Tag: Reviews

REVIEW: A Change of Tune: a review of GMG Production’s ‘Hamilton’ in Solaire from a musical theater snob
Before I start this review, let me first confess: I am a snob and was completely against watching ‘Hamilton.’ My parents raised me on musical theater, and I grew up listening to the songs written by Stephen Sondheim, Kander and Ebb, Maury Yeston, Stephen Schwartz, and Rodgers & Hammerstein. These are just some of the greats and I’ve added a few more later on. And when it comes to music, rap and hip-hop was never really my thing. So, when I heard that ‘Hamilton’ was a rap-sung musical, it hurt my elitist, snobbish sensibilities. And the fact that it’s about American history bothered me even more: “What does that have to do about us?”

I was such an idiot.

Hamilton Manila Gala Night © Zeus Martinez

I got to see the show at the Theater in Solaire, and while I was preparing to hate it, after the second song, I was grasping the arm of my friend who was sitting beside me and exclaiming how good the show was. And it just started.

To my absolute surprise, and against all my snobbish and elitist expectations, I was blown away by the musicality of the show and how universal the story felt despite it being specific to the history of the United States. ‘Hamilton’ creator Lin-Manuel Miranda conceptualized a show that is steeped in American history (though further reading shows some artistic liberties were taking to tell a more cohesive, more dramatic story) but told in a way that spoke about issues now and applicable to any experience.

Hamilton Manila Gala Night © Zeus Martinez

More than anything, seated at the back of the orchestra, my failing eyesight meant that I couldn’t see any of the actor’s faces. Instead, I relied on their movements, costume, and their singing and I have to say that it was completely comprehensible to me what was going on that stage. The play is completely sung/rapped through with very little (if any) dialogue to carry the story, so you really have to listen. But it has a beat and a rhythm that is so infused with modern sensibilities that it is fairly easy to follow, and the performances were so clear and enunciated so well that you heard everything.

Jason Arrow and Australian Hamilton Cast | Credit: Daniel Boud

And what a cast they have for this show. Each one was singing better than the other, infusing every note and syllable with emotion and energy. On one hand, you have Jason Arrow as Alexander Hamilton, rallying everyone’s attention in every scene but then you have the gorgeous voice of DeAundre’ Woods as Aaron Burr that steals each scene after (his ‘Wait for It’ is something to marvel). David Park’s dual role of Marquis de Lafayette in Act One and Thomas Jefferson in Act Two are so different in tone, energy, and even accent, I thought it was a different actor until it was pointed out by my friend. But the real scene stealers were Brent Hill as King George and Darnell Abrahams as George Washington. Abrahams’ ‘One Last Time’ was so powerful it almost turned into some gospel moment with Abrahams’ incredible voice that I almost lost myself.

Hamilton London

But as the show unfolded, it was the story of the Schuyler sisters that really sold the whole show for me. The one-two punch of Akina Edmonds and Rachel Ann Go as Angelica Schuyler and Eliza Schuyler-Hamilton are the true stars of this show. While Hamilton and Burr have one moment of warmth in the song ‘Dear Theodosia,’ the Schuyler sisters’ every song is filled with their longing and passion. The boys get to talk about politics and ambitions, but the women have to sing about their desires as something that is only secondary in this day and age of men. Edmonds and Go fuel that energy and when Rachel Ann Go sings her powerhouse number ‘Burn,’ she literally burns the house down.

The show is about Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of America and his participation in the building of the country as it declares its independence from Britain but it is also about the original American dream – about how immigrants fled to the United States to start anew and to build themselves up from nothing but their hardwork and their dreams. Hamilton wore his politics on his sleeves, and he was brash and arrogant but he had a mission and he pushed through and achieved great things despite all the barriers that came his way, many of which were people who were jealous of his determination to see things through. On the road to his legacy, he fell in love with his wife but put her and his family second to the nation that he was building. His undoing was his own human frailty, but the musical makes a case that his personal failings to his family should not overshadow the work he had accomplished in putting his country together.

The musical works in broad strokes. Intentions are stated through a song, a love story can be played out in a fantastic number, and the war is fought and won just within Act One. There’s rarely any time for nuance or intimacy. The play hits every important story point in a big number that is just so fitting for a story of this magnitude, and it works so well.

Hamilton Australia | Credit: Daniel Boud

Even the use of rap and hip-hop helps bridge the past with present day issues – the fact that Hamilton is “an immigrant” (newly arrived into the US from a small Caribbean island rather than being born in the USA) yet worked his way to the top; the class divide; the dirty business of politics; the messiness of love and marriage; and most importantly, taking a stand in political issues and not just waiting things out – the modern sensibilities of the play grounds the musical so that while everything is set and told within the context of American History, as Lin-Manuel Miranda wanted it to feel, it talks about the world we know now.

By choosing a multiracial cast to perform the parts of these white men and women from history opens up that history to anyone who believes in the same ideals. We might not be Americans, but the struggle between political lines are similar and the most important take away here is to take a stand, stop sitting on the fences, and as the song goes: “to take your shot.”

Hamilton Manila Gala Night © Zeus Martinez

GMG Productions’ ‘Hamilton’ was an absolute thrill for me. It changed this musical snob’s mind. Not only did my perspective on the show changed (how could I have been so resistant, I loved the music of ‘Moana’ and ‘Encanto,’ why would I think any differently?) but I have been introduced to a show that is fully engaging, wonderfully staged, and very well performed. This is such a terrific cast that I didn’t go and listen to the original cast recording right away (despite how badly I wanted to revisit the songs). I knew for a fact that the Philippine touring cast was going to be better than the original cast recording.

