Movie Review - THE PLATFORM

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THE PLATFORM

Year of Release: 2020 (Netflix)

JR's Rating: 10 /10, Outstanding

"Mastering The Craft of Social Privilege"

The Platform is a highly recommended watch especially now when we have all the time to exasperate on our own. The movie masters the presentation of social privilege in the most thrilling and horrific manner, but in the most positive sense. Figuratively, while those above have the advantage of getting resources to their own deciding, people down below are fighting to get a piece of what's left. It's highly symbolic of class stratification that is roughly representative of modern day society, almost what the movie Parasite did but all the more providing layers unseen between the rich and the poor.

We see an elevated prison where individuals are incarcerated for a crime or, well, involuntarily to obtain something (probably a diploma, idk). Each individual are allowed to bring one item of choice to use during their stay within their corresponding cell. Every month they are assigned to a level that might either be beneficial or not. Food appear to be abundant by those above but down below scarcity becomes a concern as what's left above is what's theirs to eat. The question is how to encourage everyone to equally share what they have and how to challenge the status quo that they are facing.

The movie was produced 2019 but was released on Netflix last March 20 to Filipino audiences. It maybe a foreign language film but even without subtitles, you'll get to understand the story when you delve into the emotions of the characters. The movie stands out technically as lights, sound and directing technique seem to make it feel like a play at your local theater or opera house. There are too many twists to anticipate in this movie but everything is up to the individual's interpretation and imagination. Everything about the movie is an experience that enlightens about the reality of society. The idea is innovative (well with subtle elements from familiar horror classics).

Here are some details you ought not to miss:
1. Goreng
2. Trimagasi
3. Imoguiri
4. Baharat
5. The Food Platform
6. The Panna Cotta Is The Message
7. The Child Is The Message
8. The Concept and Rules

#ThePlatform #ThePlatformNetflix #Netflix
#2020Movies #MovieReviews #JRMovieReviews

Watched on 25 March 2020 via Netflix

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^JR Late Night Posts - JR Late Night Reviews: Movies

Time Published: 28 March 2020 (08:00 PM)

Movie Review - BIRDS OF PREY

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BIRDS OF PREY

Year of Release: 2020

JR's Rating: 9 /10, Impressive

"PhD In Being A Badass Bitch"

Never underestimate the power of this PhD in Psychiatry, Harley Quinn is a badass ready to hurt, kick butt and smash brains. Violence is her virtue after all.

After an emotional breakup with Joker, Harley Quinn is left with nobody but herself. Her immunity is no more when various individuals take revenge on their grievances against her. Her greatest adversary would be Roman Sionis (aka The Black Mask) who is set to put her life into danger unless she gives her a diamond ingested by a street snatcher. With the help of the Birds of Prey - Black Canary, The Huntress and Renee Montoya, Harley Quinn is off to the greatest villainery of her life.

As much as the movie's name is Birds of Prey, make no mistake that it mostly revolves around the mischiefs of her highness, Harley Quinn which is, by the way, magnificently portrayed by Margot Robbie. Every one-liner punches and action sequences, those from the police station break-in using her firework / grenade launcher to the amusement park battle against the men of Roman Sionis, are to anticipate. The color in this movie is aesthetically pleasing which are coupled with some great music selections. While the movie was definitely amazing, the Birds of Prey trio seemed left out when they should have been the focus. Don't get me wrong though, this movie serves as a worthy introduction to the girl team for any potential sequels or stories.

Here are some details you ought not to miss:
1. Margot Robbie
2. Action Choreography
3. The "Grenade" Launcher
4. Abandoned Amusement Park
5. Harley Quinn Intro
6. The Birds of Prey Trio
7. Music Selection
8. Hyena Named After Bruce Wayne

#BirdsOfPrey #HarleyQuinn #DC #DCEU #DCFilms
#2020Movies #MovieReviews #JRMovieReviews

Watched on 25 February 2020 at SM Baguio

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^JR Late Night Posts - JR Late Night Reviews: Movies

Time Published: 26 February 2020 (08:00 PM)

Movie Review - JOKER

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JOKER

Year of Release: 2019

JR's Rating:  (10 out of 10, Outstanding)
⭐️ HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ⭐️

"Empathy for the Famed Comic Book Villain"

Welcome to the city of Gotham where corruption exists among men! Arthur Fleck is no ordinary clown struggling mentally and financially, a victim of horrific violence and commercial greed. He is set to become the famed villain of the city to take revenge for his experiences and influence everyone to resist. We see how the clown prince transform to be the archnemesis of our bat crusader.

