Sunday, May 30, 2021

The Postcard Killings - Pretty Entertaining Crime Drama Movie Based on Best Selling Novel by James Patterson and Liza Marklund

Not a lot of new movies that I was really into were released during this weekend as it seemed the streaming providers all preferred to focus on new seasons or series (few were the ones that I have been following and also started to watch). Anyway this film was released on Friday and I watched it during the weekend. OK, I'll get on with it now.

Brief Story Line

When a newlywed couple was found murdered in London, Jacob Kanon (Jeffrey Dean Morgan - Rampage, The Losers etc) who was the father of the deceased woman was truly devastated. He vowed to his wife Valerie (Famke Janssen - The Poison Rose, X-men trilogy etc) to find the person who did this. Despite being restricted with access, Jacob managed to find out that the killer sent a postcard to newspaper reporter before the killing and it has happened more than once.

Sunday, May 23, 2021

(TV SERIES) The Nevers Season 1 - A Really Refreshing Series of People with Powers Set in Victorian Period England

Few weeks ago, I saw in HBO Go a new series that sounded interesting. At first I wanted to wait till its completed airing the whole 12 episodes of the first season. But then I noticed it was said to have released the finale of part 1, with the second part not clear when it would be shown. Rather than wait till that moment, I decided to give it a try and watch the first 6 episodes. And well, let us get to know more below.

Brief Story Line

Set in the 19th century England, a unique event occurred in London where a lot of women and some men somehow gotten unique powers. Despite having abilities, these people who were referred to as "The Touched" were being marginalized by the society. They also caught the attention of the British government, especially Lord Massen (Pip Torrens - The Danish Girl etc) who was wary of their influence. 

Saturday, May 22, 2021

(2021) Army of the Dead - A Zombie Heist Movie from Stylish Director Zack Snyder

After seeing the teaser trailer of this movie few times before it's official release on Netflix last night, I was already excited about it. Obviously it was a high priority for me and I stopped watching my ongoing series just to see this one. OK, without further ado, here's more about the film.

Brief Story Line

When an incident occurred just outside Las Vegas which made most of its population became undead/zombies, the US government decided to quarantine the city. A Casino owner named Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada - Mortal Kombat, The Last Samurai etc) recruited Scott Ward (Dave Bautista - StuberMy Spy etc) to rob the vault located in the hotel in Vegas before the president nuke the city in 3 days time.

Friday, May 21, 2021

(2021) Mortal Kombat - Good Enough Adaptation of Highly Popular Fighting Games

I have been hoping that this movie would be available on cable TV soon and I would not be too far behind with other audience who have seen it in theater. So when there was notification from Catchplay+ that it premiered on 20th May, it was a very pleasant surprise for people like me who are still not comfortable yet going to the cinemas. Anyway, I will just go straight with this movie which I watched together with my wife.

Brief Story Line

A professional MMA fighter named Cole Young (Lewis Tan - Wu Assassins TV series etc) found himself caught in the middle of the war between Earthrealm and the Outworld led by its leader Shang Tsung (Chin Han - Skyscraper etc) who wanted to rule both worlds. Shang Tsung assigned his ruthless assassin Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim - The SwordsmanThe Night Comes for Us etc) to kill Cole who seemed to have important role in the latest tournament to the death between the two worlds, called Mortal Kombat.

Monday, May 17, 2021

(TV SERIES) Made for Love Season 1 - Interesting Drama Series with a bit of Dark Humor and Unique Idea

While considering several options of new series in HBO Go, I noticed this one where the full first season has been completed since last April. After looking at more details on this series, I thought it has interesting premise. Besides it only has 8 episodes with duration of < 1/2 hours, so it was perfect choice before I start other longer running series. OK I'll get right on it.

Brief Story Line

After 10 years of unhappy marriage to a billionaire tech mogul named Byron Gogol (Billy Magnussen - Game Night, Birth of the Dragon etc), Hazel Green (Cristin Milioti - How I Met Your Mother TV series, Palm Springs etc) managed to break away from her prison-like home and attempted to be free from her husband.

Sunday, May 16, 2021

Mission: Possible - Another Entertaining South Korean Action Comedy Movie

Yesterday I got notification on Catchplay+ that a new movie was about to be released on 15 May, which was a South Korean action comedy film that looked like fun. After waiting impatiently, finally it was shown at 9 PM which I personally felt a bit late. Anyway, let's get on with the movie now.

Brief Story Line

When the Chinese government lost shipment of their guns to foreign arms smugglers, a rookie agent was sent to South Korea for a seemingly suicide mission to stop the guns distribution. Under the false name of Yoo Da-hee (Lee Sun-bin - Rampant, Criminal Minds TV series etc), she went to Seoul and was supposed to work together with an experienced agent. However, due to some reasons, she mistook a materialistic private detective named Woo Soo-han (Kim Young-kwang - On Your Wedding Day TV series, The Soul-mate etc) as her liaison/partner.

Saturday, May 15, 2021

The Woman in the Window - A Typical Slow Burn Psychological Thriller

Last night I watched this new movie on Netflix that quite intrigued me. It has a premise that seemed a bit like one movie back in 2007 that I enjoyed then. Well let us get into it now.

