Movies to Look Forward to - December 2019

It's almost the end of the year, just a few more weeks. Here are some of the movies to look forward to in December.

December 5th – Motherless Brooklyn
Director: Edward Norton
Starring: Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Willem Dafoe, Leslie Mann, Alec Baldwin, Fisher Stevens, Bobby Cannavale, Ethan Suplee, Michael Kenneth Williams
Description: Set against the backdrop of 1950s New York, we follow Lionel Essrog (Edward Norton) a lonely private detective afflicted with Tourette’s Syndrome, as he ventures to solve the murder of his mentor and only friend, Frank Minna (Bruce Willis).

December 12th – Jumanji: The Next Level
Director: Jake Kasdan
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Karen Gillan, Kevin HartDanny Devito, Akwafina, Nick Jonas, Colin Hanks, Danny Glover, Dania Ramirez
Description: A team of friends return to Jumanhi, to rescue one of their own but discover that nothing is as they expect. The players need to brave parts unknown from arid deserts to snowy mountains, in order to escape the world’s most dangerous game.

December 18th – Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Director: J.J. Abrams
Starring: Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Mark Hammill, Domhnall Gleeson, Keri Russel, Carrie Fisher, Richard E. Grant, Billy Dee Williams, Greg Grunberg, Dominic Monoghan, Lupita Nyong’o
Description: The surviving Resistance faces the First Order once more in the final chapter of the Skywalker Saga.

Movie Review - Zombieland: Double Tap

Director: Ruben Fleischer
Genre: Comedy/ Action/ Horror
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Zoey Deutch, Rosario Dawson, Luke Wilson, Bill Murray, Thomas Middleditch

Description: Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) move to the American heartland as they face off against evolved zombies, fellow survivors, and the growing pains of the snarky makeshift family.

Review: The subgenre, horror comedy, is one of my personal favorites. Especially when it has to do with zombies. When “Zombieland” came out in 2009, it was a surprising, fresh and hilarious film that really impressed. It mocks itself and is creative. Ten years later, director Ruben Fleisher comes with the sequel. Maybe a little late, but better late than never. Because, did we need it? Not really. Did I enjoy it? Hell yeah!
In 2009, besides Woody Harrelson, all actors were fairly new to Hollywood. Now, it stars Oscar nominees and even one winner, being Emma Stone. Besides this difference, the cast hasn’t changed a bit and the chemistry is still a strong element in the film. The bickering between Columbus and Tallahassee, the creative ways to kill a zombie, sharp dialogue. Off course it doesn’t reach the same level as “Zombieland”, but “Zombieland: Double Tap” comes awfully close.
“Zombieland: Double Tap” is more of the same, but we loved the first so why change the formula? It’s not as original as the first, but it’s a great sequel. And if you’re a fan of the original film, you will enjoy this one as well.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Review - Men in Black: International

Director: F. Gary Gray
Genre: Action/ Adventure/ Science Fiction
Runtime: 115 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Rebecca Ferguson, Rafe Spall, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson

Description: The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization.

Review: As a child Molly managed to escape the “neutralizer”, the device that the Men in Black use to erases your memory about the existence of aliens. Twenty years she searches for the agency that protects the earth from the scum from outer space. Molly wants to become one of them! One day, she manages to infiltrate the agency in New York. Agent O is impressed enough to recruit her. Molly, now Agent M, starts her probation in London.
The movies doesn’t start out that bad. But the first signs of this film lacking substance is when Molly’s training starts, which is nothing more than deciding which suit to wear and which weapon to choose. There is no need to further expand the introduction of the universe, because that’s what the previous films did.
“Men in Black: International” is for the most part a repetition of the other films. Visually it’s not very different and the formula is almost identical. The are hunting for an object to secure the future of the universe, there is some friction. There are some new elements, which make it a nit more interesting. Like the main duo is now a man and a woman. I liked the dynamic between Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson. Not an old wise man and a flashy rookie, but an arrogant top-agent who has to acknowledge his hero status is crashing and he is surpassed by an enthusiastic newcomer. And it’s not because of them that this film isn’t good, because they are good together and their dynamic is the best part of the film. It’s just sad that they have to work with such terrible writing.
It's an uninspired spin-off, which the good cast couldn’t even safe.

Rating: 2/ 5

Movie Reviews - Last Christmas

Director: Paul Feig
Genre: Comedy/ Drama/ Romance
Runtime: 103 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Emma Thompson, Michelle Yeoh

Description: Kate (Emilia Clarke) is a a young woman subscribed to bad decisions. Her last date with disaster? That of having accepted to work as Santa’s elf for a department store. However, she meets Tom (Henry Golding) there. Her life takes a new turn. For Kate, it seems too good to be true.