I finally listened to it today to write this review and I was right. The cast performing in Solaire right now is way better than what’s on music streaming sites.

My Rating:

Explore more about Hamilton Manila:
Homestream images courtesy of Zeus Martinez and GMG Productions.
September 27, 2023
REVIEW: Disney+’s new series ‘Moving’ is the best of two worlds: Kdrama and Western superhero shows

While there are a good number of Korean dramas that feature supernatural abilities or paranormal powers (‘Strong Girl Bong Soon,’ ‘While You Were Sleeping,’ ‘He is Psychometric,’ amongst others), this is the first Kdrama I’ve ever encountered that really leans in to the world of comic book superheroes in a Western way. Based off of the webtoon of the same name by Kangfull, ‘Moving’ is a 20-episode Kdrama about people with superpowers and a dark history that has driven them into hiding.

Directed by Park Inje (Kingdom season 2) and written by the original webtoon creator Kangfull, the story of ‘Moving’ unfolds in an interesting way. It opens in the present day following the story of 2 teens – Kim Bongseok (Lee Jungha) and Jang Huisoo (Go Younjung) – who have powers and find themselves going to the same school. As they navigate senior year and confiding each other with their abilities, we also discover that their parents also have powers but are keeping theirs secret too.

What first seems like a coming-of-age story of two kids with superpowers, begins to unravel as a complex story that involves governments, secret agents, and assassins. The story of the parents are a lot more complex than what the first few episodes show us and by the time we reach closer to the midway point, we discover that the story needs to fork into two timelines – the present and the past.

‘Moving’ boasts of an expensive budget and incredible CGI work for a drama series. Within the first ten episodes, there are images and visuals of flying, of regeneration, of superhuman strength and speed, and effects involving electricity. The show is also relentless in its action and fight choreography. Director Park Inje is also quite adept at creating striking images of the characters using their powers and while it feels exciting when it’s shown in the context of a fight scene, it’s when he uses it in relation to the young kids’ experiences of everyday life that it really shines.

There’s a great scene when Huisoo discovers Bongseok’s power of flight for the first time, it’s so elegantly done and it covers all the wonderful emotions that the two young actors can display. There’s another scene, also involving Bongseok’s flying abilities, of him cleaning a bathroom in the throes of young romance that makes a great visual.

This is what makes the show really shine. Yes, there are superpowers in it – and to the point where it feels like an MCU series – but that’s the easy stuff. The best parts is when it stays within the realm of Kdramas and work on their characters and their relationships. Bongseok’s and Huisoo’s relationship is a very special, wonderful little storyline that keeps everyone engaged. Then, playing counterpoint to each other, you have the Bongseok with his mom (Han Hyo Joo) and Huisoo and her dad (Ryu Seungryong). Bongseok and his mom is a tenuous relationship, with Han Hyo Joo’s Lee Mihyun as being overprotective and extra cautious. The tiredness and exhaustion of her character is explicit in every move she makes but the love is there, buried inside. It’s a wonderful performance that brings some very touching scenes. On the other hand, Huisoo and her father, Jang Juwon, have a more loving relationship – one that has both characters always walking on eggshells with each other. It’s so wonderfully played out that I cannot wait until the moment when the teens find out their parents have abilities.

This is why the show loses out on its strength as it gets closer to the midpoint. The first four or five episodes are working with multiple characters and weaves a tapestry of persons of interest. How they connect each other and how they relate to each other makes the show so good. By the sixth or seventh episode, they start to focus on one character’s backstory (usually a parent) and it takes the whole episode (sometimes two episodes) and I start to miss the present day storyline.

I understand that ‘Moving’ is building a world and is expanding it because it needs the space to move when all the characters come crashing into each other (by episode 10, they are still in each other’s periphery but have yet to come together) but it has made the episodes close to the midpoint feel dragging. Yes, we eventually see the histories of Jang Juwon and Lee Mihyun, but I’ve already invested in the friendship (and maybe even relationship) of Bongseok and Huisoo. There are also other characters like Lee Ganghoon (Kim Dohoon) and Chae Taehyun’s Jeon Gye-do and the assassin Frank, played by Ryu Seung-bum. Regardless, the first ten episodes of ‘Moving’ is proving to be an engaging new series that has the flavor of a Western/MCU type of superpowered show but with all the heart and the precision writing and character development of a Kdrama. It has a great cast and an intriguing, rich storyline with a lot of ground to cover. I won’t be surprised if the show ends in a cliff-hanger by the end of the 20th episode.

My Rating:

MOVING is now streaming on Disney+. Watch it here.

August 9, 2023
REVIEW: Action and gore coupled with family drama, ‘Kill Boksoon’ has it all

The film opens with a campy scene of a Yakuza member waking up on a bridge construction site beside train tracks and a woman in a nurse’s outfit is waiting for him. The woman is Gil Boksoon, a lethal assassin and the Yakuza member is her target. There is a tongue-in-cheek bit of dialogue that takes its time but helps give us the feel and tone of this movie – it’s fun, irreverent, and hard-hitting. The action sequence that follows is exciting and thrilling, especially when it takes the camera angle from across the train tracks and as a train passes by, the fight scene appears like a slideshow, captured in between the train windows. We see Gil Boksoon’s competence and the Yakuza member’s skill and it’s a fantastic watch. It prepares us for what is to come.

