry group of zombies. Anger issues.
This movie isn't terrible, but it won't blow you away either. I'd take 'Shaun of the Dead' any day in a zombie movie battle. It's an enjoyable average zombie flick filled with enough action, drama, and zombie chase scenes to keep you interested.  



IMDB- 7.4/10
Metascore- 62/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 67% Audience- 86%
Yong's rating- 3/5 stars.

Star Trek: Into Darkness (2013)

'Star Trek: Into Darkness' continues where the first reboot of the franchise left off. When a series of terrorist attacks threaten the universe, the Enterprise and its crew goes in search for the terrorist. When the crew finally catches up to the terrorist, they find much more than they bargained for. The cast share excellent chemistry and really seem to work well together.
Yes, this movie has all the action and drama that a good summer blockbuster has. I found it very enjoyable even if the story line wasn't the greatest. I liked the first film much better, but this one's well worth a look for a fun time at the movies.

IMDB- 8.2/10
Metascore- 72/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics-87%, Audience- 92%
Yong's Rating- 3.5/5 stars

Taken 2 (2012)

I'll get to the point. 'Taken 2' is horrible. Movies like this is why so many sequels get bad reputation. I actually liked the first 'Taken', but there was no reason for this movie to be made. None whatsoever (other than the studios making money). Why did you go watch this movie Yong? Thanks for asking. Well, a little thing called peer pressure. Everyone I was with wanted to see this movie. I warned them. No one listened. And we all paid a heavy price. There's really no point in trying to explain the plot, because if you've seen the previews you've seen it all. The plot is thin at best and everything is so predictable I had to catch myself from chuckling throughout the movie. The only thing that could've saved this movie was if Jack showed up and took Shannon back to the island. I know I'm really late with this review. My only regret is I might have prevented someone from having to go see this movie if I had written this earlier. That's my bad.

IMDB- 6.5/10
Metascore- 45/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 21% Audience- 56%
Yong's Rating- 1/5 Stars

Skyfall (2012)

The latest Bond film delivers everything you'd expect from a good Bond film. Fast paced action, an evil mastermind, cool gadgets, sexy girls, nice suits, and slick cars. Daniel Craig has already proven himself to be worthy to carry the Bond name with the previous two movies. 'Skyfall' just reminds us not to doubt him.
MI6's infrastructure is infiltrated and agency's existence is threatened by an evil genius. Bond's loyalty to M and his country is put to the test. Both M and Bond's pasts are explored and the two must face their past nightmares to get through their present adversity. I found 'Skyfall' to be enjoyable and whether you are a Bond fan or new to the franchise, there's something here for everyone to get their money's worth.


IMDB-8.1/10
Metacritic-81/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 92% Audience- 88%
Yong's rating- 3.5/5 Stars

Total Recall (2012)

I have not had the chance to watch the original 'Total Recall'. So, I will not be making any comparisons to the original here. Well, because I can't. I know there's been overall negative vibe around the remake, but I didn't think it was terrible. Sure, it's not a masterpiece, but it was entertaining and easy on the eyes.  Set in the future where the earth is overpopulated and polluted, life seems depressing for the average joe. Colin Farrell plays the hero of the film. Tired of his dead end life (one thing that did bother me about this movie was this- can your life really be that bad if you are waking up next to Kate Beckinsale everyday?), Farrell makes a visit to Rekall, a company that promises to make all your dreams come true. Following the visit, he suddenly becomes the most wanted man. As Farrell is getting chased by just about everyone, he must piece together clues to find out who he is. There's plenty of action and neat chase scenes. And the storyline was just intriguing enough to keep me entertained. Oh and Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel didn't hurt either. Don't be scared by the bad reviews, it's not as bad as advertised.

IMDB-6.3/10
Metascore- 43/100
Rotten tomatoes- Critics- 29%, Audience- 47%
Yong's Rating- 3.5/5 Stars

'The Amazing Spiderman' (2012)

Are we entering the golden age of superhero movies? Or are the studios fresh out of original ideas? 'The Amazing Spiderman' is the revamped version of the spiderman franchise. There is definitely a different feel to this franchise compared to the Tobey Maguire franchise. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this new spiderman. To quote Larry David, the new spiderman was pretty pretty pretty good. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone are fresh face talents perfect for this movie. They draw the type of excitement that this revamped franchise needs.
The movie tells the story of Peter Parker and how he becomes the friendly, webbing swinging hero.  However, this version of Parker's origin is slightly different from the traditional spiderman storyline that I was accustomed to. I felt that the small twists made the story fresh and actually made me care about what was happening on screen. The movie looks clean and crisp, just plain easy on the eyes. Garfield and Stone are excellent in their roles. They share good chemistry and places an unique touch to their characters. 'The Amazing Spiderman' is a well made summer action blockbuster that appeals to everyone. If you are a fan, it's well worth a look.    




