QUICK REVIEW: ARRIVAL (2016)

From IMDB:

When mysterious spacecraft touch down across the globe, an elite team - led by expert linguist Louise Banks - is brought together to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team race against time for answers - and to find them, she will take a chance that could threaten her life, and quite possibly humanity.

81 Metascore From metacritic.com

Reviews 699 user | 511 critic

From Rotten Tomatoes:

When mysterious spacecraft touch down across the globe, an elite team--lead by expert linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams)--are brought together to investigate. As mankind teeters on the verge of global war, Banks and the team race against time for answers--and to find them, she will take a chance that could threaten her life, and quite possibly humanity.

Rating: PG-13 (for brief strong language)

Genre: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Directed By: Denis Villeneuve

Written By: Eric Heisserer

In Theatres: Nov 11, 2016, Wide

Box Office: $95,664,632.00

Runtime: 116 minutes

TOMATOMETER 94%

Average Rating: 8.4/10

Reviews Counted: 301

Fresh: 283

Rotten: 18

Critics Consensus: Arrival delivers a must-see experience for fans of thinking person's sci-fi that anchors its heady themes with genuinely affecting emotion and a terrific performance from Amy Adams.

AUDIENCE SCORE 83% liked it

Average Rating: 4.1/5

User Ratings: 61,643

What goes through your mind when giant seed pods begin landing all over the earth? ©Paramount Pictures

I've heard quite a few people reference 1997's Contact when they talk about this movie...

Okay, so I saw Arrival this past weekend a half hour after I watched The Great Wall, The Great Wall was a big-budget summer blockbuster action movie sort that you watch without using your brain. Lots of nice shots, cool action scenes and little substance to the story to confuse you. Arrival, on the other hand, is on the other side of the movie spectrum.

Arrival, based on a short story called "Story of Your Life" by Ted Chiang, which was then turned into working script by the director Denis Villeneuve is a thoughtful and thought-provoking film, and in that way, it is similar to 1997's Contact. The only other way that Arrival is similar to Contact is that throughout the movie you follow a female scientist. That's it. In Contact, which was directed by Robert Zemeckis and based on a story by Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan, Eleanor Arroway (Jodie Foster) is an astronomer very much involved with the search for alien intelligence, she wants to meet an alien. In Arrival, linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams) isn't. She's invited to lead the team tasked with establishing contact with the aliens but the experience at first terrifies her.

What do you do when someone tells you that you need to talk to aliens? And fast. ©Paramount Pictures

Contact takes us through the experience of a first extra-terrestrial contact through the eyes of Eleanor Arroway as she battles the sceptics who try to dismiss her and her findings and then decide to not pick her for the first mission after they've completed the machine that she helped piece together, albeit with the help of a suspicious billionaire named S.R. Hadden (John Hurt). The movie deals with that first contact from several viewpoints, from Arroway's point of view whose enthusiasm after finding a possible alien civilisation and of the possibility of meeting them blinds her to the potential dangers it might present, from the government's point of view which of course is suspicious and wary of it and from the point of view of the public where some are willing to embrace it and some in outright fear of it. 

And that you have to do it dressed like a spaceman in a huge condom? ©Paramount Pictures

Arrival too tries to deal with some of the things that were put forth in Contact, how nations and governments around the world try to deal with the possibility of first-contact and in this case of the aliens literally dropping in, of how the public might deal with but it differs greatly with how our protagonists deals with it. Both movies show us a personal side of the main protagonist that colour how they deal with the situation they find themselves in but it comes at it from different ends. Where Contact feels a little melodramatic and sappy when Arroway finally gets to "meet" the aliens, what Banks discover's is entirely personal and somewhat bittersweet, yes there is more to what she discovers but best you watch it yourself, if you haven't yet that is. 

When you came to the party overdressed and the only way you can chat someone up is to dress casually. ©Paramount Pictures

Anyway, on to the likes.