Because while the movie is about a lethal assassin, who may be past her prime, she is also a single mother of a teenage girl and she has to juggle both in order to live. There’s a line in the movie Kill Boksoon that really summarizes this incredible film: “Killing people is easier than raising a kid.” It’s the whole foundation of this movie and betrays the sheer duality of this story. On one hand, it’s a slick, glossy action and suspense movie about an assassin but it is also, on equal measure, an interesting family drama about a mother and her teenage daughter who cannot connect with each other because of the secrets that they keep.

Photo: Netflix

At the center of all of this is Gil Boksoon, played by Jeon Do-yeon. Jeon Do-yeon is magnificent in the role. You can see it in her eyes and her gait: she loves being good at her job, she loves being admired by other assassins. It’s the exact opposite of how she is when her daughter is around. She’s insecure, unsure of herself. The contrast is so striking but very believable.

Jeon Do-yeon manages a balancing act of the two tonal shifts of the movie; at one end, it’s a campy assassin movie, with hard-hitting fight choreography and lots of blood and gore but at the same time, it is a family drama. Interestingly enough, there is nothing corny about Kill Boksoon – her relationships with the people around her are practical; she’s not a humble, quiet killer; she enjoys her work and she knows what she is doing is bad as we hear in one of her killer lines as she says, “We know we are going to hell. That’s why we don’t pray.” – and it is in that acceptance, that the movie winks and nods to the audience that tells us to not take it too seriously and that we can still root for her if we want to. She is human and she has fully accepted her choices in life, as horrible as those choices may be.

Photo: Netflix

There is a world here not unlike John Wick and it doesn’t go too deep that it overshadows the heart and soul of the film but it is real enough to make the world not feel so empty or fabricated. That balance allows the movie to play out in two completely different tones – the action thriller and the family drama – both working hand-in-hand to enhance and amplify the other. It is Boksoon’s insecurity about being a mother that is highlighted in comparison to how great she is as a killer, that comparison in inextricably linked, but it is in her learnings from being a mother that she finds herself able to navigate the messy world of her underworld profession, which turns difficult as she reaches the end of her contract.

Photo: Netflix

There is masterful direction here by Byun Sung-hyun, who is unafraid to do jump cuts into the next scene or shift to flashbacks, and other jarring editing techniques and camera angles just to not engage in the peripherals – just like its main character, this movie means business. But despite its technical flourishes, the movie never strays too far from its beating heart.

Coupled with an amazing ensemble backing Jeon Do-yeon, including a standout Koo Gyo-hwan, another assassin with a personal relation to Gil Boksoon, and Kim Si-a, who plays the teenage daughter, Jae-young, ‘Kill Boksoon’ is a really engaging movie that surprised in every turn. It never lingers in the sentimentality and goes straight for the jugular.

My Rating:

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Kill Boksoon starts streaming on Netflix this March 31.

March 27, 2023
John Wick Chapter 4: A Thrilling Ride with Some Bumps Along the Way

We delve into the world of John Wick: Chapter 4, the latest installment in the adrenaline-fueled action series starring Keanu Reeves as the legendary hitman. This highly anticipated film, directed by Chad Stahelski, has fans on the edge of their seats, eager to see the continuation of John Wick’s quest for vengeance.

John Wick: Chapter 4 picks up right where Chapter 3 – Parabellum left off, with our protagonist on the run and fighting for his life. This movie offers a deeper look into the complex web of alliances and enemies that make up the John Wick universe, introducing fresh faces and exotic locations. However, the plot can get convoluted, which might leave some viewers scratching their heads.

Keanu Reeves returns to deliver another stellar performance as John Wick, showcasing his dedication to the role through intense martial arts training and weapons handling. Reeves’ portrayal of vulnerability and raw emotion amidst the chaos is captivating and ensures that audiences remain invested in his character’s journey.

The supporting cast, featuring Ian McShane, Lance Reddick, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Donnie Yen, complement Reeves’ performance with their own charisma and skill. The relationships and rivalries between these characters add depth to the story and contribute to the movie’s overall appeal.

A key strength of the John Wick series lies in its breathtaking action sequences, and Chapter 4 does not disappoint. With top-notch fight choreography and pulse-pounding gunplay, the film offers some of the best action scenes in the franchise. However, there are moments when the action borders on excessive, leading to “action fatigue” and diminishing the overall impact of the movie.

The cinematography in John Wick: Chapter 4 is visually striking, with Dan Laustsen’s expertly crafted shots emphasizing the beauty and brutality of the movie’s locations. The rich and varied color palette enhances the film’s immersive quality, drawing viewers into the vibrant world of John Wick.

Despite these strengths, the film’s script and pacing leave room for improvement. While the expansion of the John Wick universe is intriguing, the convoluted storyline and sometimes clunky dialogue can be frustrating. Additionally, the movie’s score, though effective in heightening tension, lacks the memorable themes that could have set it apart from other action film soundtracks.

John Wick: Chapter 4 is a thrilling, albeit flawed, addition to the franchise. It is a must-watch for fans of the series and action enthusiasts, but those seeking a more coherent and emotionally satisfying narrative may find it lacking.

Rating:

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John Wick: Chapter 4 is now showing in cinemas nationwide. Buy your tickets here.

This article was assisted by OpenAI’s ChatGPT, a language model that provided guidance and suggestions during the writing process.
To avoid any potential conflicts of interest with our sponsors and/or advertisers, we also use ratings provided by ChatGPT, if available.

