qiu_xinzhi Reviews

Soul (2020)

Another Moving Pixar Classic

[9/10 · 27 December 2020]

Soul has hit me in all the right spots. It is more than an adventure or a story or a movie, but really a lesson about living in the moment, about slowing down, about breaking away from our obsessions with salaries, achievements, careers and goals.

The entire film was made wonderfully with fantastic animation, with a basic yet heartfelt screenplay and with an uplifting, inspiring, and often tear jerking soundtrack. This film is really phenomenal. It makes you think, makes you reflect, makes you inspired to take ownership of your own life. In fact, it could even be life changing.

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

Terrible Final Arc

[5/10 · 26 December 2020]

Sigh... what is this curse that ruins Wonder Woman films?

Like the first, 1984 was buoyed by a decently strong first and second arc. Unfortunately, all the heart and momentum that was so carefully built up was quickly wasted with that swift descent into illogical plot points, cartoonist action sequences and inconsequential storytelling.

This movie really had potential... But by the 3rd arc, the entire film feels just like another filler episode. Skip this one if you can, but honestly... there's really not many other options out there.

Safety (2020)

Standard Feel Good Flick from Disney

[6/10 · 13 December 2020]

Safety is the sort of movie one would expect from Disney: a rousing, heartwarming, family-friendly story dramatized for the Big Screen (or now, for streaming). But the film is not shot with flair, the jumps in logic are obvious and distracting, and aside from the commendable character development, the film felt rather flat and thinly plotted.

"Safety" is a safe holiday film for the whole family. But beyond that, there is nothing here that remotely resembles a touch down.

Godmothered (2020)

Sweet Time-Passer

[5/10 · 6 December 2020]

This film is cheesy and predictable, but that doesn't stop it from being a good and enjoyable watch from start to finish. Overall, a great feel-good B-list movie that comes out just in time for Christmas for you to play in the background. Do give this a watch if you have nothing else to do, or if you just want to keep your nephews entertained.

Superintelligence (2020)

As average as it gets

[4/10 · 28 November 2020]

Like McCarthy's character, Superintelligence is as average as average gets. There is literally nothing special here. The script feels contrived and cliche, the story is overused (Skynet, anyone?), and the jokes are boring, even from McCarthy.

The result? A lifeless slob of a rom-com best watched when drunk, or when there is nothing else on TV this Thanksgiving.

Vanguard (2020)

Not the best

[3/10 · 25 November 2020]

In a Jackie Chan movie, you wouldn't expect a good plot or a logical storyline, but the least you would expect was a bit of fun.

But man, did this one fall flat on all accounts. For an action movie jam packed with explosions and rattling guns, this one was surprisingly dull and sleep inducing. If you came in expecting "Rush Hour" or "Shanghai Noon", turn away. This one is closer to "Rush Hour 3" and "The Spy Next Door".

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (2020)

Great Film

[7/10 · 14 November 2020]

This film very much takes a leaf out of its flying Buddy 3000 robot. It is wonderfully and masterfully constructed; it is visually spectacular; and, at its core, it brings a beating, emotional heart.

Scoob! (2020)

Straight to VOD quality

[3/10 · 18 May 2020]

This felt like a straight to VOD B-list film you can find on Netflix or Amazon Prime, not a high quality Theatrical Release that it initially set out to be. Honestly, the first 15-20 minutes were the best part of this film and we got a really good origin story of the entire gang. It just spirals out of control and into absurdity from there, in a semi self-imploding kind of way. I'm not sure what the screenwriters had in mind when they set out to write this. Feels like 3 minds have been cramped into this film, giving rise to this incoherent mess that could have been much better.

Dangerous Lies (2020)

Surprisingly not too bad

[4/10 · 1 May 2020]

Surprisingly, this film is not too bad. It has a lightning fast pace and seems to throw new characters at you whenever they think you are getting bored. However, the plot doesn't really make sense and there was no chemistry whatsoever between the lead characters, which led to an unbelievable - and frankly, laughable - film.

