pramsalim Reviews

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

Kubo and two of my heartstrings tugged

[10/10 · 1 July 2018]

People associate animation movies with Disney. They are the pioneer of animation movies, I won't take away a credit where credit is due. However, their computer animated cartoons aren't the only type of animation. Studio Ghibli with their superb hand-drawn animation has garnered quite a few followers over the course of its lifetime, they stayed true to their traditional brand of animation up until their temporary halt in 2014. One studio has embraced one of the oldest type of animation as their distinctive type of animation, which is stop-motion. That studio is Laika Entertainment, they have produced some of the most well known stop-motions in recent years. Coraline, Paranorman and The Boxtrolls are the movies that they have produced. They were decent, but I can understand why they weren't as well known as some of the Pixar movies. On 2016 however, I think they have produced their magnum opus.

Kubo and the Two Strings tells the journey of Kubo, a young boy who lives a peaceful yet mysterious life. When he accidentally summoned a vengeful spirit however, he will embark on a quest that will explain his past.This movie is a fantasy movie. However, those who watch fantasy movies and expect a tight logical sense will find no satisfaction here. The movie will suddenly throw some bizzare magic and give no explanation whatsoever about the origins of that magic. If you get trapped in trying to figure out how it happened then I'm afraid you could miss out on it's wonder. I think in order to fully immerse yourself in the world of Kubo, you just need to let go, and fantasize.

What I love most about this movie is the depth that this movie posess. It has a story that is similar to that of a fairy tale, but when a fairy tale usually tackles the theme of virtues such as honesty, friendship and perseverance, Kubo and the Two Strings tells a story about life, death and how each one brings all the more meaning to the other half. The movie treats these topics with such maturity that I certainly didn't expect from a family movie. Much like Coco, Pixar's 2017 movie, it handles such heavy topics with love and humor, making a digestable piece of cinema that could be appreciated by the whole generation and perhaps, the generations to come.

This movie has a message that really resonated with me. I often have thoughts about mortality and death in general, not because I crave for it, mind you. In fact, the concept of it is terrifying for me. I always view death as this bottomless void that isolates you with its loneliness. This movie opened my mind into a whole new perspective on death, a perspective that doesn't view it as a defeat, but rather as a happy ending.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Martin McDonagh is Tarantino with dramatic flair

[10/10 · 12 March 2018]

This movie with one of the weirdest title in recent memory is getting a lot of awards lately. It didn't win the Best Picture oscar but people were putting their money on this movie. The Shape of Water won the Best Picture that night. I wasn't the biggest fan of that movie though, I thought the movie was kind of hollow. This movie, however, was a damn dynamite.

At its core, it was really about the concept of anger and hate. The main character of this movie is an aging lady, Mildred Hayes, who had her daughter murdered in a gruesome way. After the police seemed to give up on the case, she took it upon herself to use the billboard outside her house to write some things about her daughter's murder. This event led to consequences that not only affects the people around her, but also the whole town of Ebbing, Missouri.

From beginning to end, I was constantly glued to the screen. The writing was perfect, the drama was very hard-hitting as well as the dark humor that was peppered throughout the movie. Writings, however, wouldn't mean a damn thing if not performed correctly. The performances in this movie was so affecting. Veteran actors such as Frances McDormand, Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson, all gave a very conflicted (and funny too, surprisingly) performances. Also, what I liked about this movie was that it touched on the subject of anger and eventually acceptance, but the movie never felt cheesy at all. It delivered the message while still keeping the cynicism that I think is the movie's strongest identity.

I think this is a great movie. I thought it could've won the Original Screenplay Oscar, but that didn't happen too, 'Get Out' won that Oscar. That's okay, though, I like 'Get Out'. Anyways, If you like dark comedies and drama, I think you'll love this movie.

