On the lighter side-Movies-Confidential Assignment (2017-Korea)

North Korean crime organization forces both the South and North Korean to pursue it in this enjoyable action/buddy movie. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Phantom Thread (2017)-Daniel Day-Lewis

A renowned dress maker becomes infatuated with his assistant in this slow moving but satisfying drama. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Insidious: The Last Key (2018)

In order to understand the movie, you will have to watch the other Insidious movies but in this it perfectly shows that you don’t need to. Cheap thrills but still can give you some scare. Recommended with caution

On the lighter side-Movies-Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017)-Dwayne Johnson

Four teenagers are magically transformed in a video and they have to finish the game in order to get back home. Enjoyable. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Wolf Warrior II (2017-China)

Chinese Special Forces vs. terrorists in this all out patriotic action movie. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Mumon: The land of Stealth (2017-Japan)

A ninja movie with ninjas earning a living by selling their services to the highest bidder. When the master ninja kills the young son of a warlord, all hell breaks loose. Interesting action movie. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-War for the planet of the apes (2017)-Woody Harrelson

The defeated apes plot revenge against a renegade army colonel. Excellent action sequences coupled with good drama. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Hostiles (2018)-Christian bale, Rosamund Pike

A slow moving western in which an army officer is tasked to escort his greatest enemy, a Native American chief to his home. Not much action and overly long. Recommended with caution.

On the lighter side-Movies-Man Hunt (2017-HK)

A lawyer tries to clear his name for a crime he did not commit. Action movie from the director of stylish hardcore Hong Kong action movies hardboiled and killer. Okay time killer.  Recommended with caution

On the lighter side-Movies-Paradox (2017-Hong Kong)-Louis Koo

A tough Hong Kong Cop travels to Thailand to find his disappeared daughter. Martial arts action and thrills throughout. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)-Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana

Sequel to the first movie in this continuing comedic adventure of super heroes as they try to help their leader find his true heritage. Action and comedy sprinkled throughout. Recommended.

On the lighter side-Movies-Primal Rage (2018)

A couple driving through the Pacific Northwest gets entangled with hostile locals and a deadly creature. Okay horror, action movie. Recommended with caution

On the lighter side-Movies-Game Night (2018)-Jason Bateman, Rachel Mcadams

A group of people who play game nights gets entangled with real life gangster. Enjoyable and interesting movie. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Tremors: A cold day in hell (2018)-Michael Gross

Some movies literally need to be put to rest like this one with horror and comedy mixed in but still it is really bad. Skip it if you can. Not Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Never leave alive (2017)

Two survivors on an island deal with a madman hunting them. Great title, but literally bad movie with bad acting. Not Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Super Troopers 2 (2018)

Unfunny sequel in which the super troopers are tasked with manning an area disputed between Canada and the United States. Not Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Escape Plan 2: Hades (2018)-Sylvester Stallone

The team reunites to infiltrate the impregnable prison to get one of their team imprisoned in this claustrophobic and light on action movie. Not Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-It came from the Desert (2018)

Creature feature should not have been made in the first place with big spiders stalking party goers in a desert. Totally not recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Pacific Rim 2: Uprising (2018)

Monster robots battle monsters in the future in this sequel to the first Japanese inspired movie. Recommended with caution.

On the lighter side-Movies-12 Strong (2018)-Chris Hemsworth

True story of a team of Special Forces who saw the first combat in Afghanistan after 9/11 attacks. Enjoyable movie. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Party Bus to hell (2018)-Tara Reid

A party bus breaks down in a desert with a cult of Satan worshippers begin stalking them. Overacting hurts. Not Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-The Hurricane Heist (2018)-Maggie Grace

Thieves to try to steal money from the U.S. mint while a monster hurricane hurls their way. Loud and improbable but okay time killer. Recommended with caution

Cultural Appropriation

Lately a great deal of hoopla is being raised in regard to Cultural appropriation. Meaning roughly the use of minority symbols and making it their own by the dominant culture (being the white one) or roughly like that. Now I am not from the dominant culture but I still don’t understand this concept. The people who are or may be doing it, they may have done it innocently and not to offend the minority people from whom they have borrowed temporarily the symbol. Some people who this later apologize but there are some who double down and say that they did not meant to do no harm. But in these times of cultural sensitivity or I should say political correction and also the social media that has all consumed us, there is less mercy shown to these apologies. I have read some of the comments regarding this new sympathy for the cultural appropriateness and they have not been kind.

Now I may not understand this but let me put it straight forward, maybe someone out there will have a different perspective then being overtly bias. If a white person tries to adopt a minority symbol, should people bend over themselves to denounce this or should be a cause of celebration that this symbol which was somehow unknown to the world outside of their cultural confinement has gained wider acceptability. Some people are also getting emotionally sensitive to Yoga now that the supposedly majority White population has embraced it wholeheartedly. And regarding disrespecting one’s culture, can someone please define what does even mean. In order to amend their past mistakes, if they have done so, some people have become champions of minorities and everything which is even in a slightest light mood gets shredded on social media. Anyway, I don’t see any cultural appropriation when the white majority is adopting minority stuff. To me, they are not making it their own but giving free publicity and making it known to the wider outside world.

On the lighter side-Movies- American Assassin (2017)-Michael Keaton

A guy seeks revenge by joining a counter terrorism group when his girlfriend is killed in a terrorist attack. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-The Bodyguard (2016)-Hong Kong

A Chinese martial artist seeks revenge in this hardcore over the top martial arts extravaganza. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-The Foreigner (2017)-Jackie Chan

A businessman seeks revenge for the accidental killing of his daughter in a bombing. Different and serious Jackie Chan. Recommended with caution

On the lighter side-Movies- The Outlaws (2017-Korean)

A police detective tries to keep peace between warring factions in Seoul. Action galore. Recommended with caution

On the lighter side-Movies-The Villainess (2017)-Korea

A female assassin seeks revenge in this inventive Korean action thriller. Recommended

On the lighter side-Movies-Annihilation (2017)-Natalie Portman

A scientist joins an expedition into a mysterious zone. Head scratching science fiction. Recommended with caution

On the lighter side-Movies-Paddington 2 (2017) Hugh Grant, Sally Hawkins

The further adventures of the talking bear who pursues his perfect gift for his aunt which gets stolen. Enjoyable movie. Recommended