Review: If there’s one genre that works perfectly with the holidays, it’s the romantic comedy. A good mix of laughs and tears, fortunate misunderstandings, delightful actors and predictable storylines. You are instantly in a better mood with a romcom. But there is a big difference between the disposable romcom that will waste your time and the romcom you will recommend to your friends.
The British film “Last Christmas”, by director Paul Feig, falls in that last category. Feig knows his way around a comedy. He directed the very successful “Bridesmaids” and was also the man behind “Spy”. This time, a little less jokes and a bit more romance. And the most funny moments come from leading character Kate, portrayed by Emilia Clarke.
At a young age, Kate fled Yugoslavia with her mother and sister. Later, she had to undergo a heart transplant and since then she has had a struggling relationship with her family. Kate lost all her ambitions, sleeps on couches of friends and works in a Christmas store in London. One day, she sees Tom and from that moment on Kate’s life takes a turn.
The film starts like any other romcom, with opposites and attraction. Kate isn’t really looking to take walks with Tom. But later she can’t wait to see him again.
At first, you feel like it’s going to be a sugar sweet film, filled with cheesy romance. But Feig keeps his characters realistic, by portraying Kate as both charming and egocentric.
There is a huge twist in the film, but somehow I saw it coming. The film has predictability and clichés, but they didn’t really bother me. Overall, “Last Christmas” is a joyful and easy watch. Due to the twist it’s different from most films in its genre.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Reviews - Western Stars

Director: Thom Zimny, Bruce Springsteen
Genre: Documentary/ Music
Runtime: 83 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Bruce Springsteen, Patti Scialfa

Description: Live concert performance of Bruce Springsteen singing songs from his album “Western Stars”

Review: Bruce Springsteen, “The Boss”, is back with his 19th album, “Western Stars”. In this documentary he plays all the songs live, accompanied with stories from his life.
Springsteen is a great storyteller. His songs are stories about middle class, love, dreamers and everyday life. And everyone can find a song that speaks to them. We also know him as someone that speaks up in society, like we heard on “The Rising”.
“Western Stars” has a different sound, but it’s still Springsteen. It’s richer in instruments, because there is a complete orchestra present. And it has a film-like character.
“Western Stars” is a beautiful album, where Springsteen put his heart and soul in and bares it for us all to see and hear. ‘Chasin’ Wild Horses’ is a blueprint for the album and makes you feel melancholic. ‘Sundown’ and ‘There Goes My Miracle’ have more tempo. But mostly this is a very modest and timid album. With ‘Hitch Hikin’ and ‘Western Stars’ as the highlights.
I love this album, filled with melancholia. And the way he has a story for each of the songs, which he tells so beautifully, makes this a documentary unforgettable. The shots are amazing and the songs are all wonderful. Springsteen is 70, but still filled with energy and inspiration.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

Movie Reviews - Yesterday

Director: Danny Boyle
Genre: Drama/ Comedy/ Music
Runtime: 116 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Himesh Patel, Lily James, Sophia Di Martino, Ellise Chappell, Meera Syal, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Kate McKinnon, Alexander Arnold, Harry Mitchell, Ed Sheeran, Vincent Franklin, Joel Fry

Description: A struggling musician (Hamish Patel) realizes he’s the only person on Earth who can remember The Beatles after waking up in an alternate timeline where they never existed.

Review: Picture this: you are a struggling musician and one day you find out that the world has forgotten about the Beatles, except for you. What do you do? Well, Jack uses the songs to become a famous artist himself. It sounds like a far-fetched premise, but it’s a fun-filled heartwarming and feel-good comedy.
Singer-songwriter Jack Malik has been struggling as a musician for years. He drags himself from bar to bar, with his best friend slash manager Ellie, where nobody really listens to him. He decides to stop, but then something magical happens. During a worldwide power out, Jack gets hit by a car and wakes up in a hospital. And it seems that the whole world had forgotten about The Beatles. They never existed and Jack is the only one that still remembers.
When Jack plays “Yesterday”, his friends are emotional and tell him it’s a beautiful song. Since when does he wrote songs like this? After some Google searches, he realizes that all the songs are up for grabs and he decides to sing them as they are his own.
Richard Curtis, who was also a part of “Love Actually”, “Notting Hill” and “Four Weddings and a Funeral”, is responsible for the screenplay. It’s filled with ‘what-if’ jokes. Just like “About Time”, which is also a Curtis film, you have to be fully on board while seeing this film with a pretty absurd story.
I love the premise of this film and I love a great feel-good movie without all the cheesiness and clichés. This is perfect for that. But the film is a bit repetitive at times. The creators of this film are clearly having fun with this film and their genius idea, and it works really well most of the time. Like when Jack meets 70-somewhat Jon Lennon ins the parallel reality. And leading man Himesh Patel, unknown for me, is really charming. Whenever he starts singing the song by The Beatles, you are remember how timeless their songs really are. Even if I’m not the biggest fan.
“Yesterday” is a really good time and a great ode to one of the most successful bands of all-time.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Scream 4