IMDB- 7.6/10
Metascore- 66/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 74% Audience- 84%
Yong's rating- 4/5 stars  

9 (2009)

'9' is a fresh take on the post apocalyptic movie genre. Fresh because I can't think of another post apocalyptic movie featuring cute rag dolls. The movie is set in the future where the machines have completely wiped out all of mankind. Imagine Sarah Conor's ultimate nightmare come true, but with dolls and killer machines. The only remnants of humanity remains with a collection of rag dolls with #'s stitched on them. Our hero, #9 wakes up to a dark and gloomy world over run by machines. When he finds others like him, he must convince them to fight back against the machines to preserve their lives.
'9' showcases impressive graphics and action. What it lacks is direction. Who were the intended audience? On the outer surface, it seems like another animation made for kids. But, '9' is much too violent and heavy to be kid friendly. I just don't think the public realized it was meant for a more mature audience. Overall, '9' just felt very flat. The storyline was just not captivating and it was hard to feel any real connection to these dolls despite their cuteness. While '9' isn't terrible, I felt that it had good potential which was wasted due to its overall lack of direction.

IMDB-7/10
Metascore- 60/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Audience- 58% Critics- 56%
Yong's Rating- 2.5/5 stars

Men in Black 3 (2012)

It's a known fact that Will Smith is the closest thing to a guaranteed box office success in Hollywood today. You put Will Smith in any movie and people will come. So, I can't really blame the studios for making a third Men in Black. You go to watch a blockbuster Will Smith movie to be entertained, to laugh and be thankful that you live in world where you can watch Will Smith travel through time to kick alien ass.
In this third installment of MIB, a dangerous alien outlaw known as Boris the Animal (Jemaine Clement) has escaped from a high security prison and is determined to kill the person who locked him up. He is willing to go to any length to destroy his nemesis even if that means traveling through time. Boris' action puts Agent K's (Tommy Lee Jones/ Josh Brolin) life in danger. Naturally, it's up to Agent J (Will Smith) to track down Boris the Animal and stop him before it is too late.
I actually found myself laughing and enjoying this movie very much. Josh Brolin delivers a dead on performance of the young Agent K and shares a good chemistry with Will Smith. 'MIB3' does what it's meant to do and it does it very well. It's fun and entertaining at every level. Exactly what you look for in a summer blockbuster movie. Refreshing, funny, action, Will Smith, go watch it.

IMDB- 7.2/10
Metascore- 58/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 69% Audience- 74%
Yong's rating- 3.5/5 stars

'The Avengers' (2012)

I'm guessing you have already seen 'The Avengers' by now along with the rest of the world, but just in case you haven't seen it yet or would just like to see what I thought of it, here's my review. If have seen any of the recent Marvel superhero movies like 'Thor', 'Iron Man', and 'Captain America' you probably knew 'The Avengers' was coming. With such hype surrounding this movie I was curious as to whether it would live up to its hype like LeBron James or land flat like Darko (where else can you get a Darko reference in a movie review?). There are movies that come out every summer with the tagline of 'non-stop action', and a lot of those movies are just plain terrible. In the case of 'The Avengers', it has that non-stop action quality that is both enjoyable and entertaining.
When the world is threatened by Loki (Tom Hiddleston), an evil super villain from another universe, the world must turn to a group of misfit superheroes to save them. Known as the Avengers initiative, secret government agency headed by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) seeks help from the earth's finest. There's the playboy genius, Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.). The all-American superhero, Captain America (Chris Evans). The reclusive scientist with a dark angry side, Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). And a pair of super assassins, Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner). Oh, there's also a demi-god who stops by to help out, Thor (Chris Hemsworth). Can such an eclectic group of people with huge egos and personalities work together or will they fall flat? I can't tell you that, you need to watch to find out.
Overall, I was very impressed by 'The Avengers'. It really kept me entertained from the start to the end. The movie did a good job of dividing the screen time for all the characters without extending the total time. Every character had his or her special moment in the movie, and left you always wanting more. The combination of action, fancy graphics, and humor of this movie is just what every huge blockbuster should emulate to have. 'The Avengers' lives up to its hype and you can see that with its box office dominance. Only the future will tell whether this franchise has reached its peak or if there's room for improvement. Let's just say, it has set the bar very high for itself.


