Freddy's Cine It

Plot Summary: Set in a future where the sun is dying, humanity builds enormous engines to propel Earth out of the solar system toward a new star. When Earth passes Jupiter, a gravitational spike threatens the planet, and a group of heroes must race against time to restart a failed engine and save humanity from extinction. Director: Frant Gwo Screenplay: Gong Geer, Frant Gwo, Junce Ye, Yan Dongxu, Yang Zhixue, Ruchang Ye (based on the novella by Liu Cixin) Music: Roc Chen, Liu Tao Cinematography: Michael Liu Starring: Qu Chuxiao as Liu Qi Li Guangjie as Wang Lei Ng Man-tat as Han Zi'ang Zhao Jinmai as Han Duoduo Wu Jing as Liu Peiqiang   ***SPOILER ALERT*** A Belated Promise and a Grand Premise A few months ago, I promised my friends on the Chinese social media app Red Note that I'd review some Chinese movies. Unlike other platforms whe...

Plot Summary: Set against the vibrant and chaotic backdrop of Oakland, California, in 1987, Freaky Tales weaves together four interconnected stories inspired by the city's culture from that era. Narrated by Oakland rap legend Too Short, the film unfolds over a single day and night, following a diverse group of characters on a collision course. Directors: Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden Screenplay: Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden Music: Raphael Saadiq Cinematography: Jac Fitzgerald Starring: Pedro Pascal as Clint Ben Mendelsohn as The Guy Jay Ellis as Sleepy Floyd Dominique Thorne as Barbie Normani as Entice   ***SPOILER ALERT*** Dude, I Think I'm Too Old For This So I decided to check out a popular new movie, and dude... I think I'm too old for this sh**. The film is set in 1987 and uses all the camera tricks and cinematography to go for that '...

Plot Summary: An improv comedy teacher (Bryce Dallas Howard) and two of her students (Orlando Bloom, Nick Mohammed) are recruited by a corrupt cop (Sean Bean) to go undercover. They infiltrate London's criminal world, using their acting skills to catch a gang, only to find themselves deeper in danger and needing to improvise their way out. Director: Tom Kingsley Screenplay: Colin Trevorrow, Derek Connolly, Ben Ashenden, Alexander Owen Producers: Colin Trevorrow, Walter F. Parkes, Laurie MacDonald Music: Daniel Pemberton Cinematography: Will Hanke Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard as Kat Boyles Orlando Bloom as Marlon Swift Nick Mohammed as Hugh Sean Bean as DS Graham Billings Paddy Considine as Fly Ian McShane as Metcalfe Sonoya Mizuno as Shosh Studio / Distributor: Metronome Film Company, Parkes+MacDonald Image Nation / Amazon Prime Video ...

Plot Summary: Set in 16th-century England, Crossed Swords tells the classic tale of Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper. A young prince, Edward VI, and a pauper, Tom Canty, swap lives, leading to comedic and dramatic misunderstandings. With the help of the noble Miles Hendon, Edward struggles to reclaim his throne while gaining a deeper understanding of the common people. Director: Richard Fleischer Producers: Pierre Spengler, Ilya Salkind Screenplay: Berta Domínguez D., Pierre Spengler Starring: Mark Lester as Edward VI / Tom Canty Oliver Reed as Miles Hendon Charlton Heston as King Henry VIII Raquel Welch as Edith Ernest Borgnine as John Canty George C. Scott as Ruffler   ***SPOILER ALERT*** Introducing Crossed Swords Today, we take a little break from exploring Frank Oz’s filmography to dive into Crossed Swords (also known a...

Plot Summary: The film follows Sayan, a talented student and boxer in Almaty, Kazakhstan, during the post-Soviet 1990s. Drawn into the criminal underworld, Sayan rises through the ranks as an extortionist, facing tough decisions and moral dilemmas. The film portrays his journey through violence, betrayal, and the harsh realities of life in a lawless environment. Director: Akan Satayev Screenplay: Timur Zhaksylykov Starring: Sayat Isembayev as Sayan Murat Bisembin as Ruslan Zhan Baizhanbayev as Jan Saken Aminov as Aman   ***SPOILER ALERT*** First Impressions and Setting Second movie of the week, and now we are finally in Kazakhstan. This movie also starts with a newborn baby crying—what's up with that? My initial thoughts were that this felt like a Guy Ritchie-style film, but without the plot complexities. I'm a sucker for those stylish shots and quick montages that seamlessly transi...

Director: Yoshihiro Nakamura Producers: Tokyo Broadcasting System, Toho, others Screenplay: Ryo Wada (novel), Yoshihiro Nakamura Starring: Satoshi Ohno as Mumon Satomi Ishihara as Okuni Ryohei Suzuki as Heibee Shimoyama Yusuke Iseya as Daizen Heki Yuri Chinen as Nobukatsu Oda Music: Yu Takami Cinematography:   Daisuke Soma Editing: [Editor Info Not Available] Release Date: July 1, 2017 (Japan) Running Time: 125 minutes Language: Japanese   ***SPOILER ALERT*** A Journey to the 16th Century Land of Stealth For my last movie of the week, I traveled to the 16th-century land of stealth, the Iga Province in Japan, through the captivating film "Mumon: The Land of Stealth." I learned a lot about ninjas after watching this movie. I had no idea that ninjas playe...

Director: Yoshihiro Nakamura Producers: Yasushi Udagawa, Hitoshi Endo Screenplay: Yoshihiro Nakamura, Tamio Hayashi Starring: Kengo Gora as Goro (Vocalist) Kiyohiko Shibukawaas - (Drummer) Toshimitsu Okawa as Ryoji (Guitar) Atsushi Itō as Shigeki (Bass) Mikako Tabe as Masami (Student girl) Gaku Hamada as Masashi (Driver) Kenjiro Ishimaru as Taniguchi (Cult leader) Music: Kazuyoshi Saito Cinematography: Takashi Komatsu Editing: Yoshihiro Nakamura Release Date: March 20, 2009 (Japan) Running Time: 112 minutes Language: Japanese   ***SPOILER ALERT*** Fish Story: A Love Letter to an Underrated Gem Here I am, after my third watch of Fish Story. A movie that I absolutely love and always lingers in my mind after watching it. I haven't come h...

Director: Luc Besson Producers: Luc Besson, Virginie Besson-Silla Screenplay: Luc Besson Starring: Caleb Landry Jones as Douglas "Doug" Munny Jojo T. Gibbs as Detective Munny Marisa Berenson as Marie Munny Clemens Schick as Emile Grace Palma as Young Doug Music: Éric Serra Cinematography: Colin Wanders Editing: Julien Rey Release Date: September 1, 2023 (Venice), October 6, 2023 (France) Running Time: 123 minutes Language: English   ***SPOILER ALERT*** Dogman: Luc Besson's Latest Misfire Let's start with a quick mention of Anna, which I decided to skip because I had already seen it on TV and it sucked. It felt like a rehash of Nikita set in Russia with bad accents. Helen Mirren’s performance was a particular disappointment. And finally, w...