Everything Everywhere All at Once

Good performances from Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan

However, I just didn't get into this movie. A little like Cloud Atlas (which I liked) and a fusion with Edge of Tomorrow.

Glad I didn't pay to see this.

The Flash

This super action film seems to resemble more closely to the tv series. That is a good plus, as I have watched about 4 seasons of the tv series, so far. In this film version, Barry Allen (The Flash) is still teamed up in the Justice League with Batman and Wonder Woman. However, after having saved a few disastrous incidents in various parts of the city, Barry gets caught up in emotions by visiting the speed force (by accident, perhaps?) and realising that he can visit various differing timelines.

Upon telling Bruce Wayne that he has discovered his new abilities, Bruce tells Barry that he would be irresponsible to change the past. However, with the knowledge that he could change the past to save his mother from getting murdered, he opts to go back to his childhood and shift one aspect about the day of his mother's murder so that the murder did not happen, and his father would not get convicted of the murder.

The consequences of saving his mother are severe. The pain that Barry feels in the event of losing both parents, meant that Barry ran the risk of not being part of his Flash future self. Barry runs into his 18 y.o. self in the 2013 version of the universe. 28 y.o. Barry then has to convince 18 y.o. Barry to go to Central City police lab to get hit by lightning -- getting hit by lightning, not something that 28 y.o. Barry tells his younger self until just before the lightning strike. The result of the lightning striking both of them leads to younger Barry getting the powers, but with older Barry losing his.

It is then learned that General Zod has arrived to Earth to look for a Kryptonian. Assuming that Zod is looking for Superman, Barry has to try assemble the other members of the Justice League. Although, Bruce Wayne is not really contactable; Wonder Woman is unknown; Cyborg has not developed his powers; and Aquaman was never ever born. So, it comes down to the two Barrys to find Bruce Wayne. In this universe, Bruce Wayne is a retired from crime fighting Michael Keaton version. Keaton uses his technology to find out where the Krytonian is being held. And off they go to get him.... or her.

The battle between the new Justice League and General Zod's army gets ludacrous after a while, as the Barry's decide to keep on changing the timeline when they know they are losing badly. And when it is discovered that another speedster has interfered in older Barry's plans, it all goes complicated with Barry's only choice being to let his mother die in the past in order to save the future of humanity.

I found this movie to be a bit of a hit with my understanding of the Flash franchise. Of course, it is all overdrive with the CGI usage. But, I am much happier with how the DC Comics has depicted their franchise in movies much better than what Marvel has done.

Saw 65 on an international flight. Crap.
Some Clooney- Robert's vehicle - crap.
Menu (with Ralph Fiennes) - crap.

Barbie

Fresh in my mind from watching at the cinema on a Tuesday afternoon. I was one of 5 guys in their adulthood in a theatre full of mainly teenage and young girls accompanied by their mothers. The theatre was probably 80% capacity, given that earlier screenings of the movie were sold out frequently.

First of all, this movie was overhyped. There was nothing that a guy in his 40s would see in this movie, other than having a perv on Margot Robbie and her attractive co-stars. However, given that Barbie was not marketed for an audience other than teen and pre-teen girls, I have to keep a little perspective.

The basic narrative of the movie was Barbie (played by Margot Robbie), living the dream life in her Barbie World, starts developing thoughts about her own existence. Ken (played by Ryan Gosling) is a male bimbo who seeks the attention of Barbie. However, Barbie, living the dream life in her female-dominant lifestyle, is not interested in Ken. Ken has to try to maneuvre his affections in competition with a rival Ken.

When Barbie blurts out a question about "dying", during a party, the entire party attendees go quiet. Having addressed that she meant "dying" in a different context, she labours through the rest of the night, still aware that she could have really messed up her image.

The next day, however, does not go well for Barbie. Everything about her life is off. Barbie starts to question her own worth. Having discussed with other Barbies her problem, the encouragement is to go see Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) to understand the deeper meaning of Barbie's problems. Weird Barbie gives Barbie advice to go to the real world and find the source of Barbie's seemingly nightmarish dreams.

Ken sneaks in for a ride to the real world. Once in the real world, both Ken and Barbie find that the world is male-dominant and at odds with the ultra effeminent Barbie and her seemingly gay looking Ken. From there, it is up to both of them to be disillusioned by how the real world works.

There is fun throughout the movie with song and dance numbers. The jokes are levelled to appeal to a younger audience. Nothing overtly sexual is seen through the storyline. Everything about this movie is directed to cater for the audience of teenage girls. Certainly a movie for the teen girls. But, if you are an adult willing to have your mind challenged, you would be better off watching "Oppenheimer".

Well, compared to other Hollywood movies, it was overhyped. But the pay off was immense. Barbie will break box office records.

Captain Nemo wrote on Jul 27^th, 2023 at 11:15am:


I have only done this once. I paid for a movie that I wanted to see. But, the quality of the movie was so mediocre that I had to leave. Before I got up, I checked the times of the other movie sessions. I decided on a movie that I was not going to see. I waited for the session time to start. I got up and left to find that theatre. They no longer put the names and times of the movies for each theatre, just to make it difficult for people swapping cinema theatres.

I could basically go see a movie at 7pm and then go to the toilet and come back and watch another movie at 9pm. They don't bother checking.

Fantastic Mr. Fox - a Wes Anderson film, starring George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Wallace Wolodarsky, Eric Chase Anderson, Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, Jarvis Cocker, Wes Anderson, Karen Duffy, Robin Hurlstone, Hugo Guinness, Helen McCrory, Roman Coppola, Juman Malouf, Jeremy Dawson, Garth Jennings.   After years of peace, Mr Fox breaks his promise and raids the farms of his human neighbours. The sly fox and his furry gang get back at three nefarious farmers that have declared war on them.  A Rould Dalh story it is about the shenanigans of Mr.Fox as he takes on his neighbours.  I'd give this a 9 out of 10.  A bit adult for most kids.