March 23, 2023

REVIEW: The ASUS Vivobook 16 Boasts a Bigger Display for Better Productivity & Exceptional Entertainment

With all the consumable video content out there and the many tools we now have at our disposal through our devices, size really matters when it comes to our laptop screens. That’s why it’s only ideal to seek a laptop that boasts a sizable screen on top of power and performance. Fortunately, you no longer have to break the bank for a display upgrade!

Enter the Vivobook 16, from the latest series of 16-inch laptops released by the multinational tech brand ASUS. With a powerful interior paired with a generous 16:10 display, this new device is your next budget-friendly companion for professional work, school work, content creation, or for your entertainment needs.

ASUS has given us a chance to try the ASUS Vivobook 16 (X1605) in Indie Black color. Here are our thoughts about this new 16-inch laptop.

Out of the box

Right out of the box, the Vivobook 16’s size stands out, but it surprised me because it is lighter than I anticipated. Its black color is pretty standard paired with a plastic chassis, while the design incorporates some slanting lines which remind me of construction work signals, giving me the impression that the Vivobook 16 gets the work done.

Popping it open, the laptop has a full keyboard, a generous touchpad space, and of course, a 16-inch, 16:10 screen to boot! Booting it up, I could feel like I’m reminded of a standard home computer with plenty of screen space to work with and a keyboard that isn’t cramped.

The device also has a 180-degree hinge that offers more flexibility and easier adjustments, so it wouldn’t have a problem fitting right in on your workspace. In addition to this, the laptop also sports a full array of I/O ports for convenient connectivity.

Do more with a taller display

The Vivobook 16 offers a more intuitive experience with its 16-inch LCD wide-view NanoEdge display with an 86% screen-to-body ratio. It has decent brightness with TÜV Rheinland low blue-light certification for added eye protection, and I didn’t experience glare issues when using the device. While the LCD screen may not be as visually striking as an OLED variant, this laptop still delivers a good display, given its size paired with an affordable price point.

After all, what really makes this your next ideal work and entertainment companion is the screen’s 16:10 aspect ratio (1920×1200 resolution IPS panel). Compared to the typical 16:9 display, with this device, streaming is more immersive; multitasking is more effortless; viewing documents is more convenient; and applications with crammed UIs will appear tidier, allowing you to focus on what’s important to the task at hand.

Thanks to the 180-degree hinge, you can also easily share this generous screen when working face-to-face with your collaborators.

No compromising on power and performance

Under the hood, the Vivobook 16 is also competitive when it comes to power and performance. This laptop is powered by up to a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1255U processor. It supports up to 8GB DDR4 RAM and a 512GB PCIE 3.0 SSD and runs on the Windows 11 Home OS.

The Vivobook 16 runs without a hitch when it comes to doing productivity tasks. It ran smoothly as I typed documents and multitasked on the web with over ten open tabs.

Casual gamers can also use this laptop for their gaming. I tried playing Valorant with the Vivobook 16, and I didn’t encounter any frame drops, even with high settings. I also ran tests with our test unit from ASUS, which runs on an Intel Core i5-1235U Processor:

Cinebench R23 – 7,403 (Multicore); 694 (Single Core)
Geekbench 6 – 1193 (Single-Core); 3888 (Multi-Core)
CPU-Z – 3,110.1 (Multi-Thread); 378.5 (Single Thread)

As for the device’s temperature, the Vivobook 16 kept its cool even after two hours of continuous use. There wasn’t any significant rise in its temperature even when at play, thanks to its plastic chassis and the ASUS IceCool cooling system with upgraded 8mm and 6mm dual heat pipes and an IceBlade fan. An effective heat dissipation system that is also quiet when in use.

Power is also plenty with the Vivobook 16, which sports a 70Wh battery. Testing its capacity, the battery decreased by 20% to 25% for every hour of doing productivity tasks with 45% brightness (which I found optimal in a room with ample lighting). Streaming videos also yielded similar results, as I was able to watch a 2-hour movie with 70% volume, and the battery went down by 40%. When gaming, the battery was deducted 20% for every 30 minutes of gameplay.

When it comes to charging, I plugged in the Vivobook 16 while in Sleep mode, and the battery went up from 3% to 50% in the first 30 minutes and was full after waiting another hour and 15 minutes. When at work, the laptop juiced up by about 30% in the first 30 minutes and was fully charged after about 2 hours.

Work is a breeze with an ergonomic keyboard, a spacious trackpad, & Microsoft Office

The Vivobook 16 doesn’t stop with just the display and performance because your productivity will get a further boost with its ErgoSense keyboard that feels comfortable and satisfying to type with.

Clicking the buttons of the laptop’s full-sized keyboard produces minimal sound and feels just right to the touch, thanks to its dished keycaps and fine-tuned spacings for optimized key travel. When turned on, the keyboard’s backlight has three brightness levels to blend with different working environments.

As for the trackpad, it is also quite large, so if you opt to use it more often over a mouse, you can expect seamless use as you click, scroll, and swipe across your tasks. And to complete what you need to get the work done, the Vivobook 16 also comes with a free lifetime license to Office 2021 Home & Student.

Strong speakers and clearer conference calls

The audio on the Vivobook 16 is also quite impressive, with the sound that saves you from needing separate speakers. The laptop’s audio output is loud enough to be heard across a spacious living room, even at just 70% volume.

Audio is also enhanced for your conference calls through ASUS’ AI noise-canceling technology. This technology filters out ambient noise when you speak on the microphone, and it reduces background noise when producing the audio from the other end of the call, ensuring clear audio for both ends of the call.