• The story. Brilliant. As you watch it and you go through what's happening guided by Banks you're also given glimpses of what appears to be Banks memories but by the end, you realise that that's not what you were seeing at all. That revelation makes you think again about what all that she's gone through. 
• The cast. Amy Adams is amazing. Jeremy Renner provides a nice balance and counterpoint to Adam's character. Forest Whitaker is entertaining as Colonel Weber, I like that he isn't the overbearing military character but someone trying to find balance not only in the situation but also in how he deals with everyone. Enjoyed Michael Stuhlbarg's Agent Halpern too. Every main character in this film is level-headed and rational and it doesn't hurt the drama or storytelling at all. Most movies would require at least one character to be the one that pushes the others to provide drama and conflict but here there isn't one unless you count General Shang (Tzi Ma) but when you find out why he does it it doesn't appear to be an exaggerated response.
• The visuals. Beautifully shot. Every scene just lovely.
• The soundtrack. Amazing music. Amazing soundtrack.
• The science. Fascinating. 

What do you do when the hosts turns out to be gigantic pods with seven legs and have no faces? ©Paramount Pictures

I've seen Denis Villeneuve's Sicario (2015) that was a tense and gripping film from start to finish. An emotional ride as you follow Emily Blunt's character and her discovery of what is really going on. Arrival is just the same but more so. Because of it's subject matter you ask yourself even more questions, questions about not only what that first extra-terrestrial contact would be like but how we would deal with it, we question about what we understand as a language and we question would we do the same if we were given that same gift the Heptapods gave her after she truly understood their language, the gift that saved the world. 

I loved Arrival and am probably going to watch it again sometime in the future. I'm giving Arrival a 4.5 out of 5. It's just too good to pass up.

Here's the trailer if you haven't already seen it. 

MOVIE REVIEW: PASSENGERS (2016)

From IMDB:

Storyline

The spaceship, Starship Avalon, in its 120-year voyage to a distant colony planet known as the "Homestead Colony" and transporting 5,259 people has a malfunction in two of its sleep chambers. As a result two hibernation pods open prematurely and the two people that awoke, Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) and Aurora Dunn (Jennifer Lawrence), are stranded on the spaceship, still 90 years from their destination.

40 Metascore From metacritic.com

Reviews 27 user | 98 critic

From Rotten Tomatoes:

Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt star in an exciting action-thriller about two passengers who are on a 120-year journey to another planet when their hibernation pods wake them 90 years too early. Jim and Aurora are forced to unravel the mystery behind the malfunction as the ship teeters on the brink of collapse, with the lives of thousands of passengers in jeopardy.

Rating: PG-13 (for sexuality, nudity and action/peril)

Genre: Action & Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Directed By: Morten Tyldum

Written By: Jon Spaihts

In Theaters: Dec 21, 2016 Wide

Runtime: 116 minutes

Studio: Columbia Pictures

TOMATOMETER 31%

Average Rating: 5/10

Reviews Counted: 129

Fresh: 40

Rotten: 89

Critics Consensus: Passengersproves Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence work well together -- and that even their chemistry isn't enough to overcome a fatally flawed story.

AUDIENCE SCORE 68% liked it

Average Rating: 3.7/5

User Ratings: 25,957

This is the Avalon. It's on a 120 year journey to a new planet, everything was going fine until it had a little fender bender. ©Columbia Pictures

Another movie where Chris Pratt ends up in floating in space slowly becoming a human popsicle...

Passengers, a movie that some may have been waiting for. A movie that everyone thought would be a story about two people who find themselves alone on a ship travelling through space having to fight against the odds to stay alive and while falling in love with each other. Boy, were we wrong about all that. 

Anyway, by now you've probably read quite a few reviews and have found out what the story is about. You've probably also gathered by now that a lot of critics didn't think that this movie was all that good. Well, in some ways I do agree with them but I still sort of liked it.

Look at that face, you know he's up to no good. ©Columbia Pictures

Some of the things I liked.

• The story. I didn't really know what to expect to be honest, and yes I know it is uneven and that they really didn't handle the darker issues all that well because it just jumps right in the middle into the usual ROMCOM cliches before dumping both of them into a crisis both situationally and in their relationship, I still found it entertaining. 
• Like the cast. Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt did a pretty good job. Enjoyed Michael Sheen as the android bartender.
• Loved the visuals. Everything looks really cool, really futuristic. 

