'Aquaman' (2018)

  Jason Momoa finally gets his solo movie as the Aquaman. If your sole goal is to not think and be entertained by mindless action for a few hours, then I'm sure 'Aquaman' is the movie for you. Jason Momoa is very charismatic and has a strong on screen presence. But, there is only so much he can do with such poor screenplay and poor acting around him, I mean he's not Superman (boom).  
  'Aquaman' tells the origin story of how Aquaman came to be the hero he is. It introduces us to the magical world of Atlantis and their long and complicated history with the human world. When a radical fraction of Atlantians want to wage war against the humans and proclaim Atlantis as the rightful rulers of earth, it is up to Aquaman to be the link to peace between the two worlds.
  I feel there was so much potential to do a better job of telling this story, but instead we get a poorly written mess of a movie unsure whether it wants to be taken seriously or not. However, the box office numbers show the human world didn't mind the predictable mess of a movie.

Yong's Score- 2/5
IMDB- 7.5/10
Metascore- 55/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 64% Audience- 79%

Great Movies Part 2

'Groundhog Day' (1993)

 Bill Murray stars as a weatherman stuck reliving the same day over and over again. Phil (Murray) is sent to Punxatawney on assignment for the fourth consecutive year to cover Punxatawaney Phil the groundhog on Groundhog day. Just when Phil couldn't think the day couldn't get any longer, he finds himself awake the next day to relive the same day all over again. And over and over and over again...
 Bill Murray perfectly captures the role of Phil as you see him mature from a narcissistic jerk to a genuinely good person. If you haven't seen this movie yet, go watch it over and over and over again.



'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' (2004)

  I used to say this was the best movie made in the past decade. Then I realized it's 2019 now, so I'll have to think of a new best movie of the past decade. Until then, I'll just keep referring to 'Eternal Sunshine' as the best movie of the past decade. This was one of the few movies I had to rewatch right afterwards to see what I missed during the first viewing. The screen play, the cast, art direction and the visuals all blew me away. I was in college when I first saw this movie and it made me think, "so this is what a good film is". 'Eternal Sunshine' deals with painful experiences and how one can chose to deal with them. Are certain experiences worth eliminating from your memories forever? Or do you lose a part of yourself by choosing to erase those bad experiences and everything and everyone associated with them, no matter how much they hurt you?

'The Shawshank Redemption' (1994)

  I've never met anyone who has seen 'Shawshank Redemption' and said they hated it. I mean how could you hate this movie? Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman star as two prisoners who develop a life long friendship while at Shawshank penitentiary. Based on a Stephen King novel, it has great story telling and amazing character development which is a staple of any King novel. There's so many iconic scenes that you just have to watch it for yourself. If you've seen this movie, you know why it's so hard not to like this movie. If you haven't seen this movie, I dare you to go watch it and tell me how much you hated it.

'8 1/2' (1963)

'8 1/2' is one of my favorite Fellini films so I wanted to add it here on part 2 of my great movies list. It is regarded as one of cinematic masterpieces and rightfully so. The film tells the story of a director having a case of what you would call writer's block for a film maker. As he tries to find ways to get his creative juices flowing again, he recalls his past for inspiration. Fellini perfectly blends the director's memories with his current situation to create a fantasy world that is mesmerizing to view. If you have deep appreciation for cinema, I would highly recommend '8 1/2'.

Great Movies Series

   The reason I started this blog was to give movie recommendations of films that I've enjoyed with others. I will admit that I haven't been good with keeping up with the blog in recent years. I'm going to try to be more active and in that spirit, I am going to start a series I will call Yong's Great Movies. I will share 3-5 films in each series that I've enjoyed greatly and would recommend to everyone. My hope is that I can help you discover even one movie you've never heard of and get the experience the joy of watching a well made film. I know you are reading with great anticipation to see which films I included in the first of the series. So, I will let you get to it. Happy movie watching.

'Spirited Away' (2002)

    'Spirited Away' holds a special place in my heart. It is one of my favorite movies, so it's only fitting that I start this series with Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece. Every time I view this film, I am struck by its simplicity and beauty. Miyazaki's ability to portray so much through the transformation of the young heroine is what makes this movie an one of a kind. The film draws you into its fantasy world and its vast array of memorable characters and makes you never want to leave. Go watch this if you haven't already.