Stepping up in safety and connectivity

The laptop also ups its safety and security alongside its convenience in connectivity. Aside from the webcam’s privacy shield instantly protecting you from your camera with a simple sliding button, the Vivobook 16 also shields you from today’s unseen threats with the ASUS Antibacterial Guard.

Considering the world-shifting pandemic in the last few years, it’s only natural for devices to adapt in response. With the ASUS Antibacterial Guard, the laptop’s special surface kills 99% of bacteria over a 24-hour period, keeping the device clean and sanitary even on a micro-level.

Connectivity is another key factor when picking your device. Good thing the Vivobook 16 covers your connectivity needs be it online or via hardware. This laptop is equipped with the speed of WiFi 6 and is made even better with the ASUS WiFi Master technology, bringing the user fast and stable connections.

This device also caters to different cross-device connections with a full array of Input/Output ports. On the left side of the device, you will find a USB 2.0 port alongside indicator lights, while lined up on the right are two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A ports, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 port, an HDMI port, an Audio Combo Jack, and a round charging port.

Conclusion

The Vivobook 16 is the laptop perfect for the practical. Whether you’re a professional or a student, this device can cater to your needs from both the software and hardware end. Plus, it also has some added touches with the comfort, convenience, and safety of the user in mind. With the laptop’s 16-inch, 16:10 display, you also have an extra boost of productivity whether you’re multitasking or focused on one UI-packed application. And even with its price range that leans towards the affordable, the Vivobook 16 has everything you need to get the job done.

The ASUS Vivobook 16 is now available at ASUS authorized stores with a starting price of P32,995.

Quick Specs

Display	16.0-inch WUXGA 16:10 IPS Display
Processor	Up to 12th Gen Intel Core i7-1255U processor
Memory	8GB DDR4 RAM
Storage	512GB PCIE 3.0 SSD
Operating System	Windows 11 Home
Battery	70Wh battery
Weight	1.8 kg
Ports	1x USB 2.0 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type A 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 1x HDMI Port 1x Audio Combo Jack
Connectivity	WiFi6 + Bluetooth 5.2
Colors	Indie Black Transparent Silver
Price	Starts at P32,995

March 16, 2023

REVIEW: The stakes are raised in the first two episodes of ‘The Glory’ part two

In the first part of The Glory, we saw Moon Dong-eun carefully lay out the foundations of her grand machinations to take vengeance on the bullies who made her teenage years a living hell. Relentless in her pursuit for revenge, Dong-eun is almost a completely cold-blooded machine with only tiny sparks of humanity on display when dealing with her accomplice, Mrs. Kang (a wonderful Yeom Hye-ran), and a young doctor who has fallen for her, Joo Yeo-jeong (Lee Do Hyun). By the end of episode 8, the trap is set and one of the bullies has gone missing, Kim Gun-woo, while the husband of the mastermind of the bullies, Park Yeon-jin has begun to suspect their child is not his and his wife is not the person she had led him to believe.

The show, already intense as it is, gets even more heated in the first two episodes of its latest season. With Gun-woo missing, the bullies are starting to fall apart and turn against each other and this forces Yeon-jin to bare her fangs and fight back.

Part One of ‘The Glory’ was enjoyable because we saw Dong-eun (Song Hye-kyo) weave a tangled web that put her former tormentors into a tailspin. The show gave us a chance to revel in her vengeance. The campy, one-dimensional brutality of their bullying earns the psychological terror she puts the bullies in and we derive joy from it, despite how it could possibly destroy Moon Dong-eun’s soul forever.

Photo: The Glory Part Two trailer

But now that the pressure is on, Yeon-jin is fighting back and what was a one-sided battle has now become a head-on battle. And Yeo-jin is not without her means. While Dong-eun has had 18 years to prepare, at the heart of it all is a tortured soul. She’s still, inherently a good person seeking safety. Yeo-jin is pure evil and her opening salvo on episode 9 is directed at my personal favourite character, Mrs. Kang.

All of a sudden, Dong-eun’s plan is not as foolproof as we were led to believe.

At the same time, Yeon-jin’s husband, Ha Do Yeong (Jung Sung-il) is not some simple puppet. He’s still a variable who may or may not go against his scheming wife. And the bully Jeon Jae-jun (played by the brilliant Park Sung-hoon) has plans of his own to take Park Yeon-jin’s daughter as his own.

Photo: The Glory Part Two trailer

With all these variables coming into play, episode 9 and 10 of ‘The Glory’ has raised the stakes and taken out the fun of taking revenge and made the battle very real and very dangerous for Dong-eun. The advantage of surprise is no longer there. It’s her against all her bullies and while her first strike has been decisive and brutal; it seems that the retaliation will just be as severe.

What makes ‘The Glory’ so enjoyable was how we got to see these untouchable bullies suffer at the hands of the person they tormented. Now that it has evened out the playing field, it’s no longer a guilty pleasure. The show has managed to shift our desires from wanting to see Dong-eun’s comeuppance to just making sure she survives. This bait and switch, made possible by cutting the season in half and taking a 2-month break, is an interesting use of the medium to build momentum and to help the show gain its full stride.

Photo: The Glory Part Two trailer

Now, more than ever, her humanity is at stake and the show is now poised to reach a profundity that wasn’t available to it at the beginning. This is a promise made by the character of Mrs. Kang because Joo Yeo-jeong is very happy to be an accomplice to Dong-eun’s plan. His own dark backstory, as revealed in episode 10, has made him poised to be an even more frightening aspect of this story.

As ‘The Glory’ returns to streaming with part two, we will all await with bated breath how this story will end.