When you've been alone for a year you do end up doing something crazy. ©Columbia Pictures

Some of the things that irked me.

• As mentioned by lots of reviewers the uneven treatment of the themes. The movie feels like a mash-up of several different themes/ideas. They've barely made it into a cohesive story but because of that if you're looking for a deep story with interesting themes and questions to ponder, you're going to be a little disappointed. Everything ends with everyone forgiven and everyone else on the Avalon discovering something magical. A Disney sort of ending.
• The science and how some things just don't add up. It looks really cool no doubt but like the story, it's a little uneven. 
• The convenient way that Gus Mancuso (Laurence Fishburne) shows up to provide them access to the bridge and give them a hand at discovering what the problem with Avalon is before dying. This just felt like they ran out of ideas on how to wrap things up. 

In this scene there's a huge fire on the other side and things get really hot but not everything conveniently. ©Columbia Pictures

Overall I thought this was not a bad film. It could have been so much better of course especially since they had capable actors in the cast. Passengers is a movie where you got to just shut off that thinking brain, that analytic side and just watch. Have fun watching Chris Pratt and enjoy how amazing Jennifer Lawrence looks. Watch this movie the way you would watch the Transformer movies by Michael Bay. I'm giving Passengers a 3.5 out of 5. 

Check out the trailer below.

A GREAT BIG THANKS TO GSC CINEMAS AND SONY PICTURES MALAYSIA FOR THE PREMIERE PASSES!

MOVIE REVIEW: ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY (2016)

From IMDB:

Storyline

Jyn Erso, a Rebellion soldier and criminal, is about to experience her biggest challenge yet when Mon Mothma sets her out on a mission to steal the plans for the Death Star. With help from the Rebels, a master swordsman, and non-allied forces, Jyn will be in for something bigger than she thinks.

65 Metascore From metacritic.com

Reviews 641 user | 448 critic

From Rotten Tomatoes:

From Lucasfilm comes the first of the Star Wars standalone films, "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," an all-new epic adventure. In a time of conflict, a group of unlikely heroes band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire's ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.

Rating: PG-13 (for extended sequences of sci-fi violence and action)

Genre: Action & Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Directed By: Gareth Edwards (V)

Written By: Chris Weitz, Tony Gilroy

In Theaters: Dec 16, 2016 Wide

Box Office: $155,081,681.00

Runtime: 133 minutes

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures

TOMATOMETER 85%

Average Rating: 7.5/10

Reviews Counted: 306

Fresh: 259

Rotten: 47

Critics Consensus: Rogue Onedraws deep on Star Warsmythology while breaking new narrative and aesthetic ground -- and suggesting a bright blockbuster future for the franchise.

AUDIENCE SCORE 90% liked it

Average Rating: 4.3/5

User Ratings: 56,479

This is where it all starts. Unless you want to count the three films about Anakin that is...

Okay, so I actually saw this on Dec 15th at 2355 Malaysia time which means that I saw it a day before it actually opened in the US, but I've been busy lately and didn't have the time to sit and put my opinions down about it till now. Anyway, by now most of you have either seen it or read every possible review about it so this will be brief.

What I liked

• I liked the story. Pretty much answers all the question we've had about how the first Death Star came to be and why that silly vent was made. 
• Liked the cast. Wasn't too impressed with Felicity Jones (Jyn Erso) when I saw her in Inferno (2016) but I do like what she does with her character here. Kept thinking that Diego Luna (Cassian Andor) was Oscar Isaacs though. 
• Loved all the easter eggs and cameos. Even liked the CGI characters even if Grand Moff Tarkin looked a little too plastic. 
• Loved the visual effects. 

What I didn't quite like

• The pacing was a little too slow at times. You go through dramatic scenes and then it seems to slow down at times. Ditto with the battle scene.
• Battle scene too felt a little too long.

Regardless of my nitpicking overall I liked it. It's one of the better "new" Star Wars story. The Force Awaken was good but it was basically episode IV with a bunch of different characters and different planets. This one feels new but one that fits very nicely I think before episode IV. I'm giving this one a solid 4 out of 5.