'Amelie' (2001) 

    When I first watched 'Amelie', I thought to myself that I've never seen a movie quite like this before, and I can still say it's one of the most unique films I've had pleasure of watching. It also features one of my favorite soundtrack. Audrey Tautou plays the quirky heroine who longs to bring joy to those around her. This is a film you can't help but smile watching. Roger Ebert wrote of 'Amelie' in his review,
   "Amelie" is a delicious pastry of a movie, a lighthearted fantasy in which a winsome heroine overcomes a sad childhood and grows up to bring cheer to the needful and joy to herself. You see it, and later when you think about it, you smile." 
  

'Inception' (2010)

Christopher Nolan is one of my favorite directors, and you'll see several of his films in this series to come. For the first installation, I have included 'Inception'. The cast and screenplay is amazing as with any Nolan movie. This film stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Cobb, who specializes in stealing secrets from powerful men through infiltrating their dreams. Nolan creates a world full of infinite possibilities. 'Inception' takes you through an action packed journey through reality and the dream world. I encourage you to take the trip if you haven't yet. 

'Hoop Dreams' (1994)

   I had to include my favorite documentary. 'Hoop Dreams' follows the high school lives of two promising basketball players from Chicago. William Gates and Arthur Agee are discovered at young age in the inner city and find themselves in a private school with scholarship to play basketball where NBA legend Isiah Thomas attended. Soon after their freshmen years, the two kids take a very different routes to finish their high school careers. The documentarians spent 6 years following the two kids and does a wonderful job of telling their story. 'Hoop Dreams' is not a sports documentary. Sports only serves as a backdrop to tell the story of living in the inner city where life often times seems hopeless. Roger Ebert wrote this about 'Hoop Dreams' which I agree with wholeheartedly, 

    Many filmgoers are reluctant to see documentaries, for reasons I've never understood; the good ones are frequently more absorbing and entertaining than fiction. "Hoop Dreams," however, is not only a documentary. It is also poetry and prose, muckraking and expose, journalism and polemic. It is one of the great moviegoing experiences of my lifetime.

'Jurassic Park' (1993) 

  My first memory of actually seeing a movie at a theater is with 'Jurassic Park'. Based on Michael Crichton's novel, 'Jurassic Park' a perfect blend of science fiction and action. It is one of Steven Spielberg's most well known movie and for good reasons. A great movie has the ability to capture the audience's attention and engage them in the story telling and keep them at the edge of their seats. I can honestly say, the young Yong was definitely at the edge of his seat watching this film. Maybe it was even at this young age, the seeds for my love for movies were planted.

'A Star is Born' (2018)

 Beautiful music and a well told love story, what a perfect combination. 'A Star is Born' stars Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. Cooper who also directed this remake plays Jackson Maine, a well known country super star, and Lady Gaga plays Ally, a talented singer who's down on her lucks. We can see immediately from the start of the movie, that Jackson has a drinking problem. And it is while he is at a bar following a late show to quench his thirst that he happens to discover the talented Ally. He is mesmerized by her voice and who can blame him. When Jackson encourages Ally to show and share her talents with the rest of the world, their love grows as she goes on tour with him. The film shows the ups and downs of the relationship between the two talented musicians.
  Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga share an amazing on screen chemistry and they fit their roles perfectly. Lady Gaga shines in her role as Ally. I got goosebumps when she first sang her rendition of La Vie en Rose on screen. Cooper also holds his own next to the talented Lady Gaga playing the part of a troubled musician with a haunted past. The film had a much darker tone than I expected. There were parts of the film that felt rushed and out of place, but the heart of the story is portrayed very well. Just to see the performances of Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper makes 'A Star is Born' worth a watch.

IMDB-8.4/10
Metascore- 88/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 90% Audience- 85%
Yong's Rating- 3.5/5
 

'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
 

'La La Land' (2016)

  We are all dreamers at one point in our lives. It's just that some of us dream much longer than others. 'La La Land' is story about two special dreamers and their path to reaching their dreams. Set in Los Angles, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone star as a struggling jazz musician and an actress trying to make it big in the city of stars. The film is a homage to the great musicals of past Hollywood like 'Singin' in the Rain'. It is even shot in Cinemascope like the old Hollywood musicals. It does a great job of creating a nostalgic atmosphere.
   The nostalgia of old Hollywood blends perfectly with the contemporary storyline. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone share great on screen chemistry and are perfect for this movie. The music, singing, dancing and the backdrop of lovely landmarks of Los Angles all blend to create a magical film experience.