My Rating:

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The Glory Part Two starts streaming on Netflix this March 10.

March 6, 2023
REVIEW: Queer Representation is Front and Center of ‘Knock at the Cabin’

There’s an old-school simplicity to M. Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cabin, a film he co-wrote with Steve Desmond and Michael Sherman (and based on the novel of the same name by Paul Tremblay). Even at the opening credits, he uses the old logo of Universal Pictures and uses an old-style font and presentation of the opening credits. With further reading, he even used 90s-era lenses to give the film “an old-school thriller look.” And what you see in the trailer is exactly what this movie is about: a family is taken hostage by four strangers in a cabin in the woods, with the hopes that the family will choose one member to sacrifice to stop the apocalypse.

It’s as simple as it sounds, with a bit of dipping into the psychological thriller genre as it questions the veracity of the four strangers’ claim that the fate of the world rests upon the sacrifice of this one family. Most of the 110-minute running time is spent on that premise. While the film’s plot revolves around this conundrum – does the family believe them or not and can they escape from this situation unharmed or not? – it does go into flashbacks to create an emotional throughline for the family that serves to complicate things.

Because what contrasts that old-school simplicity of this simple narrative is the fact that the family is that of queer parents (two gay dads) and is multi-racial, as their daughter was adopted in Asia.

And it is in this character design setup where the film finds its profundity.

Photo: Knock at the Cabin trailer

It’s not often that we see the main characters of a commercial psychological thriller to be led by gay parents. There was even an impulse that I had to fight back to question the sincerity of the choice. “Was it a checklist for progressive identity politics?” This is what happens when there’s not enough positive representation for the queer community that anything of the sort done in such a mainstream release is met with suspicion. Why can’t gay parents be the protagonists of any movie – regardless of genre?

And that the issues surrounding gay people and gay parents are at the crux of ‘Knock at the Cabin.’ As the film shifts to flashbacks to round out the history of this couple – Andrew and Eric played by Ben Aldridge and Jonathan Groff – we see the cruelty of asking any member of such a persecuted minority like the queer community to sacrifice a member of their chosen family for the sake of the world.

Photo: Knock at the Cabin trailer

What makes it even more cruel is the fact that the apocalypse might not even hinge on their sacrifice and that these four strangers – led by the gentle giant Leonard, played by a transformed Dave Bautista – may just be psychotic or part of some strange and dangerous cult.

The film never goes into the easy scares and all the tension is predicated upon that premise: does the fate of the world hang in their sacrifice? Are these four strangers really telling the truth about their visions or are they crazy and out of their minds? And if it is the former, how does one even begin to make that decision?

Photo: Knock at the Cabin trailer

There’s a lot of earnestness in the performances with incredible performances by Bautista, Groff, Aldridge and Kristen Cui, who plays the young daughter Wen, and Nikki Amuka-Bird, who plays one of Leonard’s associates. Always, there are very human moments presented by the four strangers that push the boundaries of what you can believe and then you must bear witness to what they are able to do for the family to make that choice.

Within this whole narrative, the issues of the queer community are really put into an emotional grinder (pun intended). For all the persecution and hate that they have taken for years, if the fate of the world was left to us having to make another sacrifice, would we do it? Would Andrew and Eric and Wen?

Photo: Knock at the Cabin trailer

Shyamalan is in fine form here with his camera going in really close to his actor’s faces as if their humanity (and maybe even their sanity) is in full view. He focuses on the little details of each moment while at the same time moving the camera away from all the gruesome acts of violence. It’s all implied rather than the focus. It’s as if he doesn’t want us to get distracted by the choice, whether it is real or not.

There are no surprise twists here as one would expect from a Shyamalan film. The story reaches its resolution as best as it could but one thing is certain: it’s so wonderful to see gay parents at the center of this story and how their love is depicted as universal. The film never questions it and this movie is out there.

I hope more movies present queer characters as smoothly as this so that I’ll never have to be suspicious again.

My Rating:

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Knock at the Cabin is now showing in cinemas nationwide. Buy your tickets here.

February 1, 2023
REVIEW: ‘Babylon’ and the wild, crazy, over-the-top love (and hate) letter to Hollywood

Damien Chazelle seems to have directed and co-written a companion piece to his highly celebrated and award-winning movie ‘La La Land’ with his latest offering, Babylon. While ‘La La Land’ explores and navigates through the idealism and hopes of a couple trying to make it big in Hollywood and the music industry in Los Angeles as it comes crashing into reality, ‘Babylon’ feels more like a celebration and a condemnation of that same world. While ‘La La Land’ is tempered and controlled, ‘Babylon’ is wild and excessive, given to moments of grand spectacle and reveling in the chaos of its narrative. While ‘La La Land’ is personal and intimate, ‘Babylon’ brushes with big strokes and can feel very cold and uncaring.

Set during the time in Hollywood when the innovation of sound movies (also known as ‘The Talkies’) had come crashing in on the silent film era, ‘Babylon’ is the story of several characters who try to find their footing in the changing landscape of entertainment. They range from the experienced silent film actor Jack Conrad (Brad Pitt), to the self-proclaimed star Nellie LaRoy (a bombastic Margot Robbie), a Mexican film assistant with big dreams named Manny (that arresting Diego Calva), the established gossip columnist Elinor St. John (by a riveting Jean Smart), a jazz trumpet player named Sydney (Jovan Adepo), and a Chinese American cabaret singer and title writer for films, Lady Fay Zhu (played wonderfully by Li Jun Li). These six (and a whole lot more) come crashing into each other in what is supposed to be both a fairy tale and a cautionary one at the same time.