Moonlight (I) (2016)

Definitely worth the Best Picture Oscar

[10/10 · 11 February 2018]

2016 was a good year for movies. You got La La Land, Manchester by The Sea, Hell or High Water and many other good movies. A movie that stood out however was this small movie from A24, a studio that is known for its exceptional resume of independent films, called Moonlight. This movie won countless of awards, including the Best Picture award at the Oscars. The movie is about an African-American boy who lives in the hood. We witness his upbringing as he deals with countless of hurdles. One of them being his own sexuality. Taking such a strong subject, this movie was very bold and honest with its depiction of what it's trying to say. Some movies just wants to tiptoe around the edges of its own theme. This movie dives headfirst into its theme. There was one particular scene that showed two boys giving each other pleasure whilst sitting in a beach. It surprised me, to be frank, but I'll fool myself if I said it wasn't powerful. This is what I'll call a movie at its purest form. It was incredibly powerful through its ability of visualization. The cinematography, the colour palette, the score, the sound mixing, the editing. These aspects combined into one movie that doesn't use much of dialogue. With the visualization of a confused boy looking at the other boys playing sport, or the one where a mother is scolding her child, but the dialogue was muted, all we got is pure facial expression that tells us more than words could. I know not everyone supports LGBT, and this movie may seem like an LGBT campaign to some of you, but trust me, it is not. It's not just about an LGBT person. If you could widen your lens for a sec, you'll notice that it is not an LGBT parade. It is actually about a lost soul in a familiar yet foreign land, desperate for a loving hand, desperate for comfort. I'm sure we could all relate to that.

The Greatest Showman (2017)

As a music video? Definitely 11/10.

[7/10 · 5 February 2018]

As a movie though? Not quite sure.

Musical is one of the most popular genre in the film industry. Some people don't like it and I have no problem with it. I totally won't bash you with a furious rant on Twitter. I, however, am a very big fan of it. Tap dancing, catchy tunes, gleeful choreographies, those things make my eyes tear up with fascination. Last year we got an almost perfect musical with Damien Chazelle's La La Land. An original musical that caught attention of both viewers and critics alike and was rewarded with the seven Oscar nods for that year. In spirit of La La Land's success, Fox decided to go ahead with their own take on an original musical. They decided to cast Hugh Jackman as its lead. Hugh Jackman was also known for his portrayal of Jean Valjean in the musical Les Miserables, which I also adored. Add up all that factors and you could see that I am really anticipating this movie. Is this movie bad? Not at all. In fact, it was very entertaining, and a lot of people liked it. Am I disappointed though? Well, a wee bit. As a movie, I thought it had plenty of flaws. Especially the writing. I felt that it was very sloppy. Every scene felt as though it was only a mean as to get to another musical scene. I couldn't really connect with the characters because only glimpses are seen. Just when we are introduced to a character, the movie abruptly chops their development and suddenly shows us the same character but with a wholly different personality. And I'm just left questioning where it came from. However, it is a musical. And what's a musical without a good musical scene. And when those scenes do come, boy oh boy were they fantastic. Every musical scene in this movie is just fantastic. It's pretty much why I love musicals. It's epic, it's romantic and it's emotional. It is very well directed. Knowing that the director came from a background of music videos, no wonder he nailed this down. Every scene was pitch perfect a la 50's musicals. The singing was also great, most of the actors recorded with their own voice and they did not disappoint. And most importantly, the song was really good. This is really important because in the end, the thing that makes musicals so damn memorable, is its fantastic songs. I listened to the album for weeks on end, and apparently, other people do too. In Indonesia's Apple Music top five tracks, apparently four of them were tracks from The Greatest Showman. I also want to point out that the movie's songwriters, were the guys from La La Land, which won an Oscar. That explains why the music's so damn good. In the end, it wasn't the La La Land I expected it to be, nor was it the Les Miserables I expected it to be. However, as a musical, it is a damn good musical and an extravagant entertainment for families to enjoy. Yes, take your kids to see this movie because this movie actually has a really good message buried inside it. Especially now, in the age where tolerance is an utmost requirement. Turn off your worries, and let the movie work its magic.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)

Best one since Empire Strikes Back?

