Here are my reviews of blockbusters that graced Sydney cinemas during this autumn-winter period — all escapist, mega-budgeted, CGI-heavy, star-studded behemoths with an endless credit roll. These are films you watch on the big screen complete with surround sound plus popcorn and soda… treat yourself to these guilty pleasures!
AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (5/5)... The latest of the Avengers franchise gleefully assembles the entire superhero cast in a near faithful comic adaptation of the cataclysmic fate of the protagonists. This doomsday-infused installment carries with it a climactic Armageddon-style ending luring its followers to the next apocalyptic sequel. This film is indeed the great grand reunion and biggest cliffhanger that all Marvel fans are waiting for.
DEADPOOL 2 (4.5/5)… Smart, cheeky and in-your-face R-rated Marvel sequel that has producer-writer-lead actor Ryan Reynolds become more irreverent than ever. Funny self-deprecating moments interspersed with existential angst makes this anti-super hero film quite hip and open-mindedly unhallowed. Even when it goes dark and ultra-violent, it is still irascibly titillating. Faithful to the subversive original, this one spreads its cussing and damning to the delight of its followers.
JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM (4/5)… The dinosaurs look more real thanks to better quality CGI. Chris Pratt charms his way again with both the reptiles and the fans. The plot is a tad bit intricate and incredulous at times but it delivers as a fun and entertaining excursion. The sixth entry in the Jurassic series is packed with suspense and ends in a forebodingly ominous tone, not unlike the story arc of the PLANET OF THE APES films. All in all, dinosaur lovers will relish in their immortalisation as they propagate to conquer America.
ANT-MAN AND THE WASP (4/5)… This superhero film prides itself with a pretty uncluttered easy-to-follow storyline. Relying heavily on the light-hearted appeal of Paul Rudd, it succeeds as an upbeat dramatic action hero piece. This is a stark contrast and a refreshing difference from the intense drama of AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR. Less is indeed more, simplicity is power. Intriguing teaser preview at the end perfectly ties this up to other Marvel films. Hopefully, spoiler alert avoided.
SKYSCRAPER (3.5/5)… Not for the faint-hearted and definitely not for those with a fear of heights. The death-defying stunts are well-executed albeit the scenarios may be a bit far-fetched. This tense action-packed thriller is a CGI-updated homage to the originals DIE HARD and TOWERING INFERNO with a backdrop of a modern Hong Kong skyline. As always, The Rock’s natural acting flair carries the film well into the crazy infernal situations it roars in. This is pure escapism so just enjoy the ride.
Actions speak louder than words in Tsai Ming-liang’s third of his trilogy on urban isolation and loneliness, a confrontational drama involving a father-son entanglement. THE RIVER is known to be the “bleakest” work of the master auteur, and this masterpiece is quite a highlight at the Taiwan Film Festival 2019 in Sydney, Australia.
After the success of Ray Yeung’s last Hong Kong-based mature-age gay-themed film TWILIGHT’S KISS (or SUK SUK), together with previous Western-based gay Chinese love story films CUT SLEEVE BOYS and FRONT COVER, this auteur writer-director has ventured queer territory again with his Berlinale Teddy award-winner ALL SHALL BE WELL.