Yet, you could watch this film while mopping the house and still know what the story is about. That might not seem like a compliment, but it was the least "Dangerous Lies" could do.

Bad Education (2019)

Hugh Jackman Gives His All

[8/10 · 27 April 2020]

These days, I get excited over any new release. But boy was this one really good. Hugh Jackman gave his all, single-handedly elevating every scene with his infectiously charming personality. In particular, I also liked how the characters were portrayed to be morally grey, and how the creators did not go with a classic white/black hero/villain narrative. All in all, a real good time passer as we get through these difficult times.

Extraction (2020)

John Wick with Chris Hemsworth

[6/10 · 25 April 2020]

Not bad. Not bad at all. The plot was basic and simplistic, but where the film really excelled is its set pieces, camera work and action choreography. The energy level throughout the film was high, and I really appreciated how, on the thematic level, it did not try to become something it was not. Essentially, this is John Wick film with everything but Keanu Reeve's charm and swag. But even that is good enough.

The Willoughbys (2020)

Better than Trolls: World Tour

[6/10 · 24 April 2020]

During this quarantine period, there are a limited number of new releases for entire family to see. There is Trolls: World Tour, and there's this. Between the two, the Willoughbys stood out with its oddball humor, relatable characters and (kinda) positive message.

Seven Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss (2018)

A film unlike any you have seen before

[7/10 · 10 April 2020]

This is one weird film. It is unconventional yet familiar. It was bizarre in more ways than one. Is this a comedy? Or is it horror? Is it satire? Philosophical?

I have no idea what I watched. Yet, it put a big smile on my face. And to this day, I still have no clue why.

Spenser Confidential (2020)

Sloppy, unoriginal and unfocused

[4/10 · 8 April 2020]

I can count on more than 2 hands the number of times I have seen such a story before. This is a classic story repeated in various forms throughout the years, but it is just not done well in this instance. It is sloppily made comedy that ignored its roots in whodunit mysteries.

I do appreciate the film trying to be a commentary on fake news. However, the other main message about teamwork and honesty was diluted by by this and many other such commentaries in the film. This led to the unfocused film that made it a chore to sit through.

The mystery was also badly done. The "investigations" in the film felt unrealistic and too convenient. For a comedy film that wants to also be a mystery film, this is simply not good enough.

That being said, Peter Berg really directed the action scenes well. I enjoyed the action scenes, and could daresay that this, to many, will be the saving grace of this film.

Trolls World Tour (2020)

Uneven film with a timely message

[3/10 · 6 April 2020]

This was a step down from Trolls. The musical beats are less catchy, the story is more generic and the film was inconsistent at parts. However, this was still a relatively enjoyable family film with a great, unexpected and timely commentary about diversity and acceptance.

The Farewell (I) (2019)

Original, Heartbreaking and Powerful

[10/10 · 8 January 2020]

The Farewell is one of the most original stories I have seen from Hollywood in a very long time. This is a very powerful story from start to finish and I really enjoyed watching the characters develop and react differently to the news of the impending death of the grandmother character. The actors were all superb and delivered far and beyond from start to finish and it worked so well to produce one of the most heartbreaking and powerful films of 2019.

I enjoyed the side commentary of the differences in the Western and the Eastern cultures as the film takes us on a journey that gave a conflicted main character caught between two cultures. The resulting self discovery was so grounded and real that I can see my own conflicts being reflected on the big screen.

One of the best films of 2019, "The Farewell" is beautifully directed, emotional at its core and was simply a superb time.

Last Christmas (2019)

Was entertaining... until that twist...

[5/10 · 8 January 2020]

Last Christmas is a charming film and a good Christmas movie - at least for the first 2/3rds of the film. But that last act really took away everything the film was. The twist and the suddenness of the characters turn to do good felt so forced that it breaks down the characters arc that genuinely destroyed what could have been a decently good time.