Photo: Paramount Pictures International

Not only is the cast huge, Chazelle goes on overdrive, trying to out-Baz Lurhmann in grand spectacles by filling his camera frames with a mass of people in the throes of chaotic frenzy. The movie is over three hours long (188 minutes, approximately) and the first act alone is a 40-minute party scene where Chazelle introduces all the characters. There’s a huge orgy – graphic nudity, an overabundance of drug taking, and a lot of dancing – which is to set the tone of the film regarding Hollywood’s excesses. The whole sequence is just an exercise in indulgence (both thematically and filmmaking-wise). But amidst this madness, there is a very interesting, very human moment that occurs: when Manny and Nellie meet and in a cocaine-driven scene end up talking about their hopes and dreams and their love for Hollywood and what the movies mean to people. It’s a very strong scene that manages to nicely contrast the wild debauchery outside their room.

Photo: Paramount Pictures International

From that first meeting, we discover Manny and Nellie’s rising through the ranks, we get a full 360-degree view of the madness of movie-making, from Jack Conrad’s multiple marriages and the inevitable decline of his career, we see Sydney find success, and then face the brutal fact of racism (in the most painful of ways), and Lady Fay, a lesbian, meets the pushback of conservative voices in the latter part of Hollywood’s evolution. And in the center of this is the rise and fall of Manny and Nellie, whose love for this world is not enough to surmount the obstacles ahead.

Photo: Paramount Pictures International

Throughout its running time, ‘Babylon’ is excessive and big. It can get exhausting but it is filled with moments of hilarity and large-scale cinematic moments that would wow anybody. It’s so extra in everything that when it does slow down and quiet down, those moments become so golden. These are most noticeable in Manny’s scenes of self-reflection and a brilliantly written and acted scene between Brad Pitt and Jean Smart as the fading actor goes head-to-head with the columnist on the power and price of fame and glory and immortality.

Photo: Paramount Pictures International

Without a doubt, there’s a lot of love about the industry in ‘Babylon’ but there’s also a lot of hate. What the film lacks is some underlying message that can somehow take all this chaos and bring it to a proper catharsis. The ending attempts at a ‘Cinema Paradiso’ sort of poignancy but the madness and the horrible parts of the film tend to float to the surface and overshadow the good. The ending doesn’t feel as cathartic or as powerful as it is intended because, in the process of going hyper-real and crazy throughout the film, the love and the humanity of it are completely stamped out by the finale.

Magnificent performances from the cast and Justin Hurwitz did a brilliant job with the musical score but while Chazelle was filling up his screen with a spectacle, he failed to land the emotional punch. It’s enjoyable but you have to have the stomach for it.

My Rating:

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Babylon opens in cinemas nationwide on February 1. Buy your tickets here.

January 30, 2023
Revenge is Sweet: a review of the first 6 episodes of ‘The Glory’ with Song Hye Kyo

After having seen over a hundred Kdramas in the last three years, it’s glaringly obvious that the new Netflix Kdrama ‘The Glory’ is unlike any I’ve seen before. As a Netflix original, it is direct to the streaming platform and so it can do away with certain things we’ve come to expect: it only has 8 episodes (and its part two will be released sometime next year around March), its adult themes include imagery of graphic sex and some nudity, and way more graphic displays of violence. The show doesn’t pull any of its punches and it doesn’t have to since it isn’t released on Korean television, it doesn’t have to abide by their television regulations.

So the revenge story that is at the heart of ‘The Glory’ can get very graphic and detailed. There’s an almost campy way by which the bullies of the story, as they are depicted in the series, can appear one-dimensional and on the extreme side of evil. They have no redeeming factor and the victim, Moon Dong-eun, is a poor girl out of luck. No one is on her side and after a tremendous amount of bullying (as depicted in the first season), she has chosen to turn her whole life into an instrument of revenge against her bullies.

Photo from Netflix

This incident happened in 2004 and the story is set in 2022, so 18 years have passed and what unfolds is a dangerous game of vengeance that has been carefully planned for years. Dong-eun has been stripped off of all her dignity and her soul and she is ready to commit worse upon her tormentors. At the center of it all is her becoming the homeroom teacher of the daughter of the biggest bully of the group, Park Yeon-jin.

The show is polished and slick. It can be campy in how evil the bullies are (after 18 years, they have not mellowed in any way; they are just as cruel only older) and how steadfast Dong-eun is set on her revenge. It revels in its formalist tone with great lighting, amazing set pieces, and fantastic drone shots that really create a sense of place and bigness to the show. The largeness of the filmmaking makes Dong-eun’s scheme to exact her payback seem biblical, almost divine, even when scriptwriter Kim Eun Seok (of ‘Descendants of the Sun’) writes a stirring narration from Dong-eun that she doesn’t believe in god. How could she? The narration, written as letters from Dong-eun to Yeon-jin, reveals the deep obsession she has over her tormentor. It’s almost like the dark side of love. It creates a frightening effect that can really put a chill down your spine when you realize how far someone will go for revenge.

Photo from Netflix

The show is quick to justify Dong-eun’s vengeance, you even root for her, but it also manages to temper that bloodlust with a sense of humanity. On her way, Dong-eun finds people who are keen on helping her in her path, whether intentionally or not. And this is when the show is at its best.

