Sunday, June 08, 2025

[Ulasan Filem] John Wick mempersembahkan: Ballerina (2025) – Keroncong untuk Ana de Armas


Ballerina ialah spin-off dari dunia John Wick. Tapi jangan silap — ini bukan cerita sampingan. Ini bukan selingan. Ini perang. Dendam peribadi yang sejuk, senyap, dan diselubungi keanggunan maut.

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Eve: Bilah Pisau Dalam Tubuh

Eve jadi kejam sebab mahu balas dendam atas kematian ayahnya. Satu pekan jadi mangsa amuknya.

Dia dibawa masuk ke Ruska Roma oleh Winston, pengurus Hotel Continental yang tua, baik... dan licik. πŸ˜ƒ

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🌹 Ana de Armas — Kecantikan Yang Tahu Ia Adalah Senjata

Tak perlu pura-pura — Ana de Armas memang cantik. Tapi dalam Ballerina, kecantikan tu bukan sekadar hiasan. Ia sebahagian daripada ancaman.

Dia tak perlu jadi garang atau menjerit untuk nampak bahaya. Cukup pandangan mata, langkah senyap, dan gaya tenang — dia musnahkan dunia orang satu demi satu.

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πŸ”₯ Dragon’s Breath — Api Yang Menari Dengan Kematian

Ada satu babak yang sukar dilupakan — waktu Eve guna flamethrower Dragon’s Breath. Gun-fu dengan api menjulang.

Setiap gerakan terasa seperti koreografi dari neraka. Api, asap, dan tubuh jatuh satu demi satu. Antara babak paling ikonik dalam filem ini.

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πŸ‘‘ John Wick — Hantu Yang Membawa Aura Raja

Dan ya — dia muncul. John Wick sendiri.

Tak banyak cakap. Tak perlu. Bila dia masuk, dunia jadi senyap. Setiap geraknya seperti mitos yang hidup. Tak perlu pun aksi besar — cukup pandangan mata dan lenggok langkah. Dia tak datang untuk selamatkan sesiapa.

Tapi sekejap tu cukup untuk kita lepaskan rindu. Dan ingat — kenapa dunia ni wujud.

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☠️ Norman Reedus — Muncul Sekejap, Hilang Tanpa Bekas

Norman Reedus pun ada. Tapi malangnya... macam hiasan dinding.

Awal-awal nampak macam bakal jadi wildcard. Atau mentor pelik. Tapi tak. Dia muncul, cakap sikit, bertarung sekejap... dan hilang. Tak beri impak. Tak beri kesan. Cuma cameo yang wujud — sebab nama dia dikenali.

Tak teruk. Tapi tak cukup untuk diingati. Dalam dunia penuh wajah ikonik, watak ini macam asap — datang, hilang, senyap.

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πŸ•―️ Winston & Charon — Gaya Dalam Kekacauan

Ada adegan yang tak perlu letupan pun untuk jadi hebat — cukup sepasang sut elegan dan dialog yang tajam.

Winston (Ian McShane) dan Charon (mendiang Lance Reddick) kembali, ringkas tapi bergaya. Seperti biasa — tenang, kemas.

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Dunia Wick — Kini Berdarah Dari Dalam

High Table, Continental, sistem koin dan darah — semua masih ada. Tapi Ballerina menjadikan dunia ini terasa lebih peribadi. Lebih runtuh. Lebih sunyi.

ini bukan lagi cerita tentang sistem. Ini cerita tentang luka yang ditinggalkan oleh sistem itu. Dan pilihan hidup, nak Keluar atau stay, pintu depan sentiasa terbuka bak kata Jardani.

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portverdict: 8.5/10

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Let me be FRANK: Saya hanya datang untuk tonton John Wick dan Ana de Armas

............[Film Review] John Wick Presents: Ballerina (2025) – A Serenade for Ana de Armas

Ballerina is a spin-off from the John Wick universe. But make no mistake — this isn’t a side story. This isn’t a detour. This is war. A cold, quiet, and deadly war cloaked in elegance.

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Eve: A Blade Wrapped in Flesh

Eve turns ruthless for one reason — revenge for her father’s death. And an entire town becomes collateral damage.