IMDB- 8.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 92% Audience- 89%
Yong's Rating- 4.5/5  

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

Every once in awhile you are lucky enough to be treated to a film that reminds you why you fell in love with going to the movies. It completely emerges you in its fantastical world, and for a few brief hours you forget about all your troubles.
'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' follows the adventures of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), who embarks on a journey to the States with a magical briefcase full of wonderful creatures. Mr. Scamander's arrival seems to have awaken a disturbance between the wizarding and the non-magical world.
Taking place during 1926, author J.K. Rowling expands her magical vision of the Harry Potter universe. 'Fantastic Beast' is full of action, mystery, love and hope. Even though the film takes place in the Harry Potter universe, you do not need to be familiar with all the Harry Potter books/movies to appreciate this movie. I think wizards and muggles alike will agree that 'Fantastic Beasts' is well worth your time.


IMDB-8.1/10
Yong's Rating- 5/5 Stars

Inside Out (2015)

Pixar continues its streak of making really really good movies. Pixar is as dependable as Antonio Brown is in a PPR league when it comes to making feel good, memorable movies. (Sorry, I'm getting a bit excited for the upcoming fantasy draft.)
'Inside Out' takes an inside look into a young girl's mind as she moves from the small town life style in Minnesota to big city life of San Francisco. Joy, fear, anger, sadness, and disgust portray the emotions controlling the young heroine. The cast was wonderful overall, but I felt that sadness, voiced by Phyllis from 'The Office' just stole the whole show.
Maybe it was because I had a similar experience of moving to a whole new world as a young kid that I found myself relating to the young heroine and all the crazy mix of emotions she was going through. It really can be scary to move to a whole new environment as a young kid. I found myself really enjoying this film. No matter your age, 'Inside Out' is a sweet and enjoyable film that's sure to make you smile.


IMDB- 8.6/10
Metacritic- 94/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 98%, Audience- 91%
Yong's Rating- 4/5 stars

An Honest Liar (2015)

'An Honest Liar' is a fascinating look into the life of James Randi. I'll admit I had no idea who James Randi was before watching this documentary, but as soon as it started, I was drawn in right to the end. 'An Honest Lair' tells the story of James 'The Amazing' Randi, a famous stage magician and escape artist who devotes the second half of his life to expose paranormal healers, psychics, and con artists to the public. Randi devotes his life to open the public's eyes to truth behind the workings of the con artists. The behind the scene battles between Randi and the con artists is told in a way any great documentary does. It flows seamlessly and I was simply drawn to the screen. In the backdrop is the person, James Randi himself. If you enjoy watching well made documentaries, then I would highly recommend 'An Honest Lair'. You won't regret it. Trust me. 

IMDB- 7.7/10

Metascore- 76%

Rotten Tomatoes- Critics- 97% Audience- 93%

Draft Day (2014)

Simply put, 'Draft Day' is nothing more than a propaganda film for the National Football League. Along with the rise in popularity of NFL, the draft itself has taken on a life of its own. Even popular enough to have a mainstream movie made about it starring Kevin Costner and Jennifer Garner.
In the film, Kevin Costner plays Sonny, the GM of struggling Cleveland Browns. He faces pressure from attention seeking owner and an angry fan base to turn the franchise around as quickly as possible. His best chance to save his job and his beloved Browns is to hit big in the upcoming draft. The movie focuses on the days surrounding the draft and the tough choices the GM is faced with.
'Draft Day' mocks the intelligence of any competent sports fan. You can say 'Draft Day' is loosely based on the NFL draft because the transactions that takes place in this movie just are not possible. This film is geared towards casual fans who have no idea how the NFL works, but the trouble is that no causal fan would want to see about movie about the NFL draft. Which confuses the hell out me, because 'Draft Day' manages to alienate both of its target audience at the same time. If you want to get a real look into how the NFL draft really works, I would recommend '30 for 30: Elway to Marino'.



IMDB- 6.8/10
Metascore- 54/100
Rotten Tomatoes- Critic- 61%, Audience- 66%
Yong's rating- 1.5/5 stars