The Greatest Showman (2017)

Synopsis   

Inspired by the imagination of Phineas Taylor Barnum, The Greatest Showman is an original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.  

The life and work of Phineas Taylor Barnum get Broadway razzle-dazzle and sentiment in this occasionally rousing, visually smooth, emotionally diluted musical, set in nineteenth-century New York. 
 

Phineas Taylor (Hugh Jackman), a tailor’s son, and Charity Hallett (Michelle Williams), a socialite’s daughter, are unlikely childhood friends who marry. They have two daughters and are poor and happy, but Phineas Taylor has big dreams, and he borrows and schemes to realize them. His circus displays human curiosities who are callously called freaks by his critics (including a snooty theatre reviewer, played by Paul Sparks) but whose humanity and dignity his show brings to light. The impresario’s confrontations with public hostility, financial difficulties, and romantic misunderstandings form the core of the plot, but another crucial strand involves his high-society business partner, the playwright Phillip Carlyle (Zac Efron), who defies his own family and the conventions of the time by pursuing a romantic relationship with one of the company’s trapeze artists, Anne Wheeler (Zendaya), a black woman. (What Anne’s brother, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, thinks of the relationship is never specified.) The director, Michael Gracey, delivers quick doses of excitement in splashy scenes but has little feel for the choreographic action, offers scant historical substance, and displays slender dramatic insight.  

Barnum was a fascinating and complex individual, a man who championed abolitionism and served as a reasonably competent politician in his later years but made his fortune through schemes that mislead paying audiences about what he was displaying and exploited the physical difference of so-called “freaks.” He was a philanthropist who always insisted on making a buck off of his charitable works if possible, a huckster who was beloved by those who knew him well, a charlatan entertainer who tried to debunk spiritualists and others whose deceptions he considered morally worse than his own. 

Downsizing (2017)

Synopsis  

A social satire in which a guy realizes he would have a better life if he were to shrink himself. 

When scientists discover how to shrink humans to five inches tall as a solution to over-population, Paul (Matt Damon) and his wife Audrey (Kristen Wiig) decide to abandon their stressed lives in order to get small and move to a new downsized community - a choice that triggers life-changing adventures.  

The greatest science fiction stories generally start with a single, significant change to the world, then consider what other changes would follow. Ambitious science fiction considers radical changes to culture and humanity, and possibly to the entire universe. The smaller-scale stuff might just consider how a hobby or an industry looks different with the advent of one new technology. Meanwhile, bad science fiction adds superficial changes to a familiar world, then loses track of those changes, and gets bogged down in familiar stories. There’s nothing more disappointing in the genre than a great idea that ends up buried under a mediocre story.  

Initially, Downsizing tracks the cultural, social, political, and environmental changes that come from such a vast technological shift. But before long, Payne and co-writer Jim Taylor narrow their focus considerably. As the film wears on, they get further and further from the ideas that make the whole conceit unique and exciting. Like the protagonist, the story shrinks down to a fraction of its size, and becomes much less interesting in the process.  
 

It’s the dullest route through a fascinating story. Downsizing is packed with familiar faces in small roles, including Margo Martindale, Don Lake, James Van Der Beek, and Niecy Nash. Neil Patrick Harris and Laura Dern are particular standouts as shills for Leisureland Estates, in a marvelously spry, wry scene that mimics an infomercial combined with a hotel room sales seminar. But it’s easy to feel that any one of these characters is living a more interesting life than Paul. He’s the boring eye at the center of a dynamic whirlwind, but as the film goes on, it focuses more and more on his limited emotional palate and straightforward, unnuanced reactions. It’s like watching a donkey follow whatever carrot is in front of him at any given moment. 

Pitch Perfect 3 (2017)

Synopsis  

The third film in the "Pitch Perfect" franchise that follows a team entering singing competitions, starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson and Brittany Snow in recurring roles. 

After the highs of winning the World Championships, the Bellas find themselves split apart and discovering there aren't job prospects for making music with your mouth. But when they get the chance to reunite for an overseas USO tour, this group of awesome nerds will come together to make some music, and some questionable decisions, one last time.   