Director: Wes Craven
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 111 minutes
Year: 2011
Starring: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courtney Cox, Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Rory Culkin, Marley Shelton, Mary McDonnell, Adam Brody, Anthony Anderson, Alison Brie

Description: Ten years have passed, and Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), who has put herself back together thanks in part to her writing, is visited by the Ghostface Killer.

Review: Wes Craven couldn’t take all the endless remakes of his own classics, like “House of Wax”, “The Hills Have Eyes” and “Last House on the Left”. Craven wanted to make a fourth installment, only if Kevin Williamson would write the script.
Sidney has finally put her past behind her by writing a book. She visits Woodsboro to promote the book. But with her return, a killer also strikes. With ‘oldies’ Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courtney Cox as the only surviving characters, there is room for a bunch of new ones. There is hardly any character development and it’s predictable who will make it to the end and who will die before the end credits role.
The “Scream” movies are good because they don’t take themselves very seriously. The opening sequence of “Scream 4” is the perfect example. Craven and Williamson have some new tricks up their sleeves, but most of it is still very unoriginal. And the ending is, like “Scream 3”, a bit far-fetched and not satisfying at all.
All the movies in this series are very entertaining, but I really hope this is the end of it.

Rating: 2/ 5

00s Movie Review - Scream 3

Director: Wes Craven
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 116 minutes
Year: 2000
Starring: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courtney Cox, Liev Schreiber, Patrick Dempsey, Kelly Rutherford, Scott Foley, Lance Henriksen, Jenny McCarthy, Emily Mortimer, Parker Posey, Patrick Warburton

Description: While Sidney (Neve Campbell) and her friends visit the Hollywood set of Stab 3, the third film based on the Woodsboro murders, another Ghostface killer rises to terrorize them.

Review: After the success of “Scream” and the sequel “Scream 2” Kevin Williamson was one of the most requested scriptwriters. He was so busy, he couldn’t be there for the third installment and Ehren Kruger replaced him.
The third movie is set in Hollywood, where they are shooting “Stab 3”, based on the Woodsboro murders. Sidney, the woman that lived this nightmare, leads a quiet life in the middle of nowhere. That life is brutally disturbed when people are murdered on the set of the movie in making. At the scene of every crime, a picture of Sidney’s mother is left behind.
“Scream 3” isn’t different from the first two films, but it’s less entertaining. I think the tricks don’t work that well anymore. The script isn’t inventive or surprising and the new characters add nothing extra. Even Neve Campbell doesn’t sparkle like she did before.
Even though the movie cannot live up to the first, “Scream 3” does have some good moments. The self-mockery is present again and there are some fun cameos.
“Scream 3” was clearly made to earn some more money, without giving the audience a good quality horror flick. And the climax is so far-fetched, that even the most creative minds wouldn’t come up with it.
“Scream 3” is entertaining, but it can never live up to “Scream” or “Scream 2”.

Rating: 2/ 5

Five to Watch - Movies About Teachers

In the Netherlands, teachers are about to go on strike. I was a teacher myself for 7 years so I thought now was the perfect time to make a list about movies that center teachers. I picked five films about teachers that I think are underrated or overlooked.

Half Nelson (2006)
In this intense, indie drama, a friendship forms between a well-intentioned, drug0addicted teacher and his 13-year-olr student who is trying to escape her convict brother’s fate. After she catches him smoking crack, the two alternately try to save the other while their own lives spiral out of control. Unlike most feel-good teacher movies, “Half Nelson” is about real people with real problems, but also maintains a tangible sense of hope.

Être et Avoir (2002)
This French documentary follows teacher Georges Lopez and his 12 students (ages 4-12) in their rural schoolhouse. It demonstrates without overreaching what a teacher can do to shape lives. I saw this while in college and it left a big impact in me.