Check out the final trailer (if you actually haven't seen it that is)

MOVIE REVIEW: MORGAN (2016)

From IMDB:

Storyline

A corporate risk-management consultant must decide whether or not to terminate an artificially created humanoid being.

52 Metascore From metacritic.com
Reviews 8 critic

From Rotten Tomatoes:

MOVIE INFO

A corporate troubleshooter (Kate Mara) is sent to a remote, top-secret location, where she is to investigate and evaluate a terrifying accident. She learns the event was triggered by a seemingly innocent "human," who presents a mystery of both infinite promise and incalculable danger.

Rating: R (for brutal violence, and some language.)

Genre: Drama , Horror , Science Fiction & Fantasy

Directed By: Luke Scott

Written By: Seth W. Owen

In Theaters: Sep 2, 2016 wide

Runtime: 92 minutes

Studio: Scott Free Films

TOMATOMETER 41%

Average Rating: 5.3/10

Reviews Counted: 22

Fresh: 9 | Rotten: 13

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

WANT TO SEE 92% want to see

User Ratings: 2,825

MORGAN OPENS IN THE U.S. ON THE 2nd OF SEPTEMBER AND IN MALAYSIA ON THE 1st OF SEPTEMBER. TO FIND OUT WHEN IT OPENS NEAR YOU CLICK HERE.

See that little girl in the hoodie? She's only a few months old. ©20th Century Fox

From the man who was the Second Unit Director on such films as Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) and The Martian (2015)...

So this is the directorial debut for Luke Scott who prior to this has worked as a Second Unit Director on his father's projects whom you can probably guess by now (if you hadn't read about it somewhere) is Ridley Scott. Those are pretty big shoes to fill. And considering how people/fans remember Ridley Scott more for his Sci-fi work e.g. Alien (1979) and Blade Runner (1982) than his other stuff e.g. Thelma & Louise (1991) and Gladiator (2000), I guess it isn't all that surprising that his first feature length film would be something Sci-fi then something period and epic like Gladiator. 

And that's Morgan about five years later trying to creep people out. ©20th Century Fox

Anyway, Morgan. What is Morgan? If you haven't read about it or seen the trailer then let me briefly try to clue you in without giving away the whole movie. Morgan is an artificially created human. She is the ninth iteration of the artificial human project created by a corporation for purposes which you will eventually discover at the end of the film. The difference between the L9 a.k.a. Morgan (Anya Taylor-Joy) and the others is how she is raised. The project helmed by Dr Lui Cheng (Michelle Yeoh) takes place in what appears to be an abandoned mansion in a desolate area surrounded by forest. She is assisted by Dr. Simon Ziegler (Toby Jones), Dr. Amy Menser (Rose Leslie), Dr. Darren Finch (Chris Sullivan), Dr. Brenda Finch (Vinette Robinson), Dr. Kathy Grieff (Jennifer Jason Leigh), Ted Brenner (Michael Yare) and Skip Vronsky (Boyd Holbrook).

Their first meeting. This mirroring thing happens quite a bit and it means something. ©20th Century Fox

The facility and the project runs smoothly for several years until one day approximately 5 years into Morgan's upbringing that she does something that raises questions at corporate headquarters. This is where the story begins. We are introduced to Lee Weathers (Kate Mara) who is making her way to the facility and as she drives there we hear her being briefed by Jim Bryce (Brian Cox) regarding her tasks ahead. 

Meet Amy and Ted. They've been there since the beginning and have done the one thing that scientist shouldn't have done. Get too emotionally involved with their subject. ©20th Century Fox

When she arrives she meets first with the scientist as the day progresses and discovers of course that they see no reason for her to be there and that they can handle and sort out what corporate headquarters considers a problem. But things quickly deteriorate when during a psychiatric evaluation with Dr. Alan Shapiro (Paul Giamatti) and after being provoked to reveal her emotions to certain hypothetical situations she jumps up from her chair and lunges towards the doctor and kills him in cold blood. Weathers watches all this with a clinical expression and soon after reports the events to headquarters. Headquarters instructs Weathers to oversee the destruction of the L9 and the closure of the facility. 

