The Olive Opinion

When anyone thinks of a lamp and three wishes, they think of the Genie and Aladdin, whether it is the classic folktale or the Disney retelling. George Miller creates his own version of the classic tale in Three Thousand Years of Longing that should be considered a classic itself. With a story starring the likes of Tilda Swinton and Idris Elba, there shouldn't be much persuading for anyone who is familiar with their work or not, would have heard promotion for this film going around in the last month.  The film centers around Alithea, a narratologist who travels to Istanbul and comes across a Djinn who persuades her to make a wish but ultimately warns her of their consequences, especially towards him by retelling past experiences of his mistreatment. I am not familiar with Miller's work except for Mad Max Fury Road which I had only seen once but ' Longing ' is no brassy or loud feat. It was indeed a quiet, slow-burn tale that should be witnessed attentively and absorbed ...

  I don't trust teen movies anymore and for a good reason. Netflix's latest attempt at the genre is brutal and unrealistic but it comes from a raw place that actual teens would only imagine doing after getting backstabbed by a bunch of social climbers. Sadly, with a preppy setting surrounded by inclusive cliques, you would only expect the worst from this ensemble of familiar faces who were barely teens when they got famous playing iconic teenagers.   Do Revenge centers around Camila Mendez's Drea and Maya Hawke's Eleanor where the two conspire to get even with their no-good classmates. From the likes of Austin Abrams, Isabel Merlerc, and the recently established heartthrob Rish Shah, Do Revenge does not shy away from a bunch of almost 30-year-olds who can't run away from stories like this. It is understandable since Netflix was not planning to keep this PG which ultimately does serve its purpose to portray a realistic  Gen Z high school experience. I have never been...

It is basically a Disney mandate to remake their animated classics these days, whether Disney is at the helm or not. Other studios attempt to create much darker storylines in order to appeal to adult audiences. At the same time, Disney usually sticks with their family-friendly yet magical formulas that appeal or disappoint. It is usually a hit-or-miss game with Disney's attempts to reimagine their animated classics if you had the interest in watching any of them in the last decade. This is why it is surprising that Pinocchio strays far away from being a forgettable Disney classic even with this reimagining.  I think I am finally allowed to say that I was never fond of the original animated film due to only watching it once. For some reason, it never was appealing despite knowing the story by heart. That is where I struggled a bit. This is what troubled me when it came to differentiating what part of the storyline was kept the same or changed. Luckily, it all came back to me and Pin...

  Jordan Peele returns to direct, write and produce yet another mind-boggler meant to be seen on the big screen. Despite not getting that luxury, Nope  is enjoyable no matter how you make it with the means. Promoted as a sci-fi thriller, the film stars Get Out alum Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, and Steven Yeun in its main cast. Fans of Peele's award-winning and praised work will be reminded that he is growing to be a mainstay director people everyone will remember or want to work with.  Centered around two siblings who are the descendants of the jockey who was featured in 'the very first assembly of photographs used to create a motion picture', Otis Jr and Emerald have an encounter that springs them to get photographic evidence in order to revitalize their family business. There's nothing much left to say about the premise for if more is said, it would spoil the movie. But what I can disclose is that this film is an experience.  With subtle themes of mystery, territor...