[10/10 · 15 December 2017]

The Star Wars franchise has been a favorite of mine. Although I developed this love only after I saw Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens premier, my love for it has never been lost. I started watching all the cartoons, I watched the updated versions of the original trilogies that kept being remastered by George Lucas and I started reading the Star Wars novels (which to my surprise, were pretty entertaining). Now, it would be stupid not to be pumped for the new one. But, I did have some concerns then. I feared that the franchise that I love will lose its magic. I don't want it to be another generic sci-fi action films. The X-Men universe, Transformers, Star Trek, or even the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not to give hate, but when you watch these movies, sure it's cool, fun, and entertaining, but after you got home and you turn on your laptop or whatever, the impression you had kind of fades away. The Force Awakens was great for me. It was immensely fun, they introduced us to great new characters, while still doing justice to older ones, and most importantly, it captures the Star Wars magic that we all know and love. So, I hoped that this movie still has that same magic. Thankfully, it did.

What a blast I had with this movie. This movie had everything I wanted in a Star Wars movie. The space battles were epic and loud, the lightsaber battles were better than ever (one scene involving Kylo Ren was the best lightsaber fight I've ever seen), the characters grew even more interesting as you would expect in a sequel, and most importantly, I love what they did with the Star Wars lore. The movie actually gives a good chunk of its runtime to explain about the Jedi, the Force, and the Sith. They committed on actually telling the spirituality behind these Star Wars myths which are so iconic. Perhaps this is why, despite all the other superhero and fantasy movies nowadays, Star Wars still feel special to most people. They have a core. A deep spiritual philosophy that we can all relate to. And also, because they have bright laser swords (sorry, couldn't help it).

Another thing I found really interesting was Kylo Ren. I think he might just be my favorite Star Wars character yet. The complexity that his character has, provides an interesting conflict. And by the way, the actor (Adam Driver) was excellent as Kylo Ren. His struggle against his past and present was vividly expressed in his performance. Add to that the lightsaber stunts which he does by himself (and which I couldn't stop talking about) were excellent. What I'm also happy about is the fact that Luke Skywalker isn't merely just a typical wise master figure. He got a surprisingly hefty amount of character development in this movie.

I bet Star Wars fans will enjoy this movie. Old fans and New fans, The Originals fans and The Prequels fans. The exhilaration and the epic-scale space opera will surely please all viewers. If they could keep up with what they're doing here, I could safely say that I am confident in the future of the Star Wars saga. As a fan, that is all I could say. Disney, keep up the good work.

Coco (I) (2017)

I cried twice watching this.

[10/10 · 2 December 2017]

I have always been a fan of Pixar. They are really good at what they do. These guys set the bar for quality animated movies. Back then, animated movies were pretty much made for kids only. They were just your usual Sunday morning cartoons. Large eyeballs, goofy voice, exaggerated slapsticks. Disney had its classics like Bambi, Fox and The Hound, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty. However, it felt more like fairy tales. Bedtime stories your parents give as they tuck you in. In this day and age, it wouldn't work that well. Then came Pixar with it's revolutionary debut, Toy Story. Funny, sweet, modern, relatable and plus, completely 3D animated, which marks the first time a feature film was completely 3D animated. And Pixar has been doing just this ever since.

Though the movies they released were still a quality entertainment, I haven't felt like this since Toy Story 3. Toy Story 3 made me bawl like a baby. And their newest feature film, Coco, finally made me weep like a baby again. Coco is a heart-warming experience, filled with outstanding animation, wonderful music, brilliant writing, and creative models which brings out the best of Mexican culture. The movie took on themes like family, aspirations, and music. And they merged it marvelously with the Day of the Dead culture in Mexico. I also feel that this movie sends a strong message towards those that had lost their loved ones at some point. The way this movie talks about possessions and the inevitable loss that comes will, I hope, comfort you.

Coco is a great movie. Definitely the best animated movie this year (The Emoji Movie? Yeah, don't think so). Could possibly be a nominee for Best Picture this year. The way it tugs our heartstrings and the emotionally satisfying end will definitely please everyone. And it's definitely up there among Pixar's finest. If Justice League annoys you, just see this movie. I definitely recommend you. Bring your families, kids to grandparents, whoever you like. I'm sure they'll like it and I'm sure you'll hug 'em all as soon as the credits roll.

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

The God of Thunder-ous Laughter.