The decision is met with quiet disagreement with most of the scientist except for Dr. Cheng and they begin to hatch a plan. Little do they know that what they were planning to do isn't what Morgan wants to do. 

This is Dr. Shapiro, he's the last to arrive to the party but boy does he make things exciting. ©20th Century Fox

Hopefully that didn't reveal too much and now here's the list of likes and not likes. 

The likes.

1. The story. It's intriguing and unfolds very nicely. You're given enough to go on and the characters you meet give enough about what's going on and about themselves to move things along and a nice pace. You're not spoon fed everything and nothing comes in big chunks of exposition.
2. The visuals are beautiful and keep the story dark and tense. The camera work and composition of certain scenes and shots add to the complexity of the situation and probably tries to say something else as well. 
3. The performances. Kate Mara is brilliant. You don't know who she is and what she's about. She's cold and methodical but there's something else about her that just doesn't fit. You find out why at the end. Anya Taylor-Joy does a pretty good job as well considering this is her first major role in a feature length film. Her transition from almost robotic to a child unsure of what's going on is pretty good. Then there's Michelle Yeoh, it's been a while since I've seen her on the big screen and although she doesn't have many scenes she does each of her scenes beautifully. 
4. Seeing for the first time a movie in the Sci-fi/Thriller genre with a few huge fight scenes not involve a single male person was pretty awesome. Kate Mara finally got to kick some ass which she didn't really get to do properly in her role in that horrible Fantastic Four movie last year. And she did a really good job at it. Would love to see her in more roles like this. 

In The Martian directed by Ridley Scott, he had her running on a treadmill in a space ship. Luke decided to have her run in the forest instead. ©20th Century Fox

The not so likes.

The story is tense and gripping from the get go but about two thirds of the way in you can begin to guess what's in store in the end and what the little twist might be. And because of that it sorts of fizzles out in the end. It's not a bad end to the film but it's sort of predictable and not the building crescendo that you were probably hoping for. 

When you've been a bad experiment you have to be strapped down on a metal bed and then... ©20th Century Fox

All in all I thought this was a pretty enjoyable movie. It had an interesting and gripping story that kept you wondering about the characters and what was going to happen. Kate Mara was impressive as was Anya Taylor Joy especially when you consider that most roles like these don't go to young female actors and especially not to new ones. As for Luke Scott, I think he did a commendable job. The directing was tight and each scene added something to the story, the characters and the film. I think that he's got a pretty good future ahead. But and there is a but here, I don't think this movie will please everyone. But then again what movie ever does. I'm going to give Morgan a solid 3.5 out of 5. Interesting story, good cast, excellent first time out by Luke Scott.

Have a look at the latest trailer for Morgan here. 

A BIG THANK YOU TO THE FOLKS OVER AT BFM RADIO AND 20th CENTURY FOX MALAYSIA FOR THE PREVIEW PASSES TO WATCH MORGAN!

MOVIE REVIEW: STAR TREK BEYOND (2016)

From IMDB:

Storyline

The first leg of the USS Enterprise's five year mission takes them into uncharted territory. There the Enterprise is nearly destroyed and strands Kirk and his crew on a remote planet with no means of communication. Kirk must then work with the elements to reunite his crew and get back to Earth. 

70 Metascore From metacritic.com

Reviews 17 user | 67 critic

From Rotten Tomatoes:

MOVIE INFO

Captain Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise encounter an alien warrior race when marooned on a distant planet after the destruction of their spaceship in this thrilling sequel directed by Fast & Furious director Justin Lin.

Rating: PG-13 (for sequences of sci-fi action and violence)

Genre: Action & Adventure , Drama , Science Fiction & Fantasy

Directed By: Justin Lin

Written By: Doug Jung , Simon Pegg

In Theaters: Jul 22, 2016 wide

Runtime: 120 minutes

Studio: Paramount Pictures

TOMATOMETER 90%

Average Rating: 7.1/10 | Reviews Counted: 90

Fresh: 81 | Rotten: 9

Critics Consensus: Star Trek Beyond continues the franchise's post-reboot hot streak with an epic sci-fi adventure that honors the series' sci-fi roots without skimping on the blockbuster action.