An invitation to join a USO tour and perform in Spain, Italy and France provides just the contrivance to reunite the Bellas for one last hurrah and prolong their avoidance of adulthood.   

That's pretty much it concerning the flimsiness of the storyline that links one song to another. The numbers are lively as always, but with a sameness of energy and choreography that eventually makes them feel repetitive and numbing.

Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2017)

Synopsis 

In the epic finale to the Maze Runner saga, Thomas leads his group of escaped Gladers on their final and most dangerous mission yet. To save their friends, they must break into the legendary Last City, a WCKD-controlled labyrinth that may turn out to be the deadliest maze of all. Anyone who makes it out alive will get answers to the questions the Gladers have been asking since they first arrived in the maze.  

Insidious: The Last Key (2017)

Synopsis  

Taking place right after "Chapter 3", the movie goes back to Elise's beginnings, seeing her at a very different point in her life where her quest to find the person that has been haunting her begins.  

Parapsychologist Dr. Elise Rainier faces her most fearsome and personal haunting yet - in her own family home. 

 

Adam Robitel helms the fourth entry of the Insidious series, with Chapter 3 director Leigh Whannell providing the script, centering around parapsychologist Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) and her continued voyage into the "further". 

 

Parents need to know that Insidious: The Last Key is the fourth movie in the scary supernatural horror franchise. Like Insidious Chapter 3, this movie is also a prequel to Insidious and Insidious Chapter 2. It goes into the past of medium/parapsychology Dr. Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye). In this installment, she returns to her family's home to face her most terrifying haunting yet. Although this franchise is known for being lighter on violence and gore than most, it still has lots of disturbing imagery and jump scares and definitely isn't for younger kids. But older teen horror fans who can stomach this sort of psychological thriller will likely want to see it. 

  

It looks to deepen the series mythology by bringing the action to Elise’s childhood home, which seems to house its fair share of spooks who like to appear suddenly, often accompanied by a sting on the soundtrack. There’s even a brief appearance from that Darth Maul-esque demon from the first movie, which suggests that the series’ already tight continuity is about to get tighter. If you’re like me and feel weirdly invested in these characters, this is all fine and good! If you’re not like me and just want an excuse to munch popcorn and scream at ghosts…well, it looks like you’ll have a good time, too.

DESOLASI [BM] (2016)

Synopsis 

The story is about a teenager named Aiman who is seeking answers about his life. He is a painter who faces tests and suppositions to the extent where he is lost in his own life. Aiman has had problems crop up one after another to the point where he had a huge fight with his dad. One day, he realized that he is alone in this world. Shocked, Aiman starts searching answer for all his questions. 

Aiman is an artist who has a long list of problems and is looking for answers. Every day he loses the will to do anything as there are too many conflicts going on in his life, until one day, he gets into a huge fight with his father and wishes for a world where all of his troubles are gone. The next morning, he wakes up in a world where there is no human. Everything looks the same, the buildings, the roads, and the house he lives in - everything is there, but not a single human being is in sight. Though he is frantic at first, he then realises that now he can do anything that he wants. But things begin to change after he meets a mysterious woman who shows him the truth about his situation. 

Aiman, who deals with never-ending problems starts to wonder the judgment given by God which brings him to stuck in another dimension leading him being fully alone until he starts meeting a mysterious woman named Maya. 

Interchange (2016)

Synopsis 

"Interchange" follows a man named Adam, a forensics photographer who is dragged by his best friend, Detective Man, into an investigation of a series of macabre ritual murders in the city. Adam soon befriends Iva, a woman who is on a mission to rescue the souls of the people in her tribe that have been trapped inside a glass plate negative. The tribe`s spirit, played by Nicholas, takes on the form of a human in order to help Iva. 

A forensics photographer lured into a world of shamans and mystic creatures while helping his detective friend investigate a series of macabre murders. 

