Review Ten: The Secret Mission: Indonesian girls with guns!

genre: action, adventure, girls with guns

Secret SIS service hires an extraordinary team of ten women to release the daughter of the USA ambassador, who is held hostage on a tropical island somewhere near Indonesia. Sounds like a cool premise, no? It kind of is, especially if you find out that these ten women are also models.

They must have gone out of their way to find real hot women because they sure are beautiful and well-endowed. But are they truly extraordinary? Well, supposedly each of the women is specialised in a particular skill or martial arts. Let's say that their choreography is decent. But are they truly experts? I doubt it. For the most part, the action is decent. Except in the finale. You would think that, especially in the finale, they would up the ante and give you more spectacle. Unfortunately, it's here where they go for quantity over quality. The fights are too drawn out and illogical. Normally, if a fight is hard-hitting and compelling, I don't mind it taking too long. But I guess, writer/director/producer Helfi C.H. Kardit thought differently.

Let me be frank, you shouldn't take this film seriously. But the film sure tries to be. And this leads to unnecessary exposition scenes and a villain (Paul) who has real anger issues. He is played by Hans de Kraker, who is Dutch. He is supposed to portray an American terrorist. But his Dutch accent comes through especially when he screams. I get that he tries to come across as sympathetic and noble, who is only doing this because his own country has betrayed him. Yet, due to all the shouting, he looks like a toddler whose cookies are taken away.

Honestly, the only reason I checked out this film was because of the hot girls. Is that superficial of me? Of course. But is that wrong? No. Because let's be real here. That was the intention of this film. And while I can be forgiving considering the overall viewing experience, I can't recommend it. A better director could have done more. In the blooper reel, it does look like the women were willing to put in the effort. If only they allowed them. 

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Review For Your Eyes Only (1981): Decent but not memorable!

genre: action, adventure, espionage

This is a title I have seen several times on television in my younger years. Back then, I was less critical than today. While there are some good moments in this one, I do think the decision to be more grounded was wrong.

I get it, after Moonraker, they needed a change. But at the cost of the spectacle? One of the main reasons to check out a Bond film is the outrageous action sequences that make you gasp for air and put a smile on your face. Yes, you know it's impossible, yet you can't help but feel how awesome they are. For Your Eyes Only lacks these moments. The action scenes are solid, but are they exciting? I am sure younger me thought so. Me, today, says no. I was surprised to be invested in the climbing scene. It does a good job of being tense and thrilling, but the climax that follows is too underwhelming. Actually, that is what I would like to classify this Bond experience as: underwhelming. 

A lot of fans are harsh on Bibi Dahl and how Bond interacted with her. I actually liked her. She obviously knows what she wants and doesn't waste time getting what she wants. So much so that even Bond, who normally has no problems sleeping with random women, refuses her advances. Although in this case, the age gap between Bond and Bibi was too big. It makes sense to me that he would show restraint. One of the elements of James Bond is the fact that most women are attracted to him. I don't understand why some are repulsed by the idea that this young girl/woman full of raging hormones is also attracted to him. She apparently is under strict supervision and has to train all the time. She barely gets to have fun, so naturally she seizes the moment. Lynn-Holly Johnson does a good job of portraying this most charmingly. 

Overall, For Your Eyes Only is decent; unfortunately, it's not that memorable!

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Review Worldbreaker (2025): Underwhelming!

genre: action, drama, science fiction

Trailers are supposed to entice you and give you a good representation of what to expect. Let's say the trailer for Worldbreaker was designed to con you. Don't get fooled by the presence of Milla Jovovich. She is barely in this. Worse, she is not kicking booty. 

Also, before we get criticized for being action-hungry. Had the film offered bone-chilling drama, we would have appreciated that and definitely would have applauded it. But there is nothing memorable or even truly gripping.

Please watch/listen to our thoughts on this film. 

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Review Anaconda (2025) and Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025): Forget about Anaconda, Silent Night, Deadly Night is superior!

genre: action, comedy, adventure

Anaconda (2025) is the reimaging nobody asked for. But it's here and looks promising. Until you watch it. You would think that with actors like Jack Black and Paul Rudd, you couldn't go wrong. Apparently, you can!