WANT TO SEE 99% want to see

User Ratings: 33,112

STAR TREK BEYOND OPENS IN THE US ON THE 22nd OF JULY AND IN MALAYSIA ON THE 21st OF JULY. TO FIND OUT WHEN IT OPENS NEAR YOU CLICK HERE. 

Space the final frontier, also where this spaceship constantly gets destroyed. ©Paramount Pictures

The USS Enterprise gets trashed again and rebuilt again at the end!

So after Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) which I thought was pretty good but made better because of Benedict Cumberbatch's performance as Khan comes Star Trek Beyond which takes the intrepid crew of the USS Enterprise even further out into the unknown frontiers of space, exploring new worlds and acting as ambassadors for the United Federation of Planets. And like the opening of the previous installment Kirk (Chris Pine) screws things up.

Here you are thinking you're on a rescue mission but instead you get attacked by a swarm of giant space bees. Oh, wait, that's futurama. ©Paramount Pictures

Anyway, after the screw up the crew return to the Federation's new outpost to resupply but on their way pick up a distress signal which leads them to a ship. They save the ship and it's single occupant an alien named Kalara (Lydia Wilson) and bring her back with them to Yorktown. They figure out what she's talking there and soon after completing the resupply they crew of the Enterprise shoot off to the nebula that Kalara says her crew were left behind. Of course this being the Enterprise it doesn't turn out to be a simple rescue mission. They are ambushed and the Enterprise ends up crashing on the M-class planet below scattering whatever survivors that aren't captured all over the planet's surface. 

Bones finally gets to do something more than just heal people. That's what you want from a real doctor. ©Paramount Pictures

So what follows after that is that Kirk's escape pod manages to land quite near to Chekov's (Anton Yelchin) pod so they team up to search for the others, Spock (Zachary Quinto) and Bones (Karl Urban) hobble their way in search of the others as well after Bones extracts a huge piece of the alien space ship they escaped in out of Spock's side and Scotty, who escaped in what appears to be a torpedo meets a feisty female alien named Jaylah (Sofia Boutella) who strikes up a deal with him. Meanwhile, Sulu (John Cho) and Uhura (Zoe Saldana) who were captured try to figure out what's going on by wandering around the enemy's hideout after Keenser (Deep Roy) the little alien assistant to Scotty sneezes acid snot on their prison's lock. 

These guys looked like they walked right out of a cool first person shooter. ©Paramount Pictures

The big bad baddie in this Star Trek is named Krall (Idris Elba) who is assisted by Manas (Joe Taslim) and a whole army of cool looking soldiers. Krall has a huge grudge against the Federation and as with anyone with a grudge against the Federation wants to destroy it and kill anyone associated with it.

This is Krall. He's an original baddie not recycled from old Star Trek TV shows and movies. ©Paramount Pictures

So here's what I liked about it.

1. The story. The version that finally makes it to the big screen was written by Simon Pegg and Doug Jung. The story is tight, funny and action packed.
2. The directing. Directed by Justin Lin who directed several movies in The Fast and The Furious franchise certainly knows his way around an action movie and I'm guessing with a lot of help from Pegg and producer J.J. Abrams managed to give trekkies and non-trekkies a fun and entertaining movie that satisfies without requiring too much knowledge about the franchise.
3. The action. Which starts off with a bang and is paced and peppered quite nicely throughout. 
4. The cast. After two movies they really know how to play off each other. Though I don't know why I'm still not entirely convinced by Urban's portrayal of Bones. 
5. Idris Elba. His Krall is completely believable. It was impossible to recognise Elba. As is Boutella's Jaylah. 
6. The humor. Funny little one liners sprinkled throughout stop this movie from becoming too serious and dark.
7. The music which even for us is from way back and by the folks on the Enterprise considered classics.

Captain James Tiberius Kirk, he assumes that every captain's chair is his. Even when it's in a very, very, very old starship. ©Paramount Pictures

The not so likes.

1. Krall's character isn't given much depth. I would have liked to have learnt more about him and had the story focus a bit more about him.
2. Jaylah's character too could have been given more meat or more screen time or something.
3. There were a few weaknesses here and there in terms of the plot, the tech, sequence of events, etc. but luckily they don't interfere with the story much but I guess that's just me. 