The film deals with a forensic photographer Adam (Iedil Putra) who has become a recluse. But another murder with eerie resemblances to that one has just taken place, and Detective Man (Shaheizy Sam) thinks that Adam may unwittingly have access to some answers. Photographs were found at the new crime scene, images in which Adam’s neighbour, Iva (Prisia Nasution), appears — but the pictures seem to have been taken many years before Iva was even born. There is a romance tied in with the rituals. 

Haunted by somber visions, forensics photographer Adam retreats from the world, staying home and taking photos of his neighbors until he is dragged into another investigation by his best friend, the detective Man, who asks his help to solve a series of macabre ritual murders. At the same time, Adam’s seemingly innocuous pastime soon turns darker when he spies Iva, a young woman from Borneo. Smitten by her, he is soon entangled in her web of mystery and murder. As Adam is dragged further into Iva’s tribal world and Man delves deeper into his investigation, they discover the city’s mystical underground of shamans and supernatural beings. 

The Disappointments Room (2016)

Synopsis 

Dana and David, along with their 5-year-old son, are looking for a fresh start. They move into a beautiful old home in a rural area and the house is everything they ever dreamed of. But things turn awry when Dana discovers a secret room in the attic. A series of weird events lead to her discovering the long lost key to the room. She accidentally unlocks it and releases a host of unimaginable horrors that reveal the terrifying past of the house, which is horrifyingly connected to her own past. 

A mother and her young son release unimaginable horrors from the attic of their rural dream home. 

In this psychological thriller from the director of Eagle Eye and Disturbia, Dana and David move from Brooklyn to a once-grand southern mansion with their 5 year old son looking for a fresh start. But Dana's discovery of a secret room unleashes unexplainable events that test her sanity and slowly reveal the home's terrifying past. 

Incarnate (2016)

Synopsis 

Wheelchair bound after an accident, Dr. Seth Ember is gifted with the ability to enter the minds of the possessed to exorcise them inside out. When the Vatican enlists him to exorcise a particularly troubled young boy, Ember is shocked to discover inside him the same evil spirit responsible for the death of his wife and child years before. 

A scientist with the ability to enter the subconscious minds of the possessed must save a young boy from the grips of a demon with powers never seen before, while facing the horrors of his past. 

A demon possesses the body of an innocent 11-year-old boy and although his parents have called in the best exorcists, they've all failed. That's when the Vatican enlists the help of wheelchair-bound Dr. Seth Ember (Aaron Eckhart), an "Incarnate" who is able to enter the subconscious minds of the possessed and evict the demons from inside of their minds. 

Once inside the boy's mind, the doctor is shocked to discover the same evil spirit who is responsible for the death of his own wife and child years before. As the demon inside the boy is the most powerful he's ever contacted, he's afraid that once he gets rid of the demon, the boy will die. 

Death Note: Light Up The New World [JAP] (2016)

Synopsis 

10 years have passed since the confrontation between Kira and L, and this time, six different Death Notes have fallen to the human world. The Death Note is a supernatural notebook that can grant its user the ability to kill anyone by the writing the person`s name on its pages. The world begins to fall into chaos as six is the maximum number of notes that can exist at once. Global mass murders caused by the Death Notes prompt world famous private investigator Ryuzaki, who is the rightful successor of L, to investigate. When a computer virus called Kira start spreading the message to turn in the six Death Notes, this started a confrontation between people who want to stop Kira and the person who wants its revival. 

The movie is probably one of the most anticipated live-action manga adaptations this year, especially since it’s the continuation of an insanely popular series 10 years ago. It leverages on the nostalgia of the original “Death Note” but adds a few new twists and updates, mainly to the level of technology, to account for how it interacts with the titular Death Notes. It’s more of the same, but lacks the spark that made the original so fascinating. 

Mass murders caused by the death note takes place on Wall Street in the U.S., Shibuya in Japan and other places. World famous private investigator Ryuzaki (Sosuke Ikematsu), who is the rightful successor of L, also investigates the mass murders. They discover that 6 death notes exist in the world. 

A computer virus called Kira spreads in the world. A message in the Kira virus says to turn in 6 death notes. 

