You may have noticed that I wrote about a lot of sci-fi movies on this site, be it Blade Runner or Alita: Battle Angel. And that is because sci-fi in my favourite genre in all of cinema. From Cyberpunk dystopian cities of the future to space ship battles above alien planets, sci-fi is a genre of unlimited possibilities and a wild frontier for imagination to roam free with all inspiring stories, mysterious alien creatures, or a reflection on humanity, sci-fi is, in my opinion, the best and most interesting genre in films and televisions. And so today, I will be listed my top 10 most favourite sci-fi films ever… of all time.

10. District 9

When an extra-terrestrial race takes refuge on Earth in a terrible slum-like condition in South Africa, crimes and terrors spread throughout the city as many groups try to take advantage of the aliens that just wanted to go home. District 9 is an alien movie like you’d never expect with its focus on racial and cultural differences, the refugee crisis, and humanitarian efforts that cause more harm than good.

9. Edge of Tomorrow

Based on a Japanese manga “All You Need Is Kill”, this is a story about an alien invasion and humanity’s failing effort in stopping the onslaught. When one man gained the ability to rewind time and repeat the same day over and over, he needs to die repeatedly in order to find a way to beat the overwhelming odds.

8. The Thing

In this John Carpenter’s classic horror film, a research team in Antartica faces a terrifying horror abomination when they discovered an alien creature long asleep underneath the frozen ground that will become their tomb.

7. Inception

This famous Nolan film should be familiar to any sci-fi lovers. The concept of incepting an idea in someone’s mind through their dreams is very surreal and as our group of criminals go deeper and deeper into their dreams, things started to go wrong.

6. Alita: Battle Angel

This movie just came out not long ago but it already earned a spot in my top 10 list. I fell in love with the world and the character of this manga-based Cyberpunk film immediately, especially the adorable yet fearsome Alita. You seriously need to go watch this film! It’s really not getting as much attention as it deserved.

5. Star Wars – The Entire Thing

Anyone who knows me maybe thinking why Star Wars is only at number five? After all, I own more Star Wars merchandise than anything else, half my clothes are Star Wars and I know everything about this mystical sci-fi fantasy universe. But one thing about Star Wars is that it’s very basic and easy to understand. It’s a mainstream thing. Don’t get me wrong, I love Star Wars to death and you’ve probably never met anyone as crazy about Star Wars as me but the next “four” films are masterpieces of the sci-fi genre.

4. Interstellar

Another Nolan film on this list. Interstellar is a cinematic masterpiece. Its depiction of space travel on humanity’s journey to find a new home, leaving the dying Earth behind is unrivalled by any sci-fi film (save for one) in its realistic and scientific accuracy. Interstellar is an awesome ride from the beginning to the end that will keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through. Tears will be shed.

3. Alien

Alien, to this day, is still THE best sci-fi horror film ever of all time. With the creepy atmosphere of the Nostromo and the terrifying Xenomorph lurking through the shadows, this movie holds up surprisingly well in its horror elements, this movie is terrifying and will make you look over your shoulder as you watch Ripley tries to fight off this Alien monstrosity. The sequel, Aliens, is very good too. It’s so good that only two movies exist in this franchise. There’s no such this as Alien 3 or Alien Resurrection at all.

2. 2001: A Space Odyssey

A cult classic masterpiece and the movie that pioneered the entire genre. 2001 is a movie like no other. It’s more than a movie, it is art. It’s symbolism, the messages it tells. This is not only one of the great Stanley Kubrick greatest work. It’s one of the best films ever in any genre, not just sci-fi. Be warned though, you’ll be in on a strange, mind-boggling ride.

1. Blade Runner & Blade Runner 2049

I cheated a bit with this one but since it’s two movies in the same franchise with a connected story, it’d be a crime to have Blade Runner without its great sequel Blade Runner 2049. These two films are the pinnacle of the sci-fi genre. The dystopian world of Cyberpunk LA is unmatched in its beauty and detail and the films’ story asking the question of what it means to be human is never done better. Everything in these two films is perfection, from the soundtrack to the visual, the characters to the environment. There are no better sci-fi films than Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049

 

 

 

 

“Avengers Assemble!”

 

And so the long-awaited conclusion to one of the longest and largest storylines in cinema history is now in theatre today. Avengers: Endgame is the last film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s “The Infinity Saga” that was more than ten years in the making, starting from the first Iron Man film in 2008. Normally, I’d do a spoiler-free review of movies but I feel that the sheer epicness and scale of this 3 hours long cinematic phenomenon deserved to be discussed appropriately. And so this review will contain some spoilers for any who haven’t watch Endgame yet but I’ll try to keep it at a minimal but I’m going to be talking about some important plot points of the film so you’re warned. From here on out is the uncharted territory, if you haven’t watched the movie yet, get out of here right now and go to your nearest theatre and hope to god that there are still seats left.