While in the past everyone seems to hate the Joker, it's only now people get to see everything at his perspective. He too was a victim of bullying and oppression. These are what led him to be the vengeful and vicious villain we came to know. Yes, he killed people and yes, he retaliated with violence but with how his life was portrayed in this film, I can't help but feel empathy and eventually root for his cause. What people should understand is how one's actions can lead to one's hatred and madness in the future. Que sera sera, if I may. Arthur Fleck is a symbol of resistance - resistance against the evil that has degraded and took advantage of the lowest of society. His methods we may not approve but you'll feel compassion with everything he has been through.

I couldn't imagine anyone playing Joker as amazing and demented as Heath Ledger; but Joaquin Phoenix proved otherwise in what has been one of the best acting performances in recent memory. How the Joker laughs, thinks and acts may take days and months of method but Joaquin aced the experience of being Joker to its maximum. One other thing I liked the most about this movie, the artistic cinematography that highlights every scene as more than just a story but art. The movie astounds in so many ways that makes a potential boom of villain origins that would provide empathy over their superhero counterparts. I guess Warner Brothers / DC have found a way to counter Marvel's movie dominance with this. Joker maintains to be a highly recommended comic book outing well deserving of its numerous accolades at the moment.

Hail to The Clown Prince of Crime!

Here are some details you ought not to miss:
1. Joaquin Phoenix as Joker
2. Arthur Fleck's Laugh
3. Dancing in the Restroom
4. Murder of Murray Franklin
5. Riots at Gotham
6. The Cinematography
7. Question of Joker's Sanity
8. Short Show of Batman's Origins

#Joker #2019Movies
#MovieReviews #JRMovieReviews #AcademyAwards2020 #Oscars2020

Watched on 04 October 2019 at SM Calamba

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^JR Late Night Posts - JR Late Night Reviews: Movies

Time Published: 09 February 2020 (08:00 PM)

Movie Review - PARASITE

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PARASITE

Year of Release: 2019

JR's Rating:  (10 out of 10, Outstanding)
⭐️ HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ⭐️

"Korean Satirical Masterpiece on Social Classes"

When the impoverished "parasites" its way towards the privileged, a comedy of avoid getting caught is off to set everyone for a thrillride. The Kim family takes shot at a gullible Park matriarch to slowly infiltrate their household taking advantage of their wealth to complement their living. Everyone, however, would be shocked when the mystery of the house is revealed.

The rain is viewed as a blessing by the rich but an inconvenience to the poor. We live where wealth of the rich is off to be spent for luxury while the poor is set to spend their money for necessities. We see how the rich stays at the top disgusted at the appearance (smell) of the poor. On the other hand, we see the poor reliant on those people above them despite all the hardships and discrimination thrown at them. "Parasite" explores such stratification of our society in great detail, opening the eyes of each one to the reality existent that is in dire need of attention and resolution to implore the equality or equity that everyone has been fighting for so long.

Everything about "Parasite" highlights how equally good Asian movies are with those from the West. It doesn't need English to make the audience comprehend what the film is ought to share. Bong Joon Ho's direction is masterful and deserving of emulation by aspiring filmmakers. The ensemble of actors are equally amazing, each I fell in love for how distinct and relatable their personalities are. The ambitious production design and its accompanying orchestral score acts as a unique character of their own in this movie. Each scene transcends an experience as if you are awed by paintings and sculptures at the gallery at the same time electrified by a roller coaster of rides at an amusement park. In fact, the scene involving the Kim family hiding and escaping the Park family amazed and thrilled me in a way unlike no other.

"Parasite" is one of the best films in modern cinema. It doesn't demand a Hollywood / English remake because it already is perfect just the way it is. Like Bong said, once we overcome the barrier of subtitles, we will be introduced to so many more amazing films. "Parasite" is truly the highlight and pinnacle of Asian filmmaking.

