Reviews

The narrative unfolds across multiple parallel threads—police, negotiators, hostages, and the perpetrator—woven together with suspenseful precision. While the structure is clear and layered, the second half succumbs to a familiar flaw of European cinema: it drags. A drawn-out, nearly 15-minute epilogue where police drive each hostage home adds little of substance.

Action and stunt work are the highlights. Scenes like the bank heist and armored truck ambush are staged with gripping urgency. The direction is excellent and the choreography is on point, delivering a string of tense, adrenaline-charged moments that elevate the film’s entertainment value.

Despite her tough exterior and loud demeanor, Cabiria is deeply vulnerable, always yearning for love. Fellini injects a bitter humor into her misfortunes—what first seems laughable soon turns heartwrenching. The film’s comic facade can’t quite conceal the pain underneath, and Cabiria’s tragedy lingers long after the curtain falls.

This one fares better than “The Amateur” in terms of execution. The film smartly confines the action to a high-rise restaurant with a 50-yard drop zone limit, heightening the claustrophobic tension. The mystery of who’s pulling the strings keeps viewers guessing all the way to the end.

Ozu’s dedication to realism is unmatched—his use of fixed shots and plain, direct dialogue brings daily life to the foreground. But unlike his other films, this one carries a rare undercurrent of sorrow. Setsuko Hara perfectly embodies the traditional Japanese ideal of a gentle, self-sacrificing woman. Her return to an unhappy marriage for the sake of her child feels inevitable, yet we sense that happiness may never come.

The pacing drags, bogged down by repetitive and uninteresting scenes. Outside of Elmer and La China Jurado, most characters are thinly written and emotionally flat. The story borrows heavily from better-known series, especially "Dexter," and the police subplot, muddled by a baffling affair storyline, lacks credibility. Visually and editorially, the show offers little to grab attention.

People always talk about seeing Star Wars in theatres as a kid and how it changed their lives. Well, this is my Star Wars. I was 10 years old when Jurassic Park hit theatres. My dad took me back to see it 3 times. To me, this is the perfect movie. Rich characters brought to life by wonderful performances, larger than life ideas being presented through simple survival action, and all put together by one of the most gifted directors of all time. Not to mention the score by John Williams! When I think of cinema - this is where my heart goes.

I was already a big fan of The Next Generation by the time I discovered The Original Series and later the films. When I saw Wrath of Khan, I couldn't get over how lean and mean this movie was. It pushes Star Trek into summer action movie territory without sacrificing any of the things that make Star Trek what it is. Ricardo Montalban is just terrific, and you get so many great Kirk/Spock/McCoy scenes. Just fantastic use of all the characters.

A movie about a larger than life man who is his own worst enemy, set against the largest conflict ever to embroil planet Earth? I'm already in. Add to that the brilliant screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola, and an epic, slightly romantic tone, and I'm even more in. This movie is centred around one man, the character of Patton. The Oscar winning performance from George C Scott, the achingly beautiful score by Jerry Goldsmith, and the ambitious production spanning years of WWII make this a very special film.

This was one of those movies that worked its way into my life through quoting the dialogue so much, that I've made friends simply through them recognising a quote from it and striking up a conversation. This is also one of those films that made me aware of more interesting directors like the Coen Brothers on a different level.

Growing up I always had pretty main stream tastes, as did my family. With movies like this, I started to seek out things that were more off the beaten path. Not only do I still quote this movie daily, I still think of it as a forking point in my movie taste.

I'll never forget the scene with Catherine O'Hara playing Colin Hanks' mom crying and musing aloud why he wants to leave home so bad to go to university, and he yells out, "BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU DO AFTER HIGH SCHOOL!!!"

This is one of those movies that met me at the exact moment I was going through the same experiences. I had gone to university, but I hadn't left home. I yearned to be off on my own so I could do my own thing and figure out who I was. This was a hilarious confirmation for me that I needed to trust my gut and go.

I watched this movie in film school when the much more sophisticated, worldly, and hilarious classmates told me it was his favourite film. I had never really delved into world cinema before. Not only was this a gateway to that for me, it remains one of my favourite films. Raw and touching, but never without a sense of humour, Wong Kar Wai really put his heart on celluloid with this one.

In 2014 I was in China helping to open a film school there. I felt I needed to brush up on the classics from China and watched this on my laptop in my hotel room alone. This is one of those films that when you see it, you wonder why you never saw it before. It's absolutely heartbreaking. The story of the Opera performers, set to the backdrop of Chinese history through the 20th Century, beautifully captures the cultural tidal wave that engulfed the country. This is a perfect film.

I remember watching this because it was on the AFI top 100 list. I was planning to go to film school and the only other time I'd seen a David Lean movie was when we watched Doctor Zhivago in history class. Needless to say, I was blown away. The grandeur, the scale, the performances - all larger than life. Not to mention the fact that the character of Lawrence resonated deeply with this closeted gay kid yearning for life in a more exciting land.

This is a Christmas Eve tradition for me. Every year I settle in thinking I'll only watch a bit, and the film sucks me in every time! This movie just makes me feel good about humanity.

From the (literally) soaring Hey Jude montage, to the delightful shenanigans of Pappy Tenebaum, this film is Wes Anderson at his best. All the humour, but the aesthetic hasn't rendered everything totally lifeless. There's still some scrappiness the filmmaking and I love that part of it!

This sequel revolves around an intricate cat-and-mouse game between cops and criminals, told through a conventional linear structure. The first half moves slowly, weighed down by lengthy exposition and moody European settings. But the pace picks up dramatically in the latter half, especially during a gripping car chase where tight pacing and smart action choreography finally inject momentum and suspense.

Classic characters Daffy Duck and Porky Pig are brought to life with distinctive flair, thanks to pitch-perfect voice work by Eric Bauza. Their quirks and camaraderie shine, while newcomers like the clever and kind Penelope Pig and the gentle farmer Jim add warmth. The alien invader, intent on global domination, makes for a fittingly absurd antagonist.

With expectations set low, I was surprisingly moved to find a mobile game adaptation that meets the standards of a decent popcorn movie. It exceeded expectations, and it’s actually enjoyable. Built entirely on character dynamics and dialogue, though, the film is unlikely to resonate with anyone unfamiliar with the game.