Brief Story Line

Dr. Anna Fox (Amy Adams - Arrival, Hillbilly Elegy etc) was a child psychologist suffering from an anxiety disorder (Agoraphobia) and did not have the courage to leave her home. She was living by herself with only a tenant named David (Wyatt Russell - The Falcon and the Winter Soldier TV series etc) staying in the basement of her house. While taking medications and having no real activities, Anna had a habit of looking at her neighbors.

When the Russell family moved into the house opposite hers, Anna found herself to be a bit obssessed by them, in particular the boy Ethan (Fred Hechinger) who seemed to be abused by his father Alistair (Gary Oldman - The Hitman's BodyguardThe Courier etc). Things became more complicated when Anna was visited by Ethan's mother (Julianne Moore - Kingsman: The Golden Circle, The Forgotten etc). But the worst part was when Anna saw something through her window and called the police. However, Detective Little (Brian Tyree Henry - Godzilla Vs. KongHotel Artemis etc) was unable to find proof of any crime.

Friday, May 14, 2021

Oxygen - Well Executed Survival Movie in Confined Space with Some Shocking Twists

Yesterday while I was browsing for new movies, I found this one that premiered on Netflix the day before. Despite looking very similar to another hit movie that I admired years ago, I thought why not give this a try. So let's get on with it.

Brief Story Line

A young woman who later revealed to be Liz (Mélanie Laurent - 6 Underground, Inglourious Basterds etc) woke up in a medical cryogenic unit without memory of how she was put in there. In order to save herself, Liz had to remember things about herself before running out of oxygen.

And how would the story conclude? Find them all in this intense movie.

End of Brief Story Line

Yes, this movie has such a simple premise like I mentioned above. However, it was perfectly executed and successfully captivated me throughout the movie. I was pretty amazed by the directing as the suspense was well maintained from beginning till end. I think the director Alexandre Aja (Crawl, The Hills Have Eyes, High Tension and few others) has proven once again that he is very good in directing movies that would bring a lot of thrill.

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Godzilla vs. Kong - Simply Epic and Spectacular!

This was one of the movies that I have been highly anticipating and was waiting excitedly for few years. But unfortunately it was released during the pandemic, so my wife and I opted not to see it in theaters. However, last week the movie was already available on Catchplay+ for a certain fee. Anyway, even if it's a bit late as most audience have watched it, I would still like to write about it.

Brief Story Line

Set few years after the events in Godzilla II: King of Monsters, the Apex Cybernetics head quarter was suddenly attacked by Godzilla, making everyone worried about the danger from Titans. The CEO of Apex, Walter Simmons (Demián Bichir - The Midnight Sky etc) was looking for ways to counter Titans' strength and recruited Dr. Nathan Lind (Alexander SkarsgÃ¥rd - The Legend of Tarzan, Big Little Lies TV series etc) to search for power source in the Hollow Earth where Titans originated. To find the location, Lind suggested to use Kong to guide them. Despite her reluctance, Kong's expert Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall - The BFG, Christine etc) decided to accompany Lind in this trip together with her adopted daughter Jia (Kaylee Hottle), and Apex executive Maia Simmons (Eiza González - I Care a LotFrom Dusk till Dawn the Series etc).

Monday, May 10, 2021

(TV SERIES) Jupiter's Legacy Volume 1 - Unique Superhero Series Adapted from Highly Rated Comic Books

This series was already promoted for many weeks in Netflix and as a fan of superheroes adaptation (even if I have not read the comic books), I was definitely not going to miss it. However, it was released during the day that I have so many options available, plus I was also finishing another series. Hence I only got the time to watch and complete it on Sunday. Well without further ado, I will go straight to it.

Brief Story Line

The story focused on a group of 1st generation superhero team called the Union led by Sheldon Sampson aka Utopian (Josh Duhamel - When in Rome, Transformers movies etc) and his wife Grace Kennedy/Lady Liberty (Leslie Bibb - Popular TV series, Tag etc) plus Sheldon's brother Walter/Brainwave (Ben Daniels - The Exorcist TV series etc) and also Fitz/The Flare (Mike Wade). These superheroes acquired their powers many years ago when Sheldon together with his best friend George Hutchence (Matt Lanter - Timeless TV series, The Roommate etc) and the others went through various ordeals. 

The Outpost - The True Story of Battle of Kamdesh with Strong Documentary Feel and Realistic Battle Scenes

During last weekend, I watched 3 new movies on various platforms and this was 1 of them. I was intrigued to try as it seemed promising. OK let's get on with it.

Brief Story Line

In 2006, there were several military outposts set up by US Armies in Afghanistan to support reconstructions of the country. One of those was called Kamdesh Outpost which was under the command of Captain Keating (Orlando Bloom - Carnival Row TV series, Pirates of the Carribbean movies etc). For some time, the outpost has been the subject of attacks from the Taliban due to its position that was surrounded by mountains, making it difficult to defend.