School of Rock (2003)
After getting kicked out of his band and threatened with eviction, wannabe rocker Dewey Finn fakes his way into a private school as a substitute teacher. Dewey taps into his 5th-graders talents for his rock ‘n roll comeback. In a surprisingly heartwarming, screwball comedy, “School of Rock” also manages to slip a lesson on the value of art education under the radar.

Freedom Writers (2007)
Set in Long Beach, California after the 1992 Los Angeles riots. “Freedom Writers” depicts one of the most challenging situations imaginable for a young white woman embarking on a career in teaching. Faced with a class of Black, Latino and Asian gang members who hate her even more than they hate each other, teacher Erin Gruwell scrambles to survive. She quickly realizes what these kids need most is someone who will listen. Scrapping the standardized freshman English curriculum, she provides each student with a journal, instructing them to write about their lives, to open up and share their world with her. A truly inspiring true story.

Mona Lisa Smile (2003)
Katherine Ann Watson has accepted a position teaching art history at the prestigious Wellesley College. Watson is a very modern woman, particularly for the 1950s, and has a passion not only for art but for her students. For the most part, the students all seem to be biding their time, waiting to find the right man to marry. The students are all very bright and Watson feels they are not reaching their potential. Although a strong bond is formed between teacher and student, Watson’s views are incompatible with the dominant culture of the college. I could be Watson, I have a similar view on life and the fact that you have to settle down with a man even if it doesn’t make you happy still happens to date. Do what you love, live the way you want to live it, no matter what the people around you say and think.

90s Movie Review - Scream 2

Director: Wes Craven
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 120 minutes
Year: 1997
Starring: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courtney Cox, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jamie Kennedy, Laurie Metcalfe, Jerry O’Connell, Timothy Olyphant, Liev Schreiber, Jada Pinkett Smith, Rebecca Gayheart, Portia de Rossi, Omar Epps

Description: Two years after the first series of murders, a new psychopath dons the Ghostface costume and a new string of killings begins.

Review: Halfway through the nineties a successful scriptwriter stands out. Kevin Williamson brought in the big bucks after “Scream”, the movie that brought the horror genre back to life. Off course a sequel had to be made, something the characters in the first movie referred to. Williamson wrote it in only three weeks and Wes Craven directed it again.
“Scream 2” starts on the premiere night of “Stab”, the movie based on the Woodsboro murders. A couple gets murdered and soon it’s clear that a killer is on the loose. Sidney is in danger again and the past still haunts her.
Craven and Williamson form a good team again and like “Scream”, this flick shouldn’t be taken too seriously. This script is also filled with references to the genre, this time focused on sequels. It follows the same path as its prequel, but sadly the ending isn’t as strong. “Scream 2” isn’t surprising and then ending is a bit improbable.
If you don’t take this sequel too serious, you are in for a good horror movie night.

Rating: 3/ 5

Movie Reviews - Toy Story 4

Director: Josh Cooley
Genre: Animation/ Adventure/ Family
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Keegan-Michael Key, Christina Hendricks, Jordan Peele, Keanu Reeves, Jay Hernandez, Joan Cusack, Bonnie Hunt, Kristen Schaal, Wallace Shaw, John Ratzenberg, June Squibb, Carl Weathers, Don Rickles, Jeff Carlin, Estelle Harris, Laurie Metcalf, Mel Brooks, Timothy Dalton, Betty White, Bill Hader, Carol Burnett, Flea

Description: When a new toy called “Forky” joins Woody and the gang, a road trip alongside old and new friends reveals how big the world can be for a toy.

Review: Promises are meant to be broken. At least for Disney and Pixar. Because they had sworn that “Toy Story 2” would be there only sequel. Because mostly sequels aren’t as successful. Not for this series. So far, the third film was their best. But will the fourth (and final) film be better too.
“Toy Story 3” was such a perfect film. It touched all the emotions and was so well created. And in the end all of Andy’s toys were handed over to Bonnie. And although the story continues with her in part 4, we start the movie with a prologue in the form of a flashback.
Toddler Bonnie loves her toys and is very creative. But she also leaves some of them behind sometimes, which frustrates Woody, because he is one of those toys. When she goes to school for the first time, she is anxious. It’s hard for her to connect with other children, but Woody helps her a bit after he smuggled himself into the classroom. He tosses Bonnie some old crafty supplies and she creates: Forky. Bonnie and her new friend are inseparable and he comes to life and joins Woody’s gang. And because Forky is new to this world, he wants nothing else but to get away. Woody dedicates his life to keeping Forky safe, for Bonnie.
When Bonnie and het family are going on a roadtrip, the toys come along. And a new adventure begins. When old and new friends come together.
Visually, Pixar knocks it out of the park once again. But also the characters. The ones we were familiar with are back, but we also get to meet new characters. Like a bright colored chick and bunny, doll Gabby Gabby and stuntman Duke Kaboom.
The story is a little bit behind when it comes to the other three movies. It’s pretty straight forward and doesn’t have many surprises. I still loved the movie, but I think this should really be the end of the series.

