MovieRankingReviews

  I am not big on Idol anime series. However, Zombie Land Saga was one of the few idol series that I actually thoroughly enjoyed! It was a hilarious comedy on girls who died and got turned into zombies to become idols. Despite the wacky premise, it explored deep themes of death, regret and second chances that made it more than just a generic idol anime. This sequel movie isn’t really any of that… It’s a straight-up alien invasion film and less about the idol group singing or overcoming past regrets. It’s an incredibly weird and tonally different sequel but the ludicrous nature of the premise does result in the film being a lot of fun. Plus, the biggest incentive to this film is seeing an awakened Tae! The film is a bit long at 2 hours with some pacing issues, we don’t get much on Tae’s past despite her awakening, the ending is a little disappointing and there are still tons of loose plot threads. I hope we do get a proper and more authentic season 3 though.

  Michael Jackson was, without a doubt, one of the biggest pop stars in history. It’s no surprise that he was going to get a biopic; if anything, I’m surprised at how long it took. He is one of my favourite artists ever, so of course I was going to watch this film. However, does it live up to his legacy? I remember having a lot of concerns about Jaafar Jackson’s casting. Firstly, it felt like nepotism, with them going for Michael’s own nephew, and secondly, I wasn’t sure whether he could handle the weight of portraying Michael in his acting debut. Those concerns ended up being unfounded, as Jaafar Jackson shines as the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. There are many moments where it genuinely feels like Michael himself is on-screen. He nails the look, the moves, and the mannerisms of his uncle. Colman Domingo is equally effective, portraying Michael’s father, Joseph Jackson, as both detestable and menacing. Special praise must also go to the costume and set designers fo...

  With the previous film ending with Elphaba finally becoming the Wicked Witch, it felt like Part 2 was going to kick into high gear! It doesn’t For some reason, this film is incredibly slow but also rushed at the same time. The plot is paper thin and the only real conflict is the bland love triangle. When the plot starts to connects with The Wizard of Oz, the film just rushes straight to the end with no proper development of certain characters. Doesn’t help that the songs in this film are less memorable than the first part as well. It ain’t Wicked For Good, it’s more like Wicked but Dull.

  This is a beautifully animated film about self-discovery, connection, and creativity through music. The characters are super expressive, and the animation is colourful and vibrant in all the right ways. The relationships are a joy to watch, especially between our two main girls: Totsuko and Kimi. The music is great too, with a strong score and a fantastic performance at the end. What keeps it from being truly amazing is that it tries to juggle too many storylines without giving them enough time. Totsuko’s Synesthesia feels like it’s just there rather than something meaningful to her character. Kimi hiding the fact that she dropped out of school from her grandmother never really pays off, even though it builds a lot of tension. Rui, the third member of the trio, is the least developed, he barely gets screen time compared to the girls, and his conflict between music and inheriting the family clinic isn’t explored much at all. The Catholic school setting brings up an ...

  Sony Pictures Animation has delivered an outstanding original animated film, something that’s been sorely missing from Disney and Pixar lately. The movie features a stunningly beautiful animation style that seamlessly blends 2D and 3D, compelling world-building, fluid and thrilling action set pieces, and a fun, lovable main trio. To top it all off, it boasts phenomenal K-pop music! While the plot is fairly predictable and the third act feels a bit rushed, the film would have benefitted from being about 10 minutes longer. It also leaves a number of dangling plot threads that seem to be setting up a sequel. Still, this was an absolute surprise! With a title like that, I wasn’t expecting something so thoroughly enjoyable.

  The title Hurry Up Tomorrow is incredibly appropriate—because the entire time I was watching it, I just wanted it to hurry up and end. Calling this a “film” is generous; surviving it felt more like a cinematic endurance test. The plot is laughably shallow, padded with so much pointless fluff that the pacing is downright painful. Abel Tesfaye, a.k.a. The Weeknd, essentially plays himself—and not well. His acting is so stiff, it’s almost impressive. Sharing scenes with Jenna Ortega only makes it worse; she effortlessly outshines him at every turn, making his performance look like a high school drama rehearsal. To make matters worse, the whole movie is drenched in ego. There’s a scene—I’m not making this up—where Jenna’s character actually analyzes the deep themes of his music. It tries to present itself as some kind of profound artistic statement, but really, it’s just a 100-minute commercial for his new album. Abel, please—stick to your day job.

  Ryan Coogler is an incredibly talented director! However, since his powerful debut with Fruitvale Station, he hasn’t made an original film, focusing instead on franchise hits like Creed and Black Panther. While those movies were great, it always felt like a bit of a missed opportunity to see what else he could create outside the bounds of established properties. Now, with Sinners, an original vampire movie, he finally returns to telling a wholly new story — and it’s absolutely worth the wait. The performances across the board are phenomenal. The cast nails the 1930s setting, with many adopting accents that feel natural and immersive. Michael B. Jordan shines playing twin brothers, delivering two distinct characters without overexaggeration. Through subtle body language and presence, he makes it immediately clear which brother is on screen — one serious, one carefree. Delroy Lindo is an absolute scene-stealer, bringing humor and heart every time he appears. But the ...

  Blue Giant is an incredible film about passion and Jazz! The animation is superb with amazing use of clashing colours and vivid imagery during their performances. The music is spectacular and even if you’re not big on Jazz like me, the soundtrack will captivate you! The story is incredibly engaging, which is interesting as the director decided to cut out the entire first arc and some backstories that were present in the source material. However, you will barely notice this as what the director focuses is on the emotions and values of the character which works just as well. My only gripe with this film is the use of CG which is a bit jarring. It can go from amazing 2D animation of our characters to 3D which is not that great and mildly distracting. Nevertheless, this is a truly phenomenal anime movie that I highly recommend!