Here are some details you ought not to miss:
1. The Jessica Jingle
2. Kim Family Watching The Rain
3. Dark Comedic Lines
4. The "Namgoong" House
5. Musical Score
6. Hiding Like Cockroaches
7. Da-Song's Birthday Party
8. Ambitious Yet Hopeful Ending

#Parasite #2019Movies
#MovieReviews #JRMovieReviews #AcademyAwards2020 #Oscars2020

Watched on 29 January 2020 at SM Mall of Asia Director's Club,
05 January 2020 with Liza Alma Rimando,
and 23 December 2019 with Lord Kenreich Rosuman

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^JR Late Night Posts - JR Late Night Reviews: Movies

Time Published: 08 February 2020 (08:00 PM)

JR Late Night Blogs: Music Videos of the Year 2019

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2019 gave birth to many great and so amazing music. It was a challenge for me to create this list as music is becoming more global than ever. Still, music and video that are noteworthy in terms of aesthetics, messaging and buzz are what made my selection for Music Videos of the Year 2019.

Since the inception of this list, I made sure that at least one artist would get at least two spots on my list to emphasize that same artist's prominence during the past year. Lady Gaga (2010 and 2011), Bruno Mars (2010), Usher (2010), Rihanna (2010, 2011 and 2016), Katy Perry (2010, 2011), Nicki Minaj (2012), Miley Cyrus (2013), Justin Bieber (2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016), Selena Gomez (2016), Ed Sheeran (2017), Dua Lipa (2017) and Ariana Grande (2018) are those artists that got such privilege on my lists. Starting this year, however, only one entry per artist would be allowed accommodating their best feature for the year and ultimately, to allow more artists to get featured on my yearly list.

My list this year is comprised of the usual entries since my blog's beginning. We have Justin Bieber (#9), Taylor Swift (#3) and Katy Perry (#2). Debuting on my yearly list at #1 is the Jonas Brothers' hit "Sucker" which featured all their wives at the video's forefront. I named it as my music video of the year for how unique and daring the concept was especially for a boy band and how great the direction and design was for the video. At #2 is the hit by Katy Perry and Zedd that evoked messaging on the reality of human emotion. The video by Selena Gomez that was purely shot on an iPhone is also listed on this year's list. Regardless of the video capturing device used, the video for Lose You To Love Me was still an accomplishment in aesthetics. One unusual entry on my list is the 1994 Christmas hit by Mariah Carey which saw an updated release this year. The same song would earn Mariah Carey the distinction of having at least one #1 Billboard Hot 100 song for the past four decades. This year, collaboration seems to be the theme as half of the entries were from a duo or a group. Also, Korean dominance in pop is without question. In the history of my list, only two artists have got the chance to be listed - PSY (2013 and 2014) and Momoland (2018). This year, TWICE gets a mention on my list. After his Eastside entry last year, only Khalid maintains a spot from last year's roster of artists.

Note that all entries on this list are of my own preference and were not ranked based on charts or views on YouTube.

JR's MUSIC VIDEOS OF THE YEAR - 2019 METHODOLOGY:

For a music and its corresponding music video to qualify on the list, the music must be dominating airwaves within the year, a favorite earworm amongst all, and its video must be aesthetically beautiful and innovative. Songs which doesn't have their corresponding music video, however, are disqualified in the selection process. Even lyric videos are not allowed to be in the list. In order to qualify as a 2019 music video, the music videos in the list must have been released worldwide on YouTube between 01 January 2019 to 31 December 2019 and must be available for viewing in the Philippines. No local entries, however, are qualified.

To accommodate more artists to be featured on my yearly list, only one entry per artist would be allowed regardless if they are the main track artist or just a featured artist. The best video by the artist would be the one to get a slot if two or more of their videos was part of my shortlist.

All YouTube views in the list were as of 12 January 2018 (5PM).
 