The only time you actually see Idris Elba's face is in this recording which looks like it came from 1990. ©Paramount Pictures

Overall it's a really fun movie to watch and a good follow up to 2013's Into the Darkness, it's a nice way to say goodbye to Anthon Yelchin and Leonard Nimoy both of whom passed away prior to the release of the film. I'm guessing it'll please both fans of the franchise and those who are just casual ones. 

Doesn't it look like Jaylah just revealed to Scotty something extremely nerdy? ©Paramount Pictures

If you've got nothing better to do Star Trek Beyond is well worth watching this weekend. A worthy follow up. Oh and if you heard about that mess about Sulu being gay, it makes absolutely no difference to the character.

Have a look at the latest trailer below.

MOVIE REVIEW: GHOSTBUSTERS (2016)

From IMDB:

Storyline

Following a ghost invasion of Manhattan, paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates, nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann, and subway worker Patty Tolan band together to stop the otherworldly threat.

59 Metascore From metacritic.com
Reviews 121 user | 88 critic

From Rotten Tomatoes:

MOVIE INFO

Ghostbusters makes its long-awaited return, rebooted with a cast of hilarious new characters. Thirty years after the beloved original franchise took the world by storm, director Paul Feig brings his fresh take to the supernatural comedy, joined by some of the funniest actors working today--Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth. This summer, they're here to save the world!

Rating: PG13 (for supernatural action and some crude humor)

Genre: Action & Adventure , Comedy , Science Fiction & Fantasy

Directed By: Paul Feig

Written By: Paul Feig , Katie Dippold

In Theaters: Jul 15, 2016 wide

Runtime: 105 minutes

Studio: Sony Pictures

TOMATOMETER 75%

Average Rating: 6.5/10

Reviews Counted: 111

Fresh: 83

Rotten: 28

Critics Consensus: Ghostbusters does an impressive job of standing on its own as a freewheeling, marvelously cast supernatural comedy -- even if it can't help but pale somewhat in comparison with the classic original.

WANT TO SEE 89% want to see

User Ratings: 72,141

GHOSTBUSTERS OPENS IN MALAYSIA ON THE 14th OF JULY AND IN THE US ON THE 15th OF JULY FOR EVERYWHERE ELSE CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT WHEN.

Much like the original the first ghost is a from the same era. ©Columbia Pictures

The hardest thing to do while watching this movie is to remember it's a reboot and has nothing to do with the originals...

So back in the 80's Dan Aykroyd a Saturday Night Live alumni and the man who played Elwood Blues in the cult favorite Blues Brothers (1980) had an idea for a movie based after reading an article about quantum physics and parapsychology in the American Society of Psychical Research Journal and then watching movies like Ghost Chasers. He had originally written it for himself and John Belushi his co-star in the Blues Brothers. His initial script for it looked nothing like what we eventually saw in the cinemas, the ghostbusters in the first draft dressed more like G.I. Joe and instead of proton packs they wielded wands. Also they fought giant ghosts in the past, the future and alternate realities and dimensions. Now imagine that instead of what we eventually fell in love with and I doubt we'd be here today watching a reboot of a beloved franchise. 

And she sort of almost looks like her too. ©Columbia Pictures

The version we eventually ended up with only happened after Aykroyd brought his script to Ivan Reitman who trimmed it down and put some focus on it. Aykroyd's original choice for a cast was also completely different from what we eventually got to see in the end. Aykroyd originally wanted not only John Belushi in the film with him but also Eddie Murphy and John Candy not Bill Murray and Harold Ramis. Also Gozer the big bad demon that unleashes all the ghost and the Stay Puft Marshmallow man was supposed to be an unremarkable man in a suit named Ivo Shandor played by Paul Reubens who's famous for playing Pee-Wee Herman, not the hot looking demon-lady. So yeah, if it wasn't for Ivan Reitman we'd be remembering a completely different movie or not remembering it at all. 

