Sebuah reviu filem: Segalanya di hujung jari dalam 'Dubai My Love'. Begitu mudah filem ini.

[Ulasan ini adalah untuk Movie Addict Malaysia

yang tak diterbitkan pada tahun 2017]

Asal: Malaysia · Bahasa: Melayu
Pengarah: Aidilfitri Mohd. Yunos
Penulis: Fairul Nizam Ablah, Aidilfitri Mohd. Yunos
Genre: Drama, romantik · Rilis: 26 Oktober 2017

Pelakon: Erwin Dawson, Putri Najuwa,
Hanna Aqeela, Ben Ali

Studio: Tsar Asia

Filem Dubai My Love / DML berkisar tentang Amar (Erwin Dawson) yang membawa diri ke Dubai bersama teman wanitanya (Putri Najuwa) setelah ditinggalkan bakal isteri di hari perkahwinan. Namun, kehadiran seorang gadis misteri (Hanna Aqeela) mula menggugat hubungan antara Amar dan teman wanitanya, kerana gadis itu memegang rahsia hidup yang sering membelenggu Amar.

Ulasan ini TAK ADA SPOILER, jadi selamat untuk anda baca.

A film review: 'Sindiket' is an 80's/90's action film that was plunged into 2017!

[Originally posted for Movie Addict Malaysia] 

Origin: Malaysia, Indonesia · Language: Malay, Indonesian
Director & writer: Bade Hj. Azmi
Release: 6 April 2017 · Genres: Crime, action, drama

Casts: Sharnaaz Ahmad, Daphne Iking,
Liyana Jasmay, Sharifah Amani

Studio: Loyal Studios
Distributor: Empire Film Solutions

This is a SPOILER-FREE review, despite the fact that it's not my kind of movie.

So I saw Bade Hj. Azmi's name slapped on this project. Word on the street is he's a good filmmaker solely by reputation, as I never actually follow his works. Despite his more recent fare called Kanang Anak Langkau was released after this film chronologically,  he actually shot this film first. Other than Kanang and this abomination he called a "film", his other works that I've watched were called Gangster if I got it right and maybe parts of KL Menjerit and its prequel.

A film review: 'J-Revolusi' is a very cocky police picture about... something.

[Originally posted for Movie Addict Malaysia]

Origin: Malaysia · Languages: Malay, English
Director: Zulkarnain Azhar · Writer: Alfie Palermo
Genre: Action · Release: March 2, 2017

Casts: Zul Ariffin, Izara Aisyah, Farid Kamil,
Azad Jasmin, Nur Fazura

More info: IMDb

You can't deny it; we always strive to be something, be it for better or worse. And the year is 2017. Grand Brilliance is trying to show us its brilliance by producing a competition to another film of its kind (read: Polis Evo) called J-Revolusi, a police-themed action film that I didn't seem to anticipate. However, unlike its title, this flick is not quite the revolution our local action film actually deserved, but it's a rather futile attempt for even trying... to try their hardest.

Oh yeah. It's a SPOILER-FREE review.

A truthful film review: 'Adiwiraku' is not quite the hero we deserve.

Origin: Malaysia · Language: Malay, English
Director: Eric Ong
Writers: Jason Chong, Eric Ong
Genre: Drama · Release: March 9, 2017

Casts: Sangeeta Krishnasamy, Xavier Fong,
Ahmad Adnin Zidane, Nur Idina Tasnim,
Rizal Fahmi, Balqis Sani, Wan Azlyn Maasyah
Farra Safwan, Khairi Mohd Kamal, Ajwad Mohd Sobri,
Faez Reezme, Alif Abubakar

Studios: SOL Pictures, Filmmecca Studio
Distributor: Empire Film Solution

So, long story short, I already reviewed this film on the surface on my Facebook page, which can be read HERE (the plot summary is also mentioned here, in case you want an outline of what the movie is all about) and is actually the first preview I saw before the oh-so-dreadful silver screen debut by Fauzi Nawawi, a long time actor and writer/director for TV movies called Pak Pong in the same week. I don't claim to be a movie expert, but let's get a tad dirty to the film everyone is very excited to see because its decently-edited trailer which was cut as if it's a heart-wrenching melodramatic tale of a struggling teacher dealing with seemingly difficult band of pupils to get them in shape for an upcoming choral speaking competition. This is only my own personal opinion, so don't take my word for it entirely.

Throw in some emotional shots and dramatic music, plus scenes which references superheroes, and of course the school setting of the film, in addition to it being based on an actual story, and you get a trailer that would woo the easily-impressed who are usually not the kind to wanna watch local films. A very delicious bait, I'd say, since I was also initially sold by it.

A bit of a warning before going through: this review MIGHT CONTAIN MINOR SPOILERS. If you don't mind, then you may proceed.

A film review: 'Hacksaw Ridge'

Origin: United States, Australia · Language: English
Director: Mel Gibson
Writers: Andrew Knight, Robert Schenkkan
Genres: War, biography, drama
Release: November 4, 2016

Casts: Andrew Garfield, Teresa Palmer, Hugo Weaving,
Rachel Griffiths, Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington,
Luke Bracey

More info: IMDb

A film of this calibre does not deserve my usually lame wordplays on the title of its review. Two words: Mel Gibson. I'm glad I've waited this long for its big screen release at our shores; my patience was rewarded very handsomely!