Office Christmas Party (2016)

Synopsis 

When a company CEO tries to shut down her hard-partying brother`s branch, the brother, who is the branch manager, and his Chief Technical Officer rally their co-workers to host an epic Christmas party in the office. They do so in hopes to impress a big client in order to save their jobs but the gathering soon starts to get way out of hands. 

In "Office Christmas Party," when the CEO tries to close her hard-partying brother’s branch, he and his Chief Technical Officer must rally their co-workers and host an epic office Christmas party in an effort to impress a potential client and close a sale that will save their jobs. 

The movie is also more violent than many edgy comedies -- though, miraculously, no one gets seriously injured or killed. Guns are held to characters' heads, characters get in brawls, and there are scenes of mayhem, including a serious car accident. 

Moana (2016)

Synopsis 

A young woman uses her navigational talents to set sail for a fabled island. Joining her on the adventure is her hero, the legendary demigod Maui. 

Moana Waialiki is a sea voyaging enthusiast and the only daughter of a chief in a long line of navigators. When her island's fisherman can't catch any fish and the crops fail, she learns that the demigod Maui caused the blight by stealing the heart of the goddess Te Fiti. The only way to heal the island is to persuade Maui to return Te Fiti's heart, so Moana sets off on an epic journey across the Pacific. The film is based on stories from Polynesian mythology. 

Moana is a daughter of the chief of her tribe, Coming from a long line of navigators she sets off for a fabled island with her hero, the demi God Maui. Along the voyage they battle the treacherous ocean and all which it hides, all the while learning what the power love between friends can accomplish.

In Ancient Polynesia, when a terrible curse incurred by Maui reaches an impetuous Chieftain's daughter's island, she answers the Ocean's call to seek out the demigod to set things right. 

Young navigator Moana (voice of Auli'i Cravalho), the daughter of a Polynesian tribal chief, is chosen to find a precious artifact that could save her people. She teams with demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson) to locate a legendary island, and together the pair explore fantastical lands and encounter incredible sea creatures in this animated adventure from Disney. The film's soundtrack includes contributions from Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Tony and Grammy-winning creator of the popular stage musical Hamilton. 

Moana is admittedly a very predictable movie, but at its core it is one of the good animated films that will speak to children, mostly getting them asking themselves who they might be. Adults will also be engaged at the overall maturity of the storytelling, making it another Disney film for the whole family. Even the youngest of children will find themselves occupied, as the movie contains a supremely stupid rooster that gets into a lot of shenanigans making for a cheap laugh. 

UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS (2016)

Synopsis 

After regaining his memories, Michael searches for Selene and their daughter. Meanwhile, Vampires and Lycans have regained original forces to create a new species of half breeds created by Alexander Corvinus. 

Vampire death dealer, Selene (Kate Beckinsale) fights to end the eternal war between the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her. 

The next installment in the blockbuster franchise, UNDERWORLD: BLOOD WARS follows Vampire death dealer, Selene (Kate Beckinsale) as she fends off brutal attacks from both the Lycan clan and the Vampire faction that betrayed her. With her only allies, David (Theo James) and his father Thomas (Charles Dance), she must stop the eternal war between Lycans and Vampires, even if it means she has to make the ultimate sacrifice. 

The war between the Vampires and the Lycans wages on with the Lycans led by Marius are close to defeating the Vampires. He thinks if he can get the hybrid daughter of Vampire Death Dealer Selene, he blood will be the key to defeating the Vampires once and for all. But when they attempt to capture her, they fail and she tells one of them to tell Marius, she doesn't know where her daughter is; her daughter has cut ties with her. At the same time, Semira, Vampire Elder implores Thomas, another elder and father of David, Selene's ally to convince the Council of Elders to give Selene whom they deem a traitor, amnesty so that she could train new Death Dealers to deal with the Lycans. 

The story begins with a brief recap of events from the last four films where we learn that everyone's favourite vampire death dealer, Selena (once again fully embraced by the leather-clad, forever sulking Kate Beckinsale) has been betrayed and banished by her kind.