[10/10 · 28 October 2017]

Let me get this out of my system, Thor: Ragnarok is one of the most fun I had at the movies in 2017. It's one of those movies that had everything. Action? Check. Comedy? Check. Amazing VFX? Check. Hulk being a God-smashing maniac? Double-check. This is definitely the best out of the Thor series. The two previous ones were just generic superhero movies. They weren't bad, they were pretty good. But as soon as you left the theater, you won't be thinking about it anymore.

This one, however, wasn't generic. It was different. We were used to seeing Thor as this almighty God with a hammer that nobody can lift. And that's pretty much it. To be honest, I never cared much about Thor. He just wasn't that interesting. But this movie drew sort of a parody of his image and it was really fun to watch. And let's not forget about the Hulk. He is so lovable in this movie. How do you even make a person want to cuddle a 10-foot green abomination? You got to be a genius or some kind. Marvel appointed Taika Waititi to direct this movie. An indie darling from New Zealand that made comedy hits like What We Do in the Shadows, Eagle vs. Shark, and most recently, The Hunt for the Wilderpeople. They all have this unique dry humor that I adore very much. And he brought his signature style again for this movie. I respect this move by Marvel because a lot of studios are afraid of trying new things. A lot of directors were left with minimal creative decisions when it comes to big blockbusters. One of the case was the Fantastic Four reboot by Fox, two years ago. Josh Trank was so frustrated at Fox's dominating involvement in his project that he eventually took his frustration to the social media. Marvel don't want this to happen. They bravely take the risk of giving directors creative decisions. Though sometimes it could result to a mixed bag like Iron Man 3, it could also be a smashing hit like Guardians of the Galaxy and Thor: Ragnarok.

In the end, this movie is a total blast from start to end. It may be different than the other Marvel movies, but I swear there is nothing to regret. Whatever this movie lacks in dramatic aspects, it makes up in its comedy and fun characters along the way. And by today, I know that Thor isn't on my Top 2 Most Boring Avenger list anymore. Though Hawkeye is definitely still there. Make the poor guy relevant Marvel, jeez.

The Foreigner (I) (2017)

So...is it an action movie? or a political thriller?

[6/10 · 12 October 2017]

A Taken-esque movie for Jackie Chan. Depicting him as a beaten old man that secretly has a 'particular set of skills'. What's more, one of the most successful James Bond director, Martin Campbell, came aboard to work with Jackie. Seriously, this movie was meant for greatness. However, I was left disappointed with the final product.

Let's just dive straight into the problems. I felt lied to by this movie. It was advertised as a revenge thriller with Jackie Chan being the new Liam Neeson. Instead, it came out to be some sort of political thriller that throws in Jackie Chan just for the sake of it. He felt really out of place in this movie. His actions are just irrelevant to the whole plot of this movie. The director tries to make his presence known in this movie, but the dull attempts just makes me irritated in the end. The movie felt like two separate films mushed into one feature film. Confusing itself on where to concentrate, the Jackie Chan revenge movie or the Irish political thriller starring Pierce Brosnan. Leaving both equally under developed

Honestly, I think if they decided to just divide the movie into the two films I recently mentioned, it would be great. An actual Jackie Chan revenge movie that could paint him alongside Liam Neeson's Brian Mills and Keanu Reeves's John Wick would attract people everywhere. And a terrorism political thriller led by a solid performance by Pierce Brosnan could be really good. Which shows the more disappointment I had for this movie. Both Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan were really good. And so was the action scenes that sometimes pops into the movie. I had no doubt that Martin Campbell is a good director. It's just the way the movie turns out to be was really different from how it advertises itself. And it confuses both the audiences and, perhaps, the movie itself.

I really wish the movie was better than it was. Just because of the potential that it has and the obvious glimpse of merits inside this mess of a movie. However, I feel that if you came into this with no expectations whatsoever, you could find yourself being entertained by this movie.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)

A solid sequel by the British gents

[8/10 · 26 September 2017]

This movie is the second installment of the extremely fun (and wickedly violent) Kingsman series. In this movie, Eggsy as the new Gallahad teams up with the American version of Kingsman called the Statesmen, after the Kingsman's headquarters were destroyed by a psychopathic lady who happens to be the Genghis Khan of the drug trade.