Early on, she meets Mrs. Kang, who becomes a sort of partner. She also meets a young doctor Joo Yeo-jeong, from whom she learns the game of Go (the reasons of which are all part of her plan), who also falls in love with her. It’s in her interactions with these two people that Dong-eun finds herself in a moment of grace; a chance to feel like a human being and while she quickly holds her ground to maintain her purpose and determination to continue on her path of revenge, it’s in these moments where the show really shines.

Photo from Netflix

Song Hye-kyo’s last drama ‘Now We’re Breaking Up’ was not a good comeback for her as the character she played was flat and uninteresting and her performance didn’t help create any sort of texture for the character at all. Here, as Dong-eun, she is once again in that same vein – a person who is holding back, creating walls, and trying to look fierce as she goes head on against her former tormentors. In long stretches of scenes, she can play off on one note and so it becomes a breath of fresh air when she does have moments with Yeo-jeong (a very charming Lee Do-hyun) or with her interactions with Miss Kang (played excellently by Yeom Hye-ran), the two people who can bring out her softer side. It’s there where we can see the Song Hye-kyo of ‘Descendants of the Sun.’

Photo from Netflix

The bullies, on the other hand, Lim Ji-yeon, Park Sung-hoon, Cha Joo-young, Kim Hi-eora, and Kim Gun-woo, are having a blast being as evil as possible. They are chewing up the scenery at every turn and it seems they are having fun with it so we have fun watching their world slowly crumble as Dong-eun returns into their lives and turns the tables.

Photo from Netflix

With only 8 episodes on the first season, of which the first 6 does an excellent job at setting up the stakes and raising the tension, ‘The Glory’ is poised to be another daring Netflix original show that is set to explore the dark side of revenge. Strangely enough, it makes us root for the victim-turned-tormentor and gives us a space to really express our darkest thoughts against the topic of bullying and bullies. It’s not a comfortable feeling, this blood lust, but it’s an interesting one to explore and dig into as we enter a totally new year. How do we address the issues of bullying? And how long are we to accept a system that protects the rich and powerful?

‘The Glory’ shows us that revenge is sweet but also asks, “at what cost?”

My Rating:

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The Glory starts streaming on Netflix this December 30.

December 29, 2022
What To Do With Old Things: a review of ‘Plan 75’

Absolutely quiet and still, ‘Plan 75’ is a chilling look into a dystopian world where Japan has found a startling way to handle its growing elderly population: a government program that offers assisted suicide to all citizens aged 75 and above. The program itself, the titular Plan 75, offers a cash handout for the volunteers to do with as they please and are assisted all the way through cremation services to make everything easy and tidy. By all means, this film falls under the realm of science fiction but first-time feature film director Chie Hayakawa is not interested in the macro view of this imagined bleak future. Instead, she focuses her camera on three characters: at its center is Michi (played by the arresting Chieko Baisho), a 78-year-old woman with no family, who is struggling to keep her independence in a society that sees no value in someone of her age; Himoru Okabe (played by Hayato Isomura), a sales agent for Plan 75, who truly believes in the cause until he meets an estranged aged family member who signs up for the program; and rounding out the cast is Maria (played by Stefanie Arianne), a Filipina caregiver, who is working in Japan to pay for her daughter’s expensive life-saving surgery, who accepts work from Plan 75.

As a film, ‘Plan 75’ is a character study. The film’s central premise pushes these three characters towards their own crisis of faith and in the process, we watch as this world normalizes death and the discarding of anything that is no longer deemed as valuable. Hayakawa, who co-wrote the screenplay with Jason Gray, covers this deterioration of society with almost no fanfare, as if this was ordinary and normal and it’s a chilling reminder of how bureaucracy and keeping the status quo seems more important on a larger scale for civilizations than the slow degradation of our humanity.

Photo courtesy of TBA Studios

‘Plan 75’ poses its questions and arguments through Michi, Himoru, and Maria. The film is never loud with its objections or statements. We are invested in Michi’s desire to remain “useful,” At 78, she’s struggling to find work to support herself as all her friends are succumbing to old age. Without a family, she is completely on her own and society is pushing her towards volunteering for Plan 75 as there are no opportunities available for her to keep on living.

This is all done without drama, without highlighting the emotions involved. It’s a quiet film that basks in the silences of heavy thought and meditation. Even when Himoru wavers from his own convictions and takes a more personal approach to assisting his uncle with his plans, the film never judges him nor pities him. It is what it is. When Maria discovers, through her work in the Plan 75 facility, what happens to the things left behind by the seniors who have passed on, the film never underlines the sadness or the horror of the insights that are gleaned from this.

Photo courtesy of TBA Studios

What the film manages to do is show us how society and the world is slowly just accepting these questionable changes happening around us. How, in the name of efficiency and the common good, we are allowing people to be left behind and pushed away in favour of those who can contribute more. There’s a hierarchy that is proposed in this film that mirrors what’s happening in real life and ‘Plan 75’ manages to highlight the impact this can have on the people intrinsically linked to it.

Photo courtesy of TBA Studios

This is not an easy film to watch but it is an important one. It skillfully manages to ask important questions over a hypothetical situation and by putting front and center Michi, an elderly woman with no family, no one to vouch for her or fight for her and defend her, the film asks us to make a decision about her. While Hayakawa manages a burst of hope, a moment of urgency at the film’s third act, it still leaves the final verdict to us. Are we as powerless as Maria, victims of our own circumstances or will we have a crisis of conviction such as Himoru, or will we have the strength to stand up against the forces that dictate our worth?

This is not an easy film to watch but you have to watch it.

My Rating:

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Plan 75 opens in cinemas nationwide on December 7. Buy your tickets here.

December 6, 2022