IMDB-8.7/10
Metascore- 69/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics-93% Audience- 96%
Yong's Rating- 4.5/5 Stars

The Hunger Games (2012)

In its first opening weekend, 'The Hunger Games' is already busy setting box office records . Featuring Jennifer Lawrence as the heroine Katniss Everdeen, the movie is an adaptation of the popular book series by Suzanne Collins. Being a fan of the series, I have been looking forward to seeing the book come to life on screen.
Set in a distant future of what seems to be the United States, the country is divided into 12 districts and ran by the Capitol who rules the land with an iron fist and fear. All of the districts are subjected to an annual event as a punishment for its past attempts at uprisings known as the hunger games. It serves as a lesson to show the districts how powerless they are. Each district is required to send two 'tributes' for the event. One boy and a girl between the ages of 12-18 are chosen in an annual lottery. All the tributes are put into an arena for a fight to the death until only one is left alive. When Katniss's 12 year old sister is chosen in the lottery, Katniss volunteers herself in her sister's place. She promises her sister that she will do her best to try to win and we are taken away to the Capitol to watch the Hunger games and all of its spectacles unfold.
It is always difficult to capture the same amount of connection with reading a book than with watching a movie. The author has a much wider range of medium to create the connection to the storyline and the characters. 'The Hunger Games' does do a good job of staying very close to the book. With that being said, there's some downfalls as well. The only characters who really felt close to the book was Jennifer's portrayal of Katniss and Stanely Tucci as Caesar Flickerman. Even with its length of over 2 hours, the other characters did not have enough screen time to develop a connection.  I was expecting much more from Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) and Cinna (Lenny Kravitz). Maybe having read the book did cause me to have much bigger expectations. Oh well. Overall, if you are a fan of the series, I feel the movie does do the book justice and I'm sure you have already seen the movie by now. If you are new to the series, I think reading the series first would be a good idea, unless you'd just rather get the Cliff's notes version. I'm not judging.


IMDB- 8.1/10
Metascore- 68/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 86%, Audience-95%
Yong's Rating- 3.5/5 Stars

The Artist (2011)

Most of you are probably aware that 'The Artist' is the favorite to win the Oscar for Best Picture this year. It has become the critics' darling much like 'The King's Speech' was last year. It's a much better movie than 'The King's Speech', but I guess that's a topic for another entry.
After seeing 'The Artist' I understood the reasoning behind all the praises, and I will be very surprised if it does not win the Best Picture. 'The Artist' is the very antithesis of today's big budget Hollywood movies. If you could make a movie that is the complete opposite movies like the Transformers movies, I think you'll end up with something very close to 'The Artist'.
It tells the story of the demise of a famous silent film star, George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), whose vanity and pride prevents him from adapting to the introduction of talking pictures in the film business. Peppy Miller (Bernice Bejo) is a young, up and coming star whose fresh look and youth is exactly what the audience dying to see. The introduction of talking in movies changes the very foundation of the film industry and sets the two actors into two very different paths. It was hard not to be captivated by the facial expressions and body language of the actors. It is still amazing to see how a simple smile, a simple hop in the steps, or even a wink can express so much more than any amount of words ever can. Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo both delivery a very genuine and memorable performances. 'The Artist' is an experience that requires your complete attention and if you allow yourself to be captivated by the silent, black and white screen for an hour and forty minutes, you will walk away amazed knowing that you can have a delightful cinematic experience without having your eardrums blown away and your eyes spinning from 3-D objects flying all over the place. Do yourself a favor and go check out 'The Artist' with an open mind.


IMDB-8.5/10
Metascore- 89/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 97%, Audience- 91%
Yong's Rating- 5/5 Stars

Clash of the Titans (2010)

For a film that deals with gods, goddesses and demigods, there really isn't much god-like about 'Clash of the Titans'. This was a very dull movie. It's never a good sign when your lead actor looks bored throughout the entire movie. For all I know, his body may have been still stuck in Pandora. When people start to defy against the gods and refuse to worship them, Zeus (Liam Neeson) agrees to let his brother Hades (Ralph Fiennes) seek vengeance against mankind. It is up to Perseus (Sam Worthington) to stand up to Hades and save the humans. 'Clash of Titans' is a testament that fancy graphics can only do so much to save a movie.


IMDB-5.8/10
Metascore-39/100
Rottent Tomatoes- Critics- 28% Audience- 48%
Yong's Rating-2/5 Stars