It's wicked and absurd, just like it's predecessor. Some people think that this time, they went too far. I personally think that they did it really well. Same as John Wick's sequel, they were both bigger and more bombastic the second time 'round. They expanded their universe and gave plenty of exciting opportunities to go forward with their universe. With the American's Statesman made, they could delve into other cultures as well and make super-spy agencies out of them.

A criticism that I agreed with is the fact that the movie is quite messy. So many stuff is happening inside this movie that it struggles to balance everything out. I could feel that while some parts were really exciting and fun, some parts were just…dull. I'd say the movie could really benefit with some subplots being cut.

In the end, I enjoyed the heck out of this movie (perhaps, partly because of my recent inactivity with my beloved movies). I thought the movie was really exciting and funny. Though perhaps not as good as the original, the charm could still be felt. The universe expanding, I thought was also really good. It sets up great potential for a big franchise. Too bad the critics didn't like it, I certainly liked this movie.

It (I) (2017)

A gift to you Stephen King fans

[22 September 2017]

Stephen King has been Hollywood's most reliable author when it comes to adaptations. There are 58 movies and TV shows based on his works. Some were really good (The Shawshank Redemption, The Shining, Misery) and some were just plain awful (Cell, Maximum Overdrive, Dreamcatcher). This year two movies were released based on his works. The Dark Tower, based on his fantasy series which he considered to be his magnum opus, was a major disappointment. So King fanboys have a big expectation for this one.

The source material has already got an adaptation before. The 1990 TV movie 'IT' was fairly well-known, thanks to Tim Curry's creepy performance as Pennywise. He did what Steven Spielberg did to sharks. So with this movie casting an unknown kid for the role of Pennywise, people were worried. But boy oh boy did he knocked it outta the park. He portrayed the evil clown with a madness similar to Jared Leto's portrayal of The Joker. Not only Pennywise, but the members of the Loser's Club (the group of friends in the fictional town of Derry) were all great in this movie. They showed great acting skills as well as great chemistry between one another.

What sets IT apart from the other horror movies, is that IT isn't all about jump scares and scary faces. It was also about growing up, facing your fears and in a way, it is also a study about the very fabrics of fear. So when you think that this film is only about a dancing clown and gruesome murders (which is partly true), think again.

The haunting scenes aren't really what scares us. Though it was brilliantly executed, a lot of movies have done better jobs. The personal situations surrounding our fellow characters and even the town of Derry were the ones that really disturbs us. Therefore, when viewers said that the movie wasn't really scary, they may be right. Because this movie doesn't want to scare you, it wants to disturb you.

In the end, IT was a great horror movie. Not only because it is frightening, but also because it was disturbing. They did this without sacrificing the element of fun. Which explains the huge opening box office this movie received. With the adaptation being this good, I bet King fans will forgive Hollywood for The Dark Tower.

The Godfather (1972)

Greatest movie of all time? Yeah, I can see that.

[24 August 2017]

Yesterday, was the final day of my examination. A day I had been longing for quite some time. My teacher actually gave us an assignment to write an essay about my future career, but school businesses can wait. I got more important stuff to do. I went to my room, flipped open my laptop, and searched for a good movie in Netflix. Something caught my eye as I skimmed through the movie lists. There it was, Marlon Brando's face as the infamous mafia Don. With a vibrant looking rose just pinned in his suit. The Godfather was offering itself to be watched. An offer I can't refuse.

The Godfather was cited as one of the best movies ever made. And so it was natural for my expectations to rocket to the sky. At that moment, I created a fictive challenge for the film to justify my expectations. I heard Brando's mumbling voice say 'Game on'. So I prepped myself for a 3 hour ride and pressed the play button.

To praise it as a great movie would be an insult. It is a masterpiece, as was acknowledged by many people already. When I hear the word masterpiece, I can't help but envision an image of a grand luxury. The aging quality of antiques, the majestic stroke of paint on a canvas inside a gold patterned frame. The fact is, I saw these opulent features in The Godfather. Every scene shot in the movie feels grand. You feel all the splendor from the Corleone family slowly getting under your skin. The music is also a great help to the aura of the movie. It sets the tone with uneasy calmness that makes you respect the movie with all your heart.

