Gordon-11 Reviews

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected

[7 April 2023]

This film tells the story of a man who becomes a thief, in order to get back a thing that he tragically lost.

Even though I am normally not interested in this genre of films, I find that "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" tells a touching and convincing story. The reason why Chris Pine's character does what he does is clearly explained, while the other characters have also got clearly explained motivations. The computer graphics are pretty good, and I am particularly impressed by the witch's sorcery. The ending actually is very touching, and I shed a few tears. I enjoyed "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" a lot more than I expected.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

I can't relate to it

[15 February 2023]

This film tells the story of Ant Man and his family entering the Quantum realm, causing a lot of adventures and dangers to ensue.

"Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" is visually impressive, as there are multiple fantasy science fiction worlds to depict. The imagination runs wild with some of the unearthly characters. The story appears to me rather flat, but that is perhaps due to my lack of love for fantasy realms. To me, "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" looks more like a fantasy film than a superhero film. I am not able to relate to the characters or their world. I would have preferred a superhero film to be set in a relatable world.

Glass Onion (2022)

Engaging

[15 February 2023]

This film tells the story of a detective, who is mysteriously invited to a private island of a billionaire for a murder mystery party.

"Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" has been on my watch list, as it contains a lot of famous stars, and has been well liked by people I know. I find the beginning of the story was quite confusing, as it cuts through the lives of many characters. After solving the confusion, I find the story quite engaging, as there are many twists and turns which are never contrived. The fantastic location certainly helped with the visuals, and the amazing house is a feast to the eyes.

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022)

Not easy to be Whitney Houston

[15 February 2023]

This film tells the glamorous life of a legendary singer, Whitney Houston.

"Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody" appears to be a balanced account of her life, as it presents the highs and lows of her life. From her childhood woes, parental conflicts, relationship issues, troubled marriage, and substance use were all mentioned in the film. It gives you an idea that it was not easy to be Whitney Houston, as she tried to balance the interests of her own and people around her. The songs are stunning, and I really enjoyed the songs. Normally if songs are prominently featured, I wouldn't like it because it looked like an extended music video, but in this case the music is great.

Far Far Away (2021)

Interesting but may not translate well

[15 February 2023]

This film tells the story of a socially awkward man, who dates women who live far far away from the city centre.

"Far Far Away" seems to have an interesting premise as a romantic comedy. The story is very local Hong Kong, and would strike a chord with many local Hong Kong people. However, it may not translate well for foreign audiences because of the rigid gender norms and outdated gender roles expressed in the story. In addition, the dialogue is often cringe worthy, and the actions and reactions of characters are often immature and even childish. I cannot say I enjoyed "Far Far Away" as a result.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Paying respect with vibrancy

[9 November 2022]

This film tells the story of Wakanda having to mourn the loss of their king, while having to defend themselves from external threats.

"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" is very well done. It doesn't lose any continuity in the story, despite the sad loss of Chadwick Boseman. In fact, it manages to pay respects, and then move forward with vibrant energy. The story is engaging, and I didn't feel the length of the film at all despite it being close to three hours long. The computer visual effects are fantastic, and I'm truly marvelled by what the studio has accomplished. I'm glad I got up early to watch the first show on the opening day!

The Sparring Partner (2022)

A good court thriller

[29 October 2022]

This film tells the story of a trial on Hong Kong, where two men are accused of murder of the parents of one of the accused.

"The Sparring Partner" maintains intensity throughout the film. It makes you want to see what will happen in the end. It keeps you guessing whether the accused are innocent or guilty. I'm impressed by the level of data collection in this film. They even know the names of the relevant psychiatrists in real life in Hong Kong. The psychiatrist names are very similar to the real life psychiatrists who they have referred to, so they really did their research. Overall, I think this is a good court thriller.

My Indian Boyfriend (2021)

Laudable first effort

[27 October 2022]

This film terms the story of a young man of Indian heritage, who lives in Hong Kong. He falls in love with a beautiful local woman, and they weave through the intricacies of cultural differences along the way.

"My Indian Boyfriend" was marketed as the first Hong Kong Bollywood film, so I had high expectations for it. There was really only one Bollywood dance scene, and the rest was a romantic comedy. I find it applaudable that the filmmakers decided to make this unique film. It is a very good idea to bridge the local Chinese and the Indian community. However, it appears that the story focuses too much on cultural differences. There is far too much racism for me to feel comfortable. The pacing can be a lot tighter too. Overall, it is a laudable first effort, and I hope the second effort will be even better.

Black Adam (2022)

Becoming closer to what people expect

[26 October 2022]

This film tells the origin of a new superhero, called Black Adam.

"Black Adam" is visually very good. The computer effects are very detailed, and look very real. I find myself marvelling at the visual effects. Story wise, I think it is an adequately entertaining and captivating story. However, there is one thing that I find the story a little weak, which is the fact that the good guys and the bad guys are not clearly delineated say first. In fact, I find it confusing who the good guys and who the bad guys are. I even thought there's a switch from good to bad, and vice versa two times in the film. If this can be clearly defined, I would have enjoyed it even more. This film is becoming closer to what people expect in a superhero film nowadays!

Amsterdam (2022)

Star-studded

[7 October 2022]

"Amsterdam" is a star-studded film, in which it tells the story of a veteran and a lawyer who gets involved in the mysterious death of a high class man.