Act 1 – The Aftermath of Infinity War

Endgame opens up during the event of Infinity War with Clint Barton aka Hawkeye spending time with his family normally, completely unaware of the events that were happening in Wakanda and Titan. Then The Snap happened and in one turn of his head, Clint lost family as they turned to dust and wither away. This scene shows the shock and confusion, and sadness that happened immediately after the tragic end of Infinity War perfectly and it is a great and emotional start that would set the tone for much of the movie, going forward.

Fast forward 22 days later as the Avengers are reunited on Earth. Still overwhelmed with grieves, their failure affected our heroes in different ways but nonetheless, they still find the strength to take the fight back to Thanos, who has chosen to live a peaceful and quiet life, farming away on an unknown planet. After the Avengers confronted the Mad Titan and learned that the Infinity Stones were destroyed and there’s no way to bring back the fallen. In a mad rush of anger and frustration, Thor, who blamed himself for what happened, cut off Thanos head, killing the Titan so easily in what is quite possibly one of the most unexpected and shocking plot twists of all time. Not even 20 minutes into the 3 hours film and the main villain is already dead.

Act 2 – The Unexpected Hope

Five years later, the world and the universe is still in disarray as some people still mourn and struggle to recover from the great loss. Some people have moved on but some don’t. With all hope seemed lost, the Avengers are scattered, with each person trying to cope with their loss in different ways. Everything felt grim and dark. That is until Ant-Man return from the Quantum Realm, with the help of one heroic rat, and presents Captain America with a new hope that WAS my main gripe with the movie. Time travel. I can’t help but groan at this so overused trope of science fiction. Time travelling to me is a cheap and cliché plot point that makes everything laughable and yet confusing.

However, I’d later realised that Endgame is one of those rare movies that did time travel right, but that is for another time. Now let’s cue the nostalgia trip as our heroes travel back in time to events in their past to recover the Infinity Stones before they’re destroyed, in order bring back everybody who was snapped. Our heroes travelled to many events in the MCU timeline that would bring back good memory to many fans, all these moments are filled with jokes and joy that contrasts with the first act of the movie, but they do give off a sense of hope. Hope that this is going to work and that our hero will succeed. But the fun and joy fade away quite fast as sacrifices were made, and we realised that the threat of Thanos is far from dead.

Act 3 – The Endgame

The Avengers came back to present time, succeed in collecting the Infinity Stones, but like they say, nothing comes with a cost. They assembled a new Infinity Gauntlet and used it to bring back everyone who was dusted. A moment of happiness came after but it would be short-lived when they realised that something followed them to the present. Thanos from the past attacked the Avengers. In the desperate fight for survival, all hope seems lost as the Mad Titan overwhelm our heroes. But then the light shined on our heroes once more as the Avengers assembled for the one final fight against Thanos and the Black Order, in an epic Lord-of-the-Rings-like battle, that is one of the most intense and heart-pounding moments in film history. Seeing the Asgardians, the Wakandan warriors, and the Masters of the Mystic Arts fought alongside the fully assembled Avengers and Guardians of The Galaxy against Thanos, the Black Order and the Chitauri was one of, if not the most, jaw-dropping moments I’ve ever experienced. I, like my friends beside me, couldn’t do anything but say “Holy shit” quietly as feel watch the battle unfold in front of our eyes.

And then comes the end of the movie, which I will not talk about any further than that it is a warm and sweet end to this saga with both tears, joy, and a great conclusion to many stories that were told throughout the years of the MCU. It is a fitting end of an era and a great look toward the future. This is the end of The Infinity Saga and it was a great and long ride full of joy, laughter, and tears.

 

“Just say the word.”

So let’s get the important thing out of the way real quick. Shazam! is sooo good! David F. Sandberg hits it out of the park with this one and I don’t think it could have been done more perfectly. DC has been trying to break its curse of terrible superheroes film for a while and they definitely succeed with this one. The original Captain Marvel is finally on the silver screen and everything about it is just great. The story, the characters, the goofiness, this is what every fan of Shazam has been waiting for.

The Story

The story of Billy Batson, a 14 years-old orphan who suddenly receives a magical superpower from an ancient wizard may sound daft and stupid but this is what Shazam is and the film adapted the source material perfectly. Shazam!, unlike most other DCEU films that attempted and failed at telling dark and gritty stories, it embraced its root and style perfectly. Shazam! is funny, stupid, and lighthearted, and basically what I’ve wanted and expected from this big screen adaptation of one of the most beloved yet underrated characters from the comics.