Sunday, May 9, 2021

Super Me - Interesting Premise Fantasy Movie with Some Actions & Nice Enough Special Effects but with Puzlling Ending

Last night I got the Netflix notification about this movie that was just released. As the trailer looked very interesting, I immediately gave it a try. Besides, it's been a while since I watched a new movie on Saturday night as usually I was more focused on continuing series. OK I'll get on with it now.

Brief Story Line

A struggling screen writer named Sang Yu (Darren Wang - A Better Tomorrow 2018 version, The Wolf TV series etc) was suffering from writer's block due to constant nightmares he experienced during his sleep. It also put a strain to his friendship with his editor San Ge (Cao Bingkun - Animal World etc) as Sang Yu continuously delayed his assignment.

The Secret Garden - A Decent Family Drama based on 1911 Novel of the Same Title

To my surprise, yesterday I noticed this movie was released on HBO Go together with another movie that I may write later. I had seen the trailer of the film many times before the pandemic hit us and we stopped seeing movies in cinemas. The movie's release was further postponed and finally it's available in Indonesian theaters. Lucky for me, I can see it easily (and legally) from the comfort of my home. OK, I'll dive into it now.

Brief Story Line

Story was set in 1947 during the time when England was still colonizing India. A young girl named Mary Lennox (Dixie Egerickx) who suddenly became an orphan overnight was sent from India to live with her uncle Lord Craven (Colin Firth - 1917, Love Actually etc) in England. During her stay, Mary met with the very strict housekeeper Mrs. Medlock (Julie Walters - Mary Poppins Returns, Paddington etc) who was not a fan of her "uncivilized" behavior. She also met for the first time with her cousin Colin Craven (Edan Hayhurst) who was sick and strapped to bed.

Saturday, May 8, 2021

School Police - Interesting Japanese Drama Series with Unique Premise


Few days ago there was this new Japanese series released on Netflix which has an interesting premise. Plus I was also quite familiar with the main lead. So I decided to give this a try and finished the whole season yesterday. OK, let's start with it now.

Brief Story Line

When the government decided to implement a police system in school, Ryuhei Shimada (Tatsuya Fujiwara - Erased movie, Kaiji trilogy etc) who was from an elite police squad applied to be the pioneer and was placed in Akamine Middle School. His duty was to be a police officer guarding the school from various possible criminal activities. This made his colleague in Tokyo PD Saegusa Hiroki (Yamada Yuki - You are the Apple of My Life, Itazura na Kiss: Love in Tokyo TV series etc) very confused with Shimada's decision to be stationed in Middle school.

Tuesday, May 4, 2021

Scoob! - Fun Movie that Managed to Bring Back Nostalgic Memories and Filled with Laugh Out Loud Moments

This is also one of the movies that I have been looking forward to be released on HBO Go. I think it was one of those that was supposed to be released in Indonesian cinemas but was cancelled due to the pandemic. So it was certainly nice thing to be able to watch it here. All right, let's just get on with it.

Brief Story Line

Shaggy (Will Forte - Good Boys, The Last Man on Earth TV series etc) and Scooby Doo (Frank Welker - The Smurfs etc) have been very best friends since childhood. Together with Fred (Zac Efron - The Greatest Showman, Hairspray etc), Daphne (Amanda Seyfried - Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Red Riding Hood etc) and Velma (Gina Rodriguez - Smallfoot, Annihilation etc), they formed a detective agency called Mystery Inc. to investigate paranormal activities. However, due to some reasons, Shaggy and Scooby felt their presence no longer required and chose to separate themselves from their friends.

Sunday, May 2, 2021

Without Remorse - Pretty Standard Movie with Some Good Quality Actions in this Latest Tom Clancy Novel Adaptation


Another movie that was released during the weekend was this action movie. As a fan of action films, I would certainly give this a try, especially since it's based on a novel written by a well known author Tom Clancy. Ok, let's head on with the movie now.

Brief Story Line

Based on the intel from CIA officer Ritter (Jamie Bell - Jumper, Snowpiercer etc), a group of US Navy SEAL led by Lieutenant Greer (Jodie Turner-Smith - Queen & Slim etc) and Senior Chief John Kelly (Michael B. Jordan - Creed 2, Chronicle etc) went on a mission in Syria. Apparently though, there was a hidden agenda related to the assignment that would have impact on the involved team members. 

Saturday, May 1, 2021

The Mitchells vs. the Machines - Fun, Entertaining and Enjoyable Computer Animated Movie with Lots of Funny and Emotional Moments

During the past few days, there were quite a lot of new movies premiering on various platforms. This was one that I chose to watch on Friday night as it seemed fun and I was looking for light funny entertainment. So let's find out more.

Brief Story Line

Katie Mitchell (Abbi Jacobson - The Lego Ninjago Movie etc) was very excited when she got accepted to college for movie making which has been her long life dream and also to escape from her father Rick Mitchell (Danny McBride - The Angry Birds Movie 2, Pineapple Express etc) who did not seem to get her. This strained relationship always made Katie's mother Linda (Maya Rudolph - Hubie Halloween, The Willoughbys etc) and younger brother Aaron (Mike Rianda) in difficult situation. After their latest disagreement, Rick decided to do a road trip as a family to bring Katie to college while amending their relationship.