The production is very good, as the sets are beautiful, and every scene is well composed. It is clear that there is a lot of thought going into the production, as the sets, costumes, and the atmosphere are all rather convincing. However, the story really drags on, and the film feels a lot longer than it needs to be. Even though it is a pleasure to watch so many of my favouiite stars all at once in the same film, it does get tiring. If it could be more tightly edited, it would have been even better.

Table for Six (2022)

Fun and hilarious

[1 October 2022]

This film is about a man who lives with his two younger brother. One day, one of his brothers take a girlfriend home for dinner, and this girlfriend happens to be his ex-girlfriend.

The story of "Table for Six" is really fun and hilarious. It made the cinema viewers laughed very hard, and it created such a joyful atmosphere. Towards the end, there is a lot of emotional elements involving multiple characters, which I find understandable to give the story more depth, but ultimately slightly forced. Overall, I really enjoyed watching this comedy, and I would not hesitate to recommend this to my friends.

Beast (I) (2022)

Intense but not engaging

[2 September 2022]

This film, entitled "Beast", tells the story of a father bringing his two young daughters to a safari in Africa, where they inadvertently fall into much danger.

There is much intensity in the film, as there are many close encounters with fierce creatures that will make you on the edge of screaming. However, these dangers are based on a series of unwise decisions by the characters, which is annoying every time it happens. Despite the intensity, it is not engaging. I find myself looking at the clock many times, almost very five minutes, hoping for it to reach the ending as soon as possible. . .

Warriors of Future (2022)

Achieves high standard

[29 August 2022]

This film is about a time in the near future, when humans have to fight against an alien creature called Pandora.

The story is tense throughout, and there is little down time. The story is pretty good, and the visual effects are convincing. The leads Louis Koo and Carina Lau are good. Though I find the little girl a little contrived and annoying, as she repeats the same line over and over. I understand why she is placed in the film, but I don't find it very effective in driving emotions of the plot. I must say that I watched three Hong Kong films back to back, and I was impressed by all three. It is pleasing to see that a Hong Kong film achieves such high standard!

Chilli Laugh Story (2022)

Enjoyable

[19 August 2022]

This film tells the story of a family, who found a business opportunity during the pandemic by making chilli sauce.

It is a light hearted comedy, and it made me laugh hard several times. What I like about this film is that, apart from the funny jokes, it also contains emotional elements that touches heart strings. I enjoyed it a lot.

Mama's Affair (2022)

Hong Kong films are getting better and better

[18 August 2022]

This story tells the story of a mother, her son, and another young man who go through their own personal struggles. The emotions are beautifully portrayed. The visuals are consistently good as well, with great camera work and lighting. There could be tighter editing, as some scenes seem to linger on for a bit too long. Overall, I think this film will touch heart strings. Hong Kong films are getting better and better!

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Good second half

[11 July 2022]

This film tells the story of Thor and his team fighting a villain that is determined to destroy the heavenly world.

The first half tries very hard to be funny, but I don't find it funny. The jokes are predictable and stale. In the second half, when Thor is mostly wearing his superhero cape, the film gets a lot more interesting and captivating. I actually wish that the first few scenes are cut, as they are really the weakest link.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Fantastic visuals and captivating story

[4 May 2022]

This film really has fantastic visual effects. The story is very good too, because it has got touching elements of family and love. The story also contains many surprises, and a few laughs too. I enjoyed this captivating journey right from the beginning to the end.

Last Looks (I) (2021)

Too unlikely

[22 February 2022]

I like Charlie Hunnum, and the film looks promising as a mystery film. However, the dialogues are unlikely, the characters are unlikely, the events are unlikely. Everything about this film is so far fetched that I lost interest in it.

Last Words (II) (2020)

Don't know what it was about

[21 February 2022]

I honestly don't know what "Last Words" was about. There's no story, and nothing much happens. I watched it at three times the speed and was still thoroughly bored by the slow pacing.

Last Train to Christmas (2021)

If it wasn't a Christmas film

[21 February 2022]

"Last Train to Christmas" has an interesting concept, but it is far too sad and grim to be a Christmas film. It focuses on past regrets and mistaken decisions. The further the plot goes, the sadder it becomes. If it wasn't a Christmas film, it would have worked.

Drive My Car (2021)

Unveiled eventually

[21 February 2022]

"Drive My Car" is a slow moving story, but it glides effortlessly that you would not think it is too long or too slow. Events are unveiled eventually in good time. The characters draw you in as well.

The Lost Daughter (2021)

Lost me

[20 February 2022]

"The Lost Daughter" is about a university professor who goes on a holiday in Greece. We then see the present and the past alternately, and we have to guess what happened to her. To be honest, I didn't manage to guess what happened, so I'm lost and confused.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021)

Charismatic characters

[20 February 2022]

"The Eyes of Tammy Faye" shows two charismatic characters, who are perfect for TV hosts. However, the story isn't so strong, and lots of things remain unexplained or are unconvincing. Overall, I still like the film.

Nightmare Alley (2021)

Engrossing

[20 February 2022]

"Nightmare Alley" has an engrossing story. I had no idea what would happen next. There presence of a lot of famous actors and actresses is definitely a bonus draw as well.

Licorice Pizza (2021)

Not intriguing

[20 February 2022]

"Licorice Pizza" tells a meandering journey of two young lovebirds. Things happen in the film, but I don't find the events of the plot intriguing or interesting. I honestly was bored by it.