The Characters

Billy Batson/Shazam is played Asher Angel as the young Billy Batson, and Zachary Levi as the charming superhero Shazam, and both of did great justice to their shared character and more. Asher IS Billy Batson, and Zachary is amazing as Shazam, he’s charismatic, he’s funny, and he perfectly embodied this strong, goofy superhero with a mind of a 14 years-old boy. Nobody could play Shazam as good as Asher Angel and Zachary Levi.

The villain, Dr.Thaddeus Sivana, played by Mark Strong, is also great. Being an archenemy of Shazam from the comic. Dr.Sivana is intimidating, scary, and overall a great challenge for Shazam, especially with his seven deadly sins demon buddies. Sure, he’s no Black Adam, but he’s definitely a great villain for Billy Batson’s first real fight.

The Verdict

Shazam! is a great fun time that I definitely recommend you go see in theatre right now. It’s funny, it’s charming and it’s everything the fans of Captain Marvel have been waiting for. Seriously, just go watch it. DCEU is definitely making a comeback with Wonder Woman and Aquaman, but Shazam! is the real deal and it’s what shows that there’s still hope for the future of the DC superheroes franchise going forward. This is what DC should’ve gone with from the start. A faithful comic book adaptation of beloved characters.

 

2018 was a great year for the movie industry. With many big blockbusters, great animations, and heartwarming dramas, there are a lot of choices for “movie of the year” for everybody. Here’s my list for ten of my most favourite movies released last year.

10. Solo: A Star Wars Story

This spin-off movie is the story of the legendary Han Solo back when he is still getting started in the criminal business of the galaxy. Even though this spin-off is nothing special, it was a fun and very enjoyable side story that gave a breath of fresh air to the franchise. For a Star Wars fan, it may not be a “much watch” but I highly recommend it.

9. Deadpool 2

The merc-with-a-mouth is back in his sequel, and this time the time-travelling maniac Cable is coming after him. What can I say? It’s Deadpool so expect a lot of nasty swear words, tears of laughter. And blood. Lots of blood.

8. Mission: Impossible – Fallout

Tom Cruise is back in the sixth entry of the longrunning Mission: Impossible franchise as the badass Ethan Hunt. Of course, being a Mission: Impossible film, Hunt is once again tasked with saving the world but this time, he’s been betrayed. Like every other entries before, Fallout is another great action blockbuster film that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

7. Ready Player One

Based on a bestselling Sci-Fi novel by Ernest Cline, Ready Player One is a must watch for every geeks, gamers, and pop culture lovers. The amount of easter eggs and references in this movie is insane, and even if you don’t care much for the story (which isn’t half-bad btw) it is a lot of fun to just sit there and see how many references you can spot, and it’s sure to make you feel nostalgic. Plus, there’s something special for Stanley Kubrick fans.

6. First Man

A Biopic starring the charming Ryan Gosling as the legendary Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon. This movie explores the sacrifices made by Neil during his journey on one of the most dangerous space mission in history

5. Avengers: Infinity War

The long awaited movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you’d have to be living under a rock at the bottom of the ocean to not know about this one. The heroes on the MCU joined forces together for the first time to battle the mad titan Thanos in an effort to stop his quest to remove half of all life from the galaxy. Iron Man, Spider-Man, Black Panther, The Hulk, The Guardians of The Galaxy, everyone (except two), appears on-screen together for the first time to fight for the survival of the universe, and *SPOILER- let me tell you, the ending will not make you feel so good.

4. The Incredibles 2

We’ve waited 14 years for this sequel, and it does not disappoint. Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl is back once again to fight new villains and uncover a plot to eliminate all superheroes, but this time, they need to do it as a family. With the help of their kids, Violet, Dash, and Jack-Jack, The Incredibles must defeat the supervillains mastermind and gain people’s trust in Superheroes once again.

3. Isle of Dogs

Wes Anderson’s genius mind and big star casts is back at work once again for this beautiful stop-motion animation. This is the story of Atari, a Japanese boy in search of his lost dog on a Trash Island after all dogs been exiled there. Recruiting the help of five four-legged companions, Chief, Rex, King, Duke, and Boss. They must journey through the isle of dogs to find Spots, the first dog on the island.

2. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

This comic-styled animation is a masterpiece (I’m a big Spider-Man fanboy, so I may be biased.) Spider-Verse tells the story of the Mile Morales and his journey to become the next Spider-Man, after the tragic death of Peter Parker. With the help Spider-People from other Spider universes, namely Peter B. Parker, Spider-Gwen, Spider-Noir, Peni Parker, and Spider-Ham, Miles must learn to handle his new great powers and the great responsibility that comes with it, and help the Spider-People get back to there universe before it’s too late.