JR'S Music Videos of the Year - 2019

Rank	Music Videos of the Year	Main Artist	Video Release
1	Sucker	Jonas Brothers	March 2019
2	365	Zedd, Katy Perry	February 2019
3	You Need To Calm Down	Taylor Swift	June 2019
4	FANCY	TWICE	April 2019
5	Señorita	Shawn Mendes, Camila Cabello	June 2019
6	All I Want For Christmas Is You	Mariah Carey	December 2019
7	Lose You To Love Me	Selena Gomez	October 2019
8	Talk	Khalid	March 2019
9	I Don't Care	Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber	May 2019
10	Circles	Post Malone	September 2019

Get back to previous JR Late Night Blogs' Music Videos of the Year lists:

2018   |   2017   |   2016   |   2015   |   2013   |   2012   |   2011   |   2010

#1	SUCKER by Jonas Brothers

Song Genre:  Weekly Billboard Hot 100 Peak:  Year-End Billboard Hot 100 Rank:  Current YouTube Views:  Video Release Date:  Music Video Source:

Pop 1 10 244,287,392 01 March 2019 >>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnAmeh0-E-U

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This is the DEBUT entry of JONAS BROTHERS in JR's Music Videos of the Year list.

JR Late Night Blogs: Movies of the Year 2019

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2019 gave birth to many great and so amazing films. Making this year's movie list was, for me, really difficult. Too many films to mention but it all comes to which 10 have the most impact and, well, are the best for the past year. With narrative movies buzzing to zeitgeist, allow me to present my selection for Movies of the Year 2019.

Word of mouth can make great impact thereby influencing what people would line up in the cinemas. While Avengers: Endgame seems like last year's movie blockbuster, buzz was more on how superb the story, as well as the acting and direction, of the movies Joker and Parasite, two of some of my picks as the best of 2019, the later being my #1 Movie of 2019. It didn't take long for these two movies to be the talk of the world, through social media and box office and even the awards season circuit which rarely recognizes films of foreign nature and films based on comic books. The same two movies I highly recommend due to the messaging it evokes to the viewer. Some of this generation's greatest, Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, also released movies last 2019 which may be long but still worth the watch. Martin would release his magnum opus on Netflix where I would also watch The Two Popes and Marriage Story. That's three entries from Netflix this 2019, in addition to last year's Roma. 2017 had 3 horror films. 2018 had 2 horror films. 2019 dwindled to just one horror film on my list. It was a battle between The Lighthouse, Midsommar, and Us for the last place but Jordan Peele's social commentary gets it. Comedy is dominant this 2019 and occupied much of my list. For the second year in a row, no animated film (yes, even Toy Story 4) makes the cut.



JR's MOVIES OF THE YEAR - 2019 METHODOLOGY:

Films included in the list must have been released on an international scale including the Philippines. Films that saw their release on an online streaming platform (such as Netflix) have also been included in this year's edition of the list, provided they are accessible in the Philippines. The selection of movies must have been released in the Philippines between 01 January 2019 to 31 December 2019 regardless if the film was released within the year 2018 in the United States or in any other country. To be qualified as a feature film, the length of the movie must be greater than an hour. No movie re-releases on HD or IMAX were included in the list (such movies had already been premiered in the past). Remakes of old films are allowed.

JR's Movies of the Year - 2019

Rank	Movies of the Year	Movie Genre	Month of PH Release
1	Parasite	Comedy	Aug 2019
2	Joker	Drama	Oct 2019
3	Once Upon A Time In Hollywood	Comedy	Aug 2019
4	Avengers: Endgame	Action	Apr 2019
5	The Irishman	Biography	Nov 2019 (Netflix)
6	Marriage Story	Drama	Dec 2019 (Netflix)
7	The Favourite	Comedy	Feb 2019
8	The Two Popes	Comedy	Dec 2019 (Netflix)
9	Knives Out	Mystery	Nov 2019
10	Us	Horror	Mar 2019

Get back to previous JR Late Night Blogs' Movies of the Year lists:

2018    |   2017   |   2016   |   2015   |   2013   |   2012   |   2011   |   2010

#1	PARASITE (August 2019)

Movie Genre:	Comedy
Director/s:	Bong Joon Ho
Producer/s:	Young-hwan Jang  |  Bong Joon Ho  |  Sin-ae Kwak  |  Yang-kwon Moon
Writer/s:	Bong Joon Ho  |  Jin Won Han
Distributors:	Neon
MPAA Rating:  MTRCB Rating:	R R-13
Total Running Time:	2 hours, 12 minutes
Cast Overview:	Kang-ho Song as Kim Ki-taek, Sun-kyun Lee as Park Dong-ik, Yeo-jeong Jo as Park Yeon-kyo, Woo-sik Choi as Kim Ki-woo

"Korean Satirical Masterpiece on Social Classes"
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