I didn't really follow about any of his notorious outings or his acting career, but everyone knows that he's damn good when he's calling the shots behind the camera. I was psyched as everyone else out there when those two names are uttered and is out to helm yet another film involving guts spewing in the air in very large numbers. However, it has an epic twist on its own (which includes pretty boy Andrew Garfield in a rather demanding lead role).

In regards to his muse in filmmaking, everyone knows for a fact that Gibson's really into violent imagery in most of his films and have its protagonist doing morally questionable things by being violent in order to uphold what is right for them. A grand exception can be applied to this one though; it's a true story about a combat medic during the Battle of Okinawa who chooses to participate in the war... without firing even a single bullet. Wait, what? A pacifist WAR film? Really?

Read on through this NON-SPOILER review, even though it's already been talked about to death by now and it's already past the bullshit Oscars 2017 season.

Sebuah reviu filem: Rasa macam kena penye-'Pak Pong' ada.

Asal: Malaysia · Bahasa: Melayu
Pengarah & penulis: Fauzi Nawawi
Genre: Fantasi · Rilis: 23 Februari 2017

Pelakon: Hairul Azreen, Bard, Siti Saleha,
Marsha Milan, Fauzi Nawawi, Kaza, Eizlan Yusuf,
Syawal (AF), Rahim (R2), Izreen Azminda,
Zulkifli Ismail

Studio: 9 Country Creativity

Oh, tajuk entriku kali ini.

Dalam minggu sebelum minggu terakhir Februari ni, dah dua filem aku pra-tonton (ehsan Movie Addict) dan kedua-duanya merupakan debut sutradaranya. Filem pertama ialah Adiwiraku iaitu arahan dan tulisan bersama Eric Ong yang ditayangkan pada 9 Mac dan filem yang aku nak ulas sekarang ni, Pak Pong pulak arahan, tulisan, serta lakonan Fauzi Nawawi yang keluar pada 23 Februari. Walaupun aku tengok Adiwiraku dulu pada 20 Februari dan ada sedikit reviu pada dasarnya, Pak Pong yang keluar dulu. Maka ulasan penuh nilah yang korang akan baca dulu. Sumpah aku tak tergerak hati nak tengok pun filem ni; yang ada cuma rasa nak tergelak ja tengok poster dan trelernya. Mujurlah tiket dapat percuma! Yah-hoi!

Macam mana aku nak mula, ek? Baiklah. Katanya filem ni 6 tahun dalam pembikinan (penulisan skrip dalam setahun, pembikinan termasuk pra-produksi, produksi dan pasca-produksi dalam 5 tahun). Sebelum ni, depa ada rilis footage yang telah memberikan penonton feel yang ada dalam filem ni. Para pembikin seperti nak kata depa nak jadikan Avatar arahan James Cameron sebagai inspirasi dunia fantasinya, manakala Lord of the Rings pulak sebagai konsep bagi babak perlawanannya dan rangka bagi sekuel-sekuel yang nak dirancang (KAH!). Satu tu pun takde feel yang dipetik tu. Sebenarnya nampak mengarah kepada Game of Thrones dalam pengaruh dadah (maksud aku dari segi kecelaruannya yang terlalu mudah tapi bapak trigger-happy pengarahnya bila dok shooting filem ni). 6 tahun, ya? Hm. Oh ya, reviu ni TAKDE SPOILER. Kalau dah bosan sangat, meh baca apa aku fikir pasal Pak Pong ni.

A TV review: 'A Series of Unfortunate Events (S1)' is impossible to look away from!

Origin: United States · Language: English
Creators: Barry Sonnenfeld, Mark Hudis (TV)
/ Lemony Snicket (Novels)
Showrunner: Mark Hudis · Genres: Black comedy, drama
Season in review: 1 · Episodes: 8
Air date: January 13, 2017

Main casts: Malina Weissman, Louis Haynes,
Presley Smith, K. Todd Freeman, 
Patrick Warburton, Neil Patrick Harris

More info: IMDb

I was never fan of sequels or a series of films, unless it's warranted. This title is an example where such exemption is applied. I never read any of the novels honestly, but I really LOVE the film version, and I really would like to see a continuation on the fate of the Baudelaire trio of orphans in this order: Violet, Klaus and Sunny and what's next for the fiendish Count Olaf, with Lemony Snicket (the fictitious version of Daniel Handler, the author of its original novel) telling us their predicaments in a flesh. Alas, the sequel was shelved altogether. Thankfully though, the core team found a workaround to somehow breathe a new life into the children's tale; a rather messed up children's tale at that, by turning it into a television series! And it's on Netflix of all places! Oh my!

Enter 2017. The Baudelaires and Count Olaf are back! While the actors are different, most of the key behind the scenes people are more or less the same. The Baudelaire children are now played by Malina Weissman, Louis Heynes, and Presley Smith respectively, Count Olaf is now played Neil Patrick Harris and Lemony Snicket himself is now played by Patrick Warburton. While the same irreverent tone is kept intact, most of the titles' humour and charm, as well as the backstories of the children are more fleshed out in this series, and that totally makes up for the sequel to its film that never happened. Read on through this SPOILER-FREE review to know more.