I really liked the idea, and it seemed like it was going to be super funny. But then, when watching, I was waiting and waiting. Until that one joke that was dominantly featured in the trailer. One of the few scenes that made us laugh. I think I could have lived with the poor comedy had the film actually offered truly exciting scenes. One could argue that two scenes towards the end did that. Only those scenes are very short; they are too far in for you to care.

I can't tell you how disappointed I was. I was so down that I almost wanted to give up on movie night. But I am glad I didn't. Because Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025) was the real surprise.

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genre: slasher, thriller, horror

To be honest. I wasn't expecting much from this film. The fact that this didn't get released during Christmas is puzzling to me. But OK. Better late than never, I say.

While at times you can tell that this film was a low-budget affair, they very wisely decided to spend the money on things that mattered. There is one scene where you can see a splatter effect getting pasted. It was so bad that it was funny. One could say that it's sloppy. For me, it added to the charm. Another great thing was the romance angle. Yes, this might not be your typical romance. But if you think about it, considering the events, Billy Chapman (Rohan Campbell) and Pamela (played by Ruby Modine, daughter of Matthew Modine) are made for each other.

The acting is decent, and while this story is different from the original, this part certainly doesn't disappoint when it comes to the murders. If I am not mistaken, the highest body count in the franchise. No, I am not that blood thirsty. Billy has a code. Like Dexter. He only kills bad people. And to be fair to him, they are truly bad. Like evil. Come on, weren't we always rooting for him to go ballistic? 

Overall, Silent Night, Deadly Night saved my sanity. It's a must-watch for sure!

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SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT FRANCHISE

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Listed here are all the titles in the franchise.

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Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)

Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 (1987)

Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out! (1989)

Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation (1990)

Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker (1991)

Silent Night (2012)

Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025)

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Review Kultus Iblis a.k.a. Cult of the Devil (2023): It's OK!

genre: horror, mystery, thriller

The title basically gives away what this film is about. Does it matter? Not that much. Usually, horror films like these offer scares, creepiness, and thrills. Perhaps this film is a little low on that, but there is still enough present to make it worth your time.

Please watch/listen to our thoughts on this film.

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Review Customs Frontline a.k.a. Hoi gwaan zin sin (2024): a Herman Yau light!

genre: action, drama, thriller

It took me a bit to watch this one, but I was well prepared for what to expect. This is a Herman Yau light.

The action and spectacle are good, but almost everything else will be subpar. I can appreciate the effort that went into the plot regarding the twists and turns. Except none of them had any impact. At least not to the extent I cared for. If anything, they played it too safe. I wished they had done more with the bipolar disorder that Jackie Cheung's character is suffering from.

The dynamics between the characters are standard fare. If they are compelling, it's because of the actors. Nicholas Tse is in top form and embodies everything about the old school HK action I love. So kudos to that. But Francis Ng is also good as the first-class prick assistant commissioner. Everybody else is serviceable.

Customs Frontline should be watched for the action and spectacle. Often, it's very obvious that certain vehicles, like the helicopters, are CGI. It didn't bother me, especially given how they are used. It was to make the action more exciting. Towards the ending for example. The CGI was used to showcase some stellar destruction. It actually surprised me how far they went. And it was beautiful.

Overall, my advice is to ignore the story and drama and just focus on the action. Actually, this would be my advice for most Hong Kong action films.

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Review The Night Manager Season 1: Confused!

genre: espionage, crime, drama

For as long as I can remember, there has been a lot of hype around The Night Manager, especially because of Tom Hiddleston and the show being the closest thing to James Bond, according to the fans. Except, it's not.

James Bond is fun. While The Night Manager has a few enjoyable moments, I wouldn't call it fun. It takes itself far too seriously. And yes, maybe one could argue that the plot is as convenient as the plots in many James Bond films. Then again, you are very willing to overlook the plot since James Bond is fun. The Night Manager isn't. Before I become a broken record and repeat myself ad nauseam. I do think the acting overall is very good. Probably the main reason why anyone would stick around. 

