'Always Be My Maybe' (2019)

   'Always Be My Maybe' is the new Ali Wong romantic comedy featuring an all Asian cast. It tells a love story between two childhood sweethearts. Marcus (Randall Park) and Sasha (Ali Wong) are next door neighbors who become very close friends. As it often does in life, Marcus and Sasha lose contact once they graduate from high school. After more than 10 years apart, the two meet when Sasha comes back home on business. The chance meeting allows the two to reflect on their past. And more importantly, it gives them a chance to re examine their current situations. They must decide what values and priorities are important to them in their lives. It is difficult to find someone you can depend on to go through all of the messy obstacles life has to offer. Marcus and Sasha must determine if they really are meant for each other.
  It was very refreshing to see so many Asians playing major roles in a movie that wasn't specifically made for an Asian audience. The writing and the acting wasn't the greatest (let's just say it won't get any Oscar nominations), but the core of the story is something most people can relate to. And it's just a very cute, enjoyable movie. So if you like romantic comedies and have some free time, go check out this movie on your friend's netflix account.

IMDB- 7/10
Metascore-67/100
Rotten tomatoes- Critics-90% Audience-not yet available
Yong's score-3.5/5

'Christopher Robin' (2018)

  'Christopher Robin' tells the story of what happens when you grow up and forget everything you once held dear. The film introduces us to a grown up Christopher Robin played by Ewan McGregor. We watch the young Christopher Robin transform into an adult in the first few moments of the film. We watch him playing with Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and the gang as a child to see him grown up and too busy with work to play with his own daughter. The grown up Christopher Robin is consumed with responsibilities of work and providing financially for his family that he has forgotten what is really important in life. With his marriage falling apart and his relationship with his daughter in jeopardy, Christopher is too blinded by his job to see how much of a mess he is in. Just when you think poor Christopher Robin is going to lose everything, his childhood buddy, Pooh shows up to help him find the way. A trip back to Hundred Acre Woods leads to a great adventure just like back in the old days.
  Marc Forster does a wonderful job of telling this new version of Christopher Robin story. It reminded me of how much of innocence, imagination and capacity to love we lose as we get older without even realizing it. Often times, many of us find ourselves throwing all of our energy and time into our jobs and work to the point that we forget what is really important. Pooh bear and his gang of friends reminded me that family, friendship, and sense for adventure should always come first, and we should always laugh a little everyday to be constantly reminded to never grow up.

IMDB-7.3/10
Metascore- 60/100
Rotten Tomatoes- critics- 72% Audience- 84%
Yong's score- 4.5/5

'Andre the Giant' (2018)

  The HBO documentary, 'Andre the Giant' takes a look into the life and career of the wrestling legend Andre Roussimoff, known to the world as Andre the Giant. Using old footages and interviews with people who knew him and those who were closest to him, the documentary grants us a look into Andre's private and public life. You get to see what made him such a charismatic force on and off the wrestling ring. Andre was a truly gentle giant with a kind and loving heart. Yet, behind the big smile, life was not always so kind to Andre. He was constantly in pain and never felt like he belonged in a world too small for him. Whether or not you're a fan of wrestling, 'Andre the Giant' is an excellent documentary that tells the story of a remarkable man.  

'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