Of course all the beauty of the movie wont be complete with a great story. And The Godfather has a great one. It is about the daunting reign of the Corleone family in New York. They had strive under the leadership of Vito Corleone. However, now his time is coming to an end. His condition is getting worse, while the other families are getting stronger. The inheritance of the throne will soon take place. The throne was left vacant earlier than expected, however. Due to the failed assassination of Vito Corleone that left him in a coma. His son, Sonny, was next to the throne. But he too, was assassinated. This left his youngest son, Michael, a war hero, to step up. Despite his early reluctance, the thirst for revenge got the better of him. And once you stepped into the dark, the darkness will consume you. And thus, Michael decided to become the new Don of the Corleone family.

The credits rolled. I closed my laptop slowly as I let my brain digest one of cinema's finest. I took my notebook out of my bag and placed it in the table across my bed. I pondered as what my future career will be. And I would be lying if I said being a mafia hadn't crossed my mind.

Friday Night Lights (2004)

A personal look of a football-obsessed town that is both exciting and heartfelt

[10/10 · 24 August 2017]

I always had a soft spot for sport movies. I felt this movie was exceptional. In a small town inside of Texas, high school football is the most important event. When the Permian High Panthers loses its main star Boobie Miles, all hope is lost. It is up to newly appointed coach Gary Gaines to flare that hope again. The movie was shot in documentary-style. Similar to a reality show. It gives a realistic feel to the movie which helped the movie a lot. It distinguished itself from the other sport movies. It brings us closer to the team.

What I loved the most in this movie is the sense of importance they brought to the football match. Everyone lived their everyday lives in the poor town without passion. Drinking beers, driving trucks, working in a gas station. But when it comes to the football match, It lights up their excitement like a firecracker. It seems as if the football match was their only source of happiness. They acknowledge this as well as the players. The seniors were doing their final year as a football player. They know they weren't good enough to go pro, and surely they weren't smart enough nor rich enough to pursue higher education. This was as good as it gets. That was why every match felt very exciting and heartbreaking to watch.

Dunkirk (2017)

A subtle yet terrifying depiction of war by Christopher Nolan

[9/10 · 24 August 2017]

Dunkirk is a war movie directed by Christopher Nolan. And like any other Nolan movies, this movie is different. This movie was absurdly short for a war movie. It barely reaches two hours. This was understandable since the movie focuses only on one event, The Evacuation of Dunkirk, where around 300,000 British troops were evacuated from a small beach in Dunkirk that was surrounded by German Troops. The war movies that we're used to seeing usually follows the journey of our protagonist as he battles the odds of war. In this movie, we instantly jump to the situation of Dunkirk without first getting to know our characters. To add to that, there are very minimum dialogues in this movie.

This was a bold decision made by Christopher Nolan. Dialogue is an important aspect of movies. They allow the characters to develop and compels us to sympathize with them. In this movie, Nolan replaced those dialogues with actions. Their action in the event defines who they are.

Now this is the thing that I appreciate the most from this film. The astonishingly realistic depiction of war and its impacts. There is no actual main character in this movie. The main protagonists are actually the men who are struggling to evacuate and to be evacuated, which is incredibly relevant to a sickening fact of an actual war. It cares not about individuals. There are also claims that the Dunkirk movie is a propaganda by the Brits, showing that they are a superior nation, regarding the Brexit matter. For me, this statement is unjust. The film does not shy away from the fact that their assault on France and Belgium is a massive failure. One scene shows a soldier complaining about how he is ashamed of the loss and expects to be spit on back at home. However, the movie is not about the omnipotent Britain and their mighty evacuation. It is about the hopeless men, stranded on the beach of Dunkirk, longing for the scent of home and how despite the horrific war going on, there is still a good chunk of humanity somewhere in this world. We witness as the civilian back at home, fishermen, elders and such, volunteered sailing across from England to Dunkirk in order to save their fellow countrymen. And finally, back at home, when the evacuated men came home in a train with their head ducking in shame, the villagers mobbed their train. And instead of spitting on them, they cheered in triumph. Because victory is not always achieved by conquest. It could also be achieved by unity.