Tour de Pharmacy (2017) USA

500th review
     Hey guys, I've started this blog 5 years ago without intending to focus on it. But I was watching lots of film, and was not interested in writing reviews for them. Not since the Orkut went down. Many of my friends took refuge in FB, but I never liked FB. It never gave me space to exhibit what I'm special at. I'm a graphic designer and FB is not the ideal place for me, except to advertise my work if I wanted to do business there. So that's how this blog came to life. It became home to my reviews and the gif images of each film I reviewed. Today, I am posting my 500th review and I'm very excited about it.

      If you don't know the facts about my blog (WCA), I'm here to reveal some. I review films every 3rd day, which mean the posting date goes like this: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27 and 30 in a month. Ten reviews every month x 12 = 120 reviews a year. Except February, where the final review of the month pushed to one or two days earlier. The theme of the blog, including the poster gif image presenter, the BG image are upgraded once a year at the end of the calender. Those posters from BG are the films I watched in the previous year and most liked by me. So they're like my recommendation to the WCA visitors. The BG music from the film 'Sachein' called 'Sachein Theme'.

      Most of my reviews are foreign language films and under-noticed Hollywood flicks. Why I don't review Hollywood is that the world knows everything about it. Since the announcement of the film project to the production, post-production to when it hits the big screen. As I'm a film fanatic, my aim is to spread the awareness of good non-Hollywood films. The British (native brand) films, Aussie, Kiwi, Proteas, all the other English speaking nation's film I cover, since they does not come directly under Hollywood, except in American awards circuits. I hope you like my blog and continue to support.

      Now, let's go to the review...

The race is on, and so the madness.

Genre:

TV Movie, Comedy, Sport.

Length:

Approximately 4-minute read.


Review:
     Another 40 minute television mockumentary made by Jake Szymanski. The previous one was about the 1996 Wimbledon finals, where we saw Serena and Venus Williams in small parts. This one was across the English channel about the 1982 'Tour de France', where the boxing legend Mike Tyson makes into despite not related to the sport. Sets in the present day that interviews the those who took part and others who had connected with the '83 French cycling event. They share their experiences with us.

     The director is kind of setting up a trend and his own style of filmmaking. I really loved it as I did for his other film. So I'm already thinking where he could go from here for the next one. Probably further south to Italy, for Grand Prix (F1)! But something is very clear, that it'll be a sports themed flick.

     Those who loved the '7 Days in Hell' would do the same for it as well. Similarly, it was the film for adults, because of some full nudity. As you know how a documentary film is edited out with many clips from the different timeline/era, for this film they have used VHS cam to get the retro type effect. Very genuinely done. If you never visited online searching detail about the film and have not heard anything about it from friends and family, you might think it's real. Because that's how perfect it was.

     Don't believe what I said in the previous line. If you know films, then you surely have some idea to differentiate the types of films you watch. Except there will be always some doubt till you read them online or get cleared by your friends and family. That's what I meant. So it was not perfect as the one Peter Jacson made in the 90s before getting fame.

 When you put a crazy person in charge of the 'Tour de France', crazy things will happen. 

     In this case, it was too much unrealistic to the actual world. I mean in the serious world. But what you see in it was very funny. And again, to have that greater fun, one must know at least a brief history of 'Tour de France'. It's not mandatory to understand the film. Those who have got no idea about that cycling race can still have fun. But if you are familiar with, then the fun will be two folded.

     Some of the historic events attached to it. Like a cyclist falling in love with a French farmer woman. And so on, the parodies would keep you entertained. If not, at least you should have seen Ben Foster's 'The Program' before trying this. That film will give you as much detail as you can feel comfortable with while watching this one.

     Like Andy Serkis the master of motion-capture, Zoe Saldana the alien queen, now the Andy Samberg is becoming a specialist in mockumentary leads. Not to forget his 'Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping'. There won't be any surprise if he and this director team up again for a similar flick as I mentioned in the earlier paragraph.

     Finally, it is one of the best films of the year. I highly recommend it. It is truly a multi-starrer. From John Cena to JJ Abrams to Lance Armstrong, it was a big cast for a short film. The twist and turns are everywhere. It opened with a twist in the tale, and so the end. Besides the game it related to, some of the sub-topic filled the rest of the film. And one of them, the highlight was gay theme. The mockumentary fans must not miss it. Even after reading my review.



Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
7 Days in Hell, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, Forgotten Silver.


External link(s):

WCA geolocation:
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Ip Man 3 (2015) Hong Kong

It gets closer to the legend's personal life.

Also known as:

Yip Man 3 (Original title)

Genre:

Action, Biography, Drama, History.

Length:

Approximately 6-minute read.


Review:
     A few movies about Yip Man were made in the past, but Donnie Yen's 2008 version rewrote the history. Because the craze about martial arts in the last two decades and of course digital world made it to reach every corner of the world. Followed by a sequel and its massive hit, then came many unofficial versions to this series that set in a different timeline of the martial art legend's life.

     With this movie, the narration gets lots closer to tell the personal life of Yip Man. But in the first half, like the previous two films, focused on the social issue. Yip Man is fighting for the children's education, when a real estate tycoon plans to replace the school building to a commercial complex. That's it, later the story begins to take us to the random events like a man who's hungry for the best fighter in the town title who end up challenging Yip Man to face him. From there, it's all about Yip Man and his ill wife where the movie switches from action mode to sentimental.

     That's not what we expected from a man who's famous for his martial art. Surprisingly, this different approach in storytelling was refreshing. Saving school, the clash for the title and ill wife, so the overall movie was like had three episodes and each dealt on a different motive. Being a biopic and also a martial art movie, it exploited the theme fairly.

     I can't say Mike Tyson's acting was so good because it was weird him to speak Cantonese. He was in a minor role, but his presence was a big boost for the movie. If we see him in an action movie, then we all know what to expect and it did not fail to fulfill our wish.

 There's nothing more important than the love of those by your side. 

     The stunts were not as good as the previous two films and they were too short as well, but technically looked so perfect, especially locking horns between Tyson and Donnie Yen was like head-to-head confrontation between Hollywood and Hong Kong. The other reason to shorten stunts in the movie was to get closer to the legend's personal life. After the survival and fighting the foreign forces, now the time to focus on his own life issues.

     The first two films were breathtaking, no one can doubt that. I don't know why it took so long for this third movie, but it still worked. Yet not the best in the trilogy, but remained very close to them with unlike storyline and action sequences. I was disappointed for not continuing from where it ended in the 2nd part. I mean the story has a clean flow, but not what I expected, like, I wanted Bruce Lee and the grand-master coming together.

     Actually, I never expected the third installment, I considered it was one of the best duologies you could find in world cinema. But I'm happy they made this one and I'm very much sure there will be fourth. So at least I can expect the Bruce Lee's part in the Yip Man's life story. I was waiting for that from a very long and I believe it won't let me down this time. All the above, I'm looking for the official announcement.




Suitable for:
Tween, Teen, Adult, All


Final verdict:
Ignore, Bad, Average, Good, Excellent


Similar movies:
Ip Man 1 & 2, The Legend is Born: Ip Man, The Grandmaster, Ip Man: The Final Fight.


External link(s):
      

WCA geolocation:
Right now we're in