Rating: 4/ 5

TV Show Review - Mindhunter (Season 2)

Season: 2
Genre: Thriller/ Crime
Number of episodes: 10
Year: 2019
Starring: Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Anna Torv, Stacey Roca, Joe Tuttle, Lauren Glazier

Description: Set in the late 1970s, two FBI agents are tasked with interviewing serial killers to solve open cases.

Review: If you really want to know what drives a serial killer, “Mindhunter” is a recommendation. When you learn the creepy stories behind these serial killers, you start thinking if they are real or fictional. But they are all real and they are scary as hell.
“Mindhunter” is inspired by the a book written by FBI agent John E. Douglas and it’s a psychological crime series. Douglas, in the series named Holden Ford, has worked for the FBI from 1970 till 1995. He interviewed the most infamous and dangerous serial killers, like Ted Bundy, Dannis Rader and James Earl Ray. The show gives a beautiful look into the brains of these so-called monsters.
The first season was really good, it fascinated me. It never has jump scares or spectacular chases, but it has creepy dialogues and disturbing images.
The difference from the first season is there is more room for the leading characters Bill Tench and Holden Ford, but also Wendy Carr. And the cases they work on are spread out over multiple episodes, instead of a new case each episode.
“Mindhunter” still isn’t a series for people who like crime sensation. It’s slow paced, but it works perfect for this show. If you’re interested in the mind set of serial killers, this is your show. And a third season will happen, if I have to believe the ending of season 2.

90s Movie Review - Scream

Director: Wes Craven
Genre: Horror/ Thriller
Runtime: 111 minutes
Year: 1996
Starring: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courtney Cox, Rose McGowan, Skeet Ulrich, Matthew Lillard, Jamie Kennedy, Drew Barrymore, Henry Winkler

Description: A masked killer begins murdering teenagers in a small town, and as the body count rises, one girl and her friends contemplate the "rules" of horror films as they find themselves living in a real-life one.
Review: Director Wes Craven has been a specialist in the horror genre. Classics as “The Last House on the Left”, “The Hills Have Eyes” and “Nightmare on Elm Street” are some of the movies that shine on his résumé. Half way through the nineties, he decided to mock his favorite genre, by making “Scream”. This film is unique in its genre, because it manages to scare the viewer, but also make you laugh. “Scream” was an unexpected success and later more movies in the subgenre of so called ‘slasher movies’ followed.
“Scream” has an almost classic opening scene, where we see student Casey Becker preparing for a movie night. She gets a call from a man who apparently dialed the wrong number. Soon Casey realizes it’s a psychopath who wants to play a morbid game of life and death. When she and her boyfriend get killed, all the students at the high school are interviewed. The attentions goes out to Sidney Prescott, whose mother was murdered a year ago. Sidney is eventually the target of the killer.
The great thing about “Scream” is, that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. The characters talk about all the clichés horror movies have and with that Wes Craven separates himself from other horror directors. “Scream” is in my opinion not really a horror movie, it’s not scary enough. But it’s very entertaining and fun.

Rating: 3,5/ 5

00s Movie Review - The Descent

Director: Neil Marshall
Genre: Horror/ Thriller/ Adventure
Runtime: 99 minutes
Year: 2005
Starring: Shauna MacDonald, Natalie Jackson Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder, Nora-Jane Noone, Oliver Milburn, Molly Kayll, Leslie Simpson, Mark Smith, Mark Cronfield, Stephen Lamb, Craig Conway, Sophie Trott, Tristan Matthiae, Stuart Luis, Justin Hackney, MyAnna Buring

Description: A caving expedition goes horribly wrong, as the explorers become trapped and ultimately pursued by a strange breed of predators.