 

1. Bohemian Rhapsody

If there’s anything I’m a bigger fan of than Spider-Man, then it’s Queen. And it should be no surprise for the people that know me that this is my favourite movie of 2018. Bohemian Rhapsody tells the life story of the legendary Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the legendary band Queen, and their struggles and successes on their journey to become the number one band in the world. But also the darker side of the band and Freddie himself as he dealt with his sexual identity and his life after he contracted AIDS. And although there are some little inaccuracies to the real events, made in favor on the movie, because this heart warming, tears jerking, and hard rocking biopic is a spectacle, especially Rami Malek powerful performance as Freddie Mercury, with every mannerism and every movement, faithful to the man himself, this movie fulfils my long time regret of never being able to see Queen live on stage. Plus the more people listening to Queen, the better, in my book.

Written by Krongfah Mahankalarp, writer at Day X Productions

“There Was A Time When The World Asked Ordinary Men To Do Extraordinary Things.”

Band of Brothers is a 2001 war drama miniseries produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. Based on the book of the same name by Stephen E. Ambrose (1992), it tells the story of the real events of World War 2, following the men of “Easy” Company, US paratroopers, and their stories from their training through their involvement in Europe against Nazi Germany, up until the end of the war.

The (Real) Story and (Real) Characters

Over the course of ten episodes, we follow in the footsteps of “Easy” Company,  , 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, of the 101st Airborne Division, from their basic training at Camp Toccoa, Georgia, USA, to the airborne landings in Normandy, France, the infamous Operation Market Garden, in Holland, the cold winter siege at Bastogne, Belgium, and the unit’s capture of the infamous Kehlsteinhaus, Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest, in Berchtesgaden, Germany, up until the Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II. The story mainly revolves around Major Richard Winters and the real men of Easy Company who fought and lost the lives during the war, and through these events, we learn of these men’s experience and hardship. Their struggles, both physical and mental, that they must overcome, and ultimately, their strong bonds that would forged them into this Band of Brothers.

Made in the same gritty, war story style as Saving Private Ryan, this TV show’s quality surpass even that of a Hollywood Blockbuster, and with the cast of characters that can only be explored with justice in a TV series, Band of Brothers sets a benchmark for great Television that has never been topped since. This is one of the best miniseries that has ever been made.

 

Written by Krongfah Mahankalarp, Writer at Day X Productions

“Back in the 90’s…”

BoJack Horseman is a Netflix Orignal adult drama-comedy animation created by Raphael Bob-Waksberg. First premiered on Netflix in 2014 it stars Will Arnett as BoJack Horseman, along with Amy Sedaris, Alison Brie, Paul F. Tompkins, and Aaron Paul. It currently has five seasons, and has recently been renewed for a sixth season.

The Story

BoJack Horseman is set in a semi-alternate world of Hollywoo(d) where humans and two legged humanoid animals live together. BoJack Horseman (Will Arnett), a washed up alcoholic horse who once starred in a famous 90’s sitcom, Horsing Around, seeks to spark his life into relevance once again with a warts-and-all biography with the help of his human ghostwriter Diane Nyugen (Alison Brie). Tagged along for the adventure is his human slacker friend Todd Chavez (Aaron Paul), his pink persian cat agent Princess Carolyn (Amy Sedaris), and his self-imposed doggy bestfriend/rival Mr. Peanutbutter.

But don’t let the colourful (literally) and wacky cast of characters fool you. The story of BoJack Horseman is dark and dirty, with each characters having to deal with their own very real problems.  Depression, addiction, self-destructive behavior, are only a few examples. Even though the show is filled with colourful animals, it is very much about the human experience. But even though the woods is dark and scary, there is always a light shining through the leaves, and as Todd Chavez would say “the only way out is through.”

The Theme

Even with it satirical take on the world of Hollywoo(d), making fun of ridiculousness the show business left and right. The main theme of BoJack Horseman is about the human experience. The characters are dealing with their own problems, be it depression, alcoholism, marriage issues, or even self-loath. This is what makes this show great, because even with their colourful and funny outside, everyone is broken in their own ways.

This show, in the writer’s opinion, is one of the best thing Netflix has to offer right now. Do not write it off as a stupid adult comedy show because BoJack Horseman is anything but that.

I especially recommend it for people who may have deal with some of these issues. I can’t guarantee you that it will cure your depression, but it will help you, like it helped me.

Written by Krongfah Mahankalarp, writer at Day X Productions