Marriage Story (2019)

One of the best films of 2019

[9/10 · 8 January 2020]

This film is everything a Drama film should be. A terrifically conceived and directed film, Marriage Story dived deep into a story about a divorce and gave us an authentic look behind the love, hate, emotion and pain of the process. Buoyed by a superb performance from Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, this film gave us the character depth one can only dream of. This is a must-see film not just of 2019, but I dare say, of all time.

Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2019)

Rather enjoyable if uneven finale to the decade spanning skywalker saga

[6/10 · 24 December 2019]

After the fallout that is The Last Jedi, JJ Abrams and the makers of this film had a near impossible job of pleasing the fan base and tying up the Skywalker saga. The effects of this is a largely uneven first act where the story goes everywhere as the film frantically tries to lift off.

There are some very poor character decisions in this film that tried outright too hard to strip away the doings of The Last Jedi. I found that incoherent and though The Last Jedi made some questionable decisions, I would have enjoyed a film that tried to build upon The Last Jedi, instead of outright destroying it, as that would have surely made the trilogy a more cohesive and logical one.

While the first act jumped from one set piece to the next, giving us no time to explore and develop our characters, the pacing improved from there and delivered a divisive but satisfying ending that grants a re-watch.

As the end of the sequel trilogy, this film fail. But viewed on its own, this film is a worthy fan-fiction-like companion film to the originals.

The Witcher: Before a Fall (2019) Season 1, Episode 7

Disappointing

[4/10 · 22 December 2019]

We were treated to a greater focus on Yennefer, but this focus was unwelcome. The story is still very confusing and the Yennefer character, her motivations and her character arc, seems to be more of a writer's general outline than an in depth character study. I am very disappointed that they wasted away a character with a very powerful backstory with its rushed plot development just to push the story ahead.

The Aeronauts (2019)

Visually stunning

[6/10 · 22 December 2019]

A simple story that if made any other way, would have been a bore to sit through. Aside from the unwelcome flashbacks, the film really took off once the characters are in air. The cinematography is amazing and more than makes up for the lack of any genuine character development.

A wonderful film to pass time by. One only hopes that future films do not butcher the achievements of our ancestors by creating characters that were fictitious.

6 Underground (2019)

Bayhem Galore

[7/10 · 14 December 2019]

I never liked Michael Bay's movies, but this one really shocked me (at least on a Michael Bay level). Aside from the boring first half-hour chase sequence, the film was actually really entertaining and thrilling. This is Michael Bay at his very best.

That said, this is still a Michael Bay film. So if you come in expecting a well written action film with well developed characters, you are going in for a disappointment.

Noelle (2019)

Entertaining Christmas Movie

[5/10 · 14 December 2019]

This is not a movie you would pay to watch at the cinemas. But as a film available on streaming, it was good enough if you just want to pass your time or just to put on the background during Christmas.

Frozen II (2019)

Decent but disappointing entry

[5/10 · 24 November 2019]

I really applaud the big risk the film makers took to shift away from the classic good guy - bad guy storyline and instead go for a more daring journey of self discovery. The film looks amazing visually and I really liked the world building in this film. However, the execution of the film is muddled and the plot is contrived, unnatural and it does not flow as smoothly as the first entry.

This film feels thematically darker than the first one, but I was rather disappointed with the ending that feels forced and unnatural so as to appeal to the younger kids. The humor was quite good but the musical numbers could not match up to the already classic original film.

Overall, an interesting addition to the franchise that really lacked the magic touch that captivated audiences in the first film.

The King (I) (2019)

Dry, Bland and Disappointing

[4/10 · 22 November 2019]

"The King" is a long, boring but beautifully shot film that was rather disappointing to me. Honestly, I expected more going into a film that promises genuine character building in front of a medieval backdrop. The director clearly had great vision for this film but was unfortunately dragged down by a tedious and tiresome plot. Though I enjoyed Timothee Chalamet's performance as King Henry, he often seemed confused by his character's principles and motivations as the script insists of creating shocking, yet out of character moments, for him.