Review: “The Descent” is a real shocker. It tells the story of a group of female friends, that meet each other again after a traumatic accident. The ladies go on a caving adventure, where not only darkness and tight spaces are an enemy. Something is lurking in the dark as well.
“The Descent” has a good buildup. Before it becomes bloody, director Neil Marshall managed to build up the tension. You get a claustrophobic feel and the darkness surrounding the women is also frightening. It’s a very dark film, which makes it even scarier.
Dark and claustrophobic are the two keywords for “The Descent”. And if those two elements aren’t scary enough, there is a certain paranoia amongst the characters. The stress factor is building and everyone’s fear is growing. The transformation of the friends is interesting to see, how each of the women deal with their fear.
The movie mixes psychological horror with standard thriller elements, to eventually turn into a shocker. And this movie is anything but predictable and it’s very original. It’s a thrill ride filled with surprises.
“The Descent” is definitely one of the best horror movies of its decade.

Rating: 4,5/ 5

10s Movie Review - Free Solo

Director: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Cahi Vasarhelyi
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 100 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, Jimmy Chin, Cheyne Lempe, Mikey Schaefer, Sanni McCandless, Dierdre Wolownick, Peter Croft

Description: Alex Honnold attempts to become the first person to ever free solo climb El Capitan.

Review: Warning: to watch “Free Solo” you gotta have nerves of steel. This documentary follows the young climber Alex Honnold during his preparation to climb the mighty El Capitan. This steep, granite cliff is set in Yosemite National Park in California and has been popular with many adventurers. So what does Alex Honnold’s climb makeit so special? Simple: he wants to do it free solo, which means with no ropes or safety equipment.
Before he can do this, Alex has to train a lot. The climb to the top is divided in to different stages and all have challenges. Each segments asks for a different technique and Alex shows us the many ways he an climb it. He climbs it several times, with ropes, and he makes mistakes. If he does it free solo, one little mistake can be fatal.
What is it that makes someone want to do this? “Free Solo” starts with exploring the mindset of Alex. Alex ambitions have nothing to do with being macho, but it’s his exorbitant spirit. He has to climb El Cap free solo. And his lifestyle shows t. He lives in a van, which he has converted to a camper. He mainly eats canned food and his whole life is dedicated to his passion.
This lifestyle has it’s downsides. Alex finds it very difficult to open up to other people, which can mainly be seen in his relationship with girlfriend Sanni. When they buy their first house, he seems to be a little lost. Alex belongs in the wilderness.
When we get to the actual climb, the films is a true nail-biter. The way they filmed everything is amazing, no 3D-glasses needed. This final act of the film is the most spectacular one and you’re on the edge of your seat. It’s that exciting. The Academy Award for best documentary is very well-deserved.

Rating: 4 / 5

Movie Reviews - Tell Me Who I Am

Director: Ed Perkins
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 85 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Alex Lewis, Marcus Lewis

Description: What if every memory that haunts you could be erased? What if something truly horrific had happened to you and the person who loves you most could wipe that from your mind? Would you want them to? This is the ethical dilemma that 18-year-old Marcus Lewis faced when his identical twin Alex awakened after a motorcycle accident and Marcus was the only person Alex recognized. With no memories at all, Alex relied entirely on his brother as he tried to understand who he was. Working from an autobiography by the twins, Perkins and the Lewis brothers craft a powerfully cinematic adaptation that helps the audience explore their incredible story and remarkable 35-year post-accident journey. It's a profoundly moving examination of memory and trauma, personal responsibility and, ultimately, love.

Review: “Tell Me Who I Am” is a touching documentary that tells the story of two brothers and a dark family secret.
Marcus and Alex are twins. Alex gets into a motorcycle accident at age 18. When he wakes up, Alex has no memory. He doesn’t know who he is, who is family is, what happened in his life. The only one he instantly recognizes is his twin brother Marcus. He asks Marcus to give him back his memories.
Marcus tells him everything is great and how they went on summer vacations as a family. What Alex doesn’t know, is that the truth is very different. Out of protection of his brother, Marcus decides to tell Alex only the nice memories and not tell him about the painful and dark past. But this act of love has consequences.
Alex tries to build his life back up, but it’s based on lies. What if Alex finds out the truth and what does this with his identity? “Tell Me Who I Am” brings up a lot of questions from a psychological perspective. Themes like lies, trust, dark family secrets and start your life over after a trauma are all present. Was it okay for Marcus to lie to his brother? What would you have done? What happens when Alex finds out the truth? And what will it do to their relationship as brothers?
The film is told from three perspectives. It starts with Alex side of the story. Then we switch to Marcus. And the third act features both of them, confronting each other with their past. Especially the third act of the film is really strong. The documentary is no feel-good film, but definitely worth your time.

Rating: 3,5/ 5