She is taken into the Ruska Roma by Winston, the Hotel Continental manager — old, kind... and cunning. πŸ˜ƒ

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🌹 Ana de Armas — Beauty That Knows It's a Weapon

Let’s not pretend — Ana de Armas is stunning. But in Ballerina, her beauty isn’t just aesthetic. It’s part of the threat.

She doesn’t need to shout or look angry to seem dangerous. A single glance, a silent step, a calm presence — and entire worlds fall apart around her.

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πŸ”₯ Dragon’s Breath — Fire That Dances With Death

One scene burns itself into memory — Eve wielding the Dragon’s Breath flamethrower. Gun-fu with towering flames.

Every move feels like choreography from hell. Fire, smoke, and bodies fall one by one. One of the most iconic scenes in the film.

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πŸ‘‘ John Wick — A Ghost Carrying the Aura of a King

And yes — he appears. John Wick himself.

He doesn’t say much. Doesn’t need to. When he walks in, the world goes silent. Every move feels like living myth. No big action sequence needed — just a look, a stride. He’s not here to save anyone.

But that one brief moment? Enough to make us miss him. And remember — why this world exists.

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☠️ Norman Reedus — Brief Appearance, No Impact

Norman Reedus is in it. Sadly... like wall dΓ©cor.

At first, he seems like he could be a wildcard. A twisted mentor, maybe. But no. He appears, says a few lines, fights briefly... then vanishes. No impact. No weight. Just a cameo — because he’s a familiar name.

Not terrible. Just forgettable. In a world full of iconic faces, this one fades like smoke.

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πŸ•―️ Winston & Charon — Class in the Midst of Chaos

Some scenes don’t need explosions to impress — just fine suits and sharp dialogue.

Winston (Ian McShane) and Charon (the late Lance Reddick) return, brief but impactful. As always — calm, crisp, composed.

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The Wick World — Now Bleeding From Within

The High Table, the Continental, the gold coin-and-blood system — still there. But Ballerina makes this world feel more personal. More broken. More silent.

This is no longer about the system. It’s about the scars it leaves behind. And life choices — leave, or stay. The front door is always open, as Jardani once said.

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portverdict: 8.5/10

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Let me be FRANK: I only came to watch John Wick and Ana de Armas.

Saturday, June 07, 2025

How to Train Your Dragon (2025)

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πŸ‰ How to Train Your Dragon (2025) – The Dragon Lives Again, and So Does Our Humanity

I walked into the cinema expecting fireballs and flying creatures.
What I didn’t expect was to walk out feeling… understood.
Because beneath all the dragons and dazzling skies, this movie is really about learning to see — and accept — the ones we love.

And yes — Toothless, Nick Frost, Gerard Butler, and a quietly powerful Nico Parker all helped make that message land.

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πŸ›‘️ A Story About Connection, Not Just Fire and Flight

We follow Hiccup — a misfit Viking who’s told to destroy what he doesn’t understand.
Instead, he pauses.
He listens.
He dares to ask: “What if this dragon isn’t what we think?”

And that’s where the film’s heart lives:
In the choice to understand, not fear.
To connect, not conquer.
To grow with someone, not against them.

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⭐ Why It Deserves the Hype

1. Toothless = The Friend Who Doesn’t Speak, But Says Everything

With eyes full of wonder, fear, and affection — Toothless becomes more than a dragon.
He’s that quiet friend we all have.
The one who stays close, even when they don’t know how to say what they feel.
This film shows how powerful it is to simply sit with someone and learn their rhythm.

2. Berk Is Beautiful — But Its People Tell the Real Story

Yes, the landscapes are breathtaking.
But what hits hardest is watching an entire village learn how to change their minds.
How to listen to the younger generation.
How to let go of fear — together.

> The Dragon’s Lair in the final battle? So epic. Worth every second.

3. Hiccup Grows Through Empathy

Mason Thames plays Hiccup with a softness that works.
He’s not trying to be a hero.
He’s just trying to understand a creature everyone else gave up on.
And in doing so, he finds the strength to become himself.

4. Astrid = Loyalty and Strength

Astrid brings balance.
She challenges Hiccup when she needs to — but once she sees the truth, she stands beside him.
That kind of loyalty — built on real understanding — is rare.
And yes, she’s confident, sharp, and beautiful. (wink)
But what truly sticks is her clarity.