To be fair, we liked the first episode and decided to keep watching. The series went downhill from there. It's not that we disliked the plot entirely. But we just couldn't stomach the forced romance bits. Right from the start, we knew that Hiddleston would have a hard-on for any woman in the series. That is basically why he gets involved with the attempt to stop Richard Roper, played by Hugh Laurie. And it's boring. Immensely boring! At least, in a James Bond film, Bond would sleep with a woman and then kill her if she turned out to be an enemy spy. He is cold-blooded that way. Jonathan Pine is the opposite. The woman goes before the mission. So he will do whatever it takes to protect the woman he sleeps with, even when technically, he is the one who got her in trouble in the first place. 

I appreciate the works of John le Carré. But I can't believe he is responsible for writing this drivel. What should have been the most interesting, which are the parts concerning the British government, are not nearly as intriguing or exciting as they should be. In the series, this involvement is seen as an obstacle and not the main goal. I mean, if you ask me, Richard Roper is basically peanuts and can be replaced by anyone, if you think about it. To me, corruption of this magnitude will always be more disturbing than a simple arms deal broker who just wants to make money. I keep reading how people think that Richard Roper is a scary villain. I kept waiting and waiting for him to be scary, and only got it by a monologue from Angela Burr (Olivia Coleman). But is he actually menacing and dangerous? If you think that, then you really haven't seen much. He is actually a very predictable villain. And therefore quite boring!

So yes, I am very confused about the praise this series is getting. I was expecting so much more, but only got a stripped-down Bond without the fun. I would rather watch Die Another Day ten times over before I watch this again. Let alone the second season. In the trailer, they show a scene where Dua Lipa, Hiddleston, and the villain of the week are dancing together, exotically, implying that Jonathan Pine apparently is bisexual. Are you kidding me? That is the kind of thing you find in those trash romance novels, which are overly erotic and explicit. I mean, nothing wrong with those, they can be fun. But this series is supposed to be dealing with espionage and corruption, who cares about the romance and sex parts? 

Overall, I would skip this. I do feel like I wasted my time!

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Review Sorcerer (1977): We liked it, but is it a masterpiece?

genre: adventure, drama, thriller

Sorcerer had been on my radar for a while since director William Friedkin himself calls it his magnum opus. So I finally watched it and can say that we liked it. But is it a masterpiece?

It took us a while to get into the film. I'm not sure if it was a matter of cutting time or if he was under the impression that it was clear enough, but let's say that the introduction of the characters was far more elaborate and complex than necessary. You don't really get to know what the characters are about. Roy Scheider believed the film's editing failed to help the audience connect with the characters. And I agree with that. How can you connect with a bunch of bad guys whom we don't get to know that well? Still, to give Friedkin some credit, he makes the pivotal moments count and gives you the essential bits.

Scheider also stated that the filming of Sorcerer (1977) was an incredibly demanding, dangerous experience that "made Jaws look like a picnic". This probably explains why Friedkin and others consider this a masterpiece. And yes, I was wondering how certain scenes were filmed since they did look like they were technically demanding. As much as I appreciate that kind of commitment, it doesn't reflect in the film as much. I am judging the film on how the story is told and what that story gives me. To be honest, it's not much. But yes, I can acknowledge that we were gripped by certain scenes. They are thrilling and intense. There is very much an atmosphere of "Mission Impossible" tied to those scenes. 

I can understand why some people think this is boring. Like I said earlier, you aren't really motivated to connect to the characters. A few proper dialogue scenes could have remedied this. But the perspective that it's not thrilling, I don't understand. For the most part, you are wondering why the characters matter and what they are going to do. Once you know, you are invested. The rope bridge scenes alone will give you the suspense and excitement one could hope for.

Overall, I am glad I finally watched it. I do think it's memorable. But is it a masterpiece? I am not sure. I will have to rewatch it a couple of times more to see if that is the case (for me). For now, I do think this is worth your time!

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Filmography William Friedkin

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Listed here are all the titles William Friedkin was involved in as a writer, director and producer.

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1967 Good Times

1968 The Birthday Party

1968 The Night They Raided Minsky's

1970 The Boys in the Band

1971 The French Connection

1973 The Exorcist

1977 Sorcerer

1978 The Brink's Job

1980 Cruising

1983 Deal of the Century

1985 To Live and Die in L.A.

1987 Rampage

1990 The Guardian

1994 Blue Chips

1995 Jade

2000 Rules of Engagement

2003 The Hunted

2006 Bug

2011 Killer Joe

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