And these ladies want to know everything about her and the men she's dated. ©Columbia Pictures

Anyway, the movie was such a hit that it resulted in a sequel 5 years later creatively titled Ghostbusters II (1989) which reunited all of the original cast. A third sequel was supposed to have been made but faced so much difficulty just in the script face and trying to get Bill Murray to commit to return that eventually instead of becoming a sequel they decided on making it a reboot instead. So now after almost 30 years it's finally hit the screen. 

So Thor likes to past his time on earth as Kevin the wannabe actor cum receptionist who's also incredibly stupid. Better that Superman's disguise that's for sure. ©Columbia Pictures

The reboot stars Kristen Wiig as Erin Gilbert a woman trying to get tenure at Columbia University but has her chances to get it severely reduced when her childhood friend Abby Yates played by Melissa McCarthy puts for sale on Amazon.com the book that they both wrote on the paranormal. A book that reappears in her life when a man named Ed Mulgrave (Ed Begley Jr.) visits her at Columbia University asking for help with an unusual problem that he's having. 

Bad enough that underground train tracks are already pretty creepy and dangerous places to visit but now you have to deal with glowing blue ghosts too. ©Columbia Pictures

It also stars Kate McKinnon as Jillian Holtzman Abby's assistant and tech wizard who creates all the cool toys they use to deal with those ghosties also she sort of looks like the animated version of Egon Spengler in the animated series, Leslie Jones as Patty Tolan an MTA worker who has had a pretty freaky encounter while working underground one day and decides to join them bringing with her her encyclopaedic knowledge of all things New York and Chris Hemsworth as Kevin the dumb-blond male receptionist that they hire to answer calls.

There's also a whole bunch of cameos by the original cast members of the franchise except of course for Harold Ramis who passed away in 2014 and Rick Moranis who played Louis Tully the goofy, naive accountant and friend of theirs in the original movies. 

So you're at a rock concert where Ozzy Osborne is singing and he's not the coolest and scariest thing there. Also four ladies show up and put on the most amazing light show ever. ©Columbia Pictures

So here's a list of things I liked about the new reboot:

1) The cast. I wasn't sure about them at first and when the trailer for the movie was released I was far from impressed nor did I find it particularly funny. Based on the trailer alone I had almost decided not to bother with it at all. But watching the foursome on screen it was a nice surprise. They worked well together and were generally funny.

2) The effects were good. It felt familiar but updated.

3) The cameos. Loved seeing the old cast members again. Miss Harold Ramis and Rick Moranis though.

4) Chris Hemsworth playing the dumb-blond character. It was fun and a nice change.

The original movie had the team live in an old fire station, these guys live above a Chinese Restaurant. I agree with their choice. ©Columbia Pictures

And now here's a list of the things I didn't fancy so much.

1) The story. If it wasn't for the four ladies and especially Wiig, McCarthy and Jones it would have been a pretty dull and run-of-the-mill and would have probably been compared even more to the original and not so favourably either. It's pretty much the same story with the exception that instead of paranormal things happening on its own it's being escalated by an unhappy and very angry man named Rowan North (Neil Casey).

2) There seems to be way too much interest in the gadgets which sorts of breaks the flow of the story.

3) The ghost battle in the end seemed even more ridiculous than usual. I mean using the beams which in the beginning was used to capture and guide ghost into traps to suddenly being able to capture them and then toss them around and smash them seems a little hard to swallow. Then of course there's the fact that they somehow manage to 'kill' the ghosts. Aren't ghosts already dead?

4) Some instances felt a little awkward, sort of like the cast weren't quite sure about how to do it.

The original had a giant Stay Puft Marshmallow man. The new one has them fighting their own logo/mascot. ©Columbia Pictures

So that's my two cents. In general it's a fun and funny movie to waste a couple of hours on. It's much more fun probably if you can watch it without constantly comparing it to the original. The fun mostly happens because of the four women and not so much the story. The other thing that's fun about this movie as I said before is seeing the original cast members show up delivering lines that hint back to the original films which doesn't help when you're trying not to compare it to the originals. 

All in all, a fun movie to watch with the family or take a date to or whatever. Fun for those who've never seen the original and sort of fun for those that remember the original fondly. I'm giving this new reboot a 3 out of 5.

Check out the latest trailer for it below.