5. Nick Frost — Gentle Comic Relief

Nick Frost brings warmth and familiarity.
His character isn’t loud — but he adds humour and heart in just the right amounts.
The kind of friend who helps carry the emotional load, even when no one’s watching.

6. Gerard Butler — Legacy in a Voice

When Gerard Butler’s voice rumbles back in as Stoick, you feel it.
His presence reminds us: understanding someone doesn’t mean always agreeing — it means choosing to love them, even through fear.
There’s one moment (no spoilers)… where just his voice nearly broke me.

7. The Music = Empathy in Melody

John Powell’s score doesn’t just accompany the story — it deepens it.
The main theme feels like a conversation between two hearts slowly learning to trust.
When the music soars, it carries not just dragons — but emotional truth.

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🎬 What If We Understood Before We Judged?

More than a fantasy epic, this film is a reminder.
That sometimes, the people we fear are the ones who are hurting.
That some friendships don’t speak — they just stay.
And that growing up isn’t about winning…
It’s about listening. Understanding. Choosing love.

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🌟 Portverdict: 10/10

GO AND WATCH. RELIVE THE MEMORIES

…And if you find a dragon — be kind.


Tuesday, June 03, 2025

Lilo & Stitch (2025): Not Just a Copy — A Gentle, Sincere Tribute



I walked into the cinema with the highest hope — and a heart full of bias. You see, I’m a diehard fan of the original 2002 film. The kind who still remembers Lilo’s Elvis obsession, and that broken little ‘ohana’ held together with duct tape and raw emotion. So yes, I came in protective. Defensive. Ready to roll my eyes.

But somehow, Lilo & Stitch (2025) didn’t just win me over — it disarmed me. It didn’t try to outshine the original. Instead, it whispered to it. Nodded. Honoured it.

What we get here isn’t a perfect film, but it’s one made with surprising sincerity — and that alone already sets it apart from many hollow remakes chasing box office ghosts.

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Stitch 2.0 — Still Weird, Still Wonderful

Let’s get this out of the way: CGI Stitch is different. A bit uncanny, yes. But somehow it works. He’s not sanitized or overly “cute.” There’s still a spark of alien mischief, a wild energy beneath those big eyes. And Chris Sanders returning as his voice? Perfect. It’s not just nostalgia — it’s grounding. The soul of Stitch is still there, grunting, growling, and learning how to care.

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Lilo and Nani — Grit in the Glow

Maia Kealoha as Lilo is a revelation. She’s weird, fierce, and sweet without ever being sugary. A real kid. Her scenes with Stitch don’t just feel acted — they feel lived.

And then there’s Nani (Sydney Agudong), who brings a quieter strength to the screen. The change in the story — with Nani eventually leaving to follow her dreams, leaving Lilo with their neighbor, Tutu — sparked debate, but I appreciated it. It doesn’t break the ‘ohana’ theme; it reframes it. Through the lens of hanai — the Hawaiian practice of extended family adoption — the film leans into something richer: family isn’t about proximity, it’s about choice and connection.

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Hawaii Feels Like Home Again

The visuals? Glorious. Sunlight spills across surfboards and porches. The air feels heavy with salt and memory. It doesn’t feel like Hollywood pretending to be Hawaii — it feels lived-in, layered, local.

And the soundtrack? A warm, modern homage. Bruno Mars’ produced version of Burning Love punches with groove, while the updated He Mele No Lilo and Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride feel refreshed, not replaced. It’s a celebration, not a cash-in.

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Final Thoughts — This One Has a Heart

Is it better than the original? No — and it doesn’t try to be. It respects the past without trapping itself in it. It offers a softer, more grounded take for a new generation, while still whispering to those of us who grew up with the 2002 version: “We remember too.”

Not every remake needs to roar. Some, like this one, just need to speak with love.

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Favourite Scenes

1. Jumba asking, “What is Mey-Mey and Pey-Pey?”

2. Lilo and Nani singing Aloha ‘Oe together

3. Nani rescuing Stitch

4. End Credit Scene - Nani visiting Lilo 
